Glutes
Front Foot Elevated Curtsy Lunge
A curtsy lunge with your front foot up on a low step or plate. The extra height lets you sink lower for a deeper stretch in the glute of your front leg, and you stay on one side for the whole set.
- Works
- Glutes, quads, adductors
- Equipment
- A pair of dumbbells and a low step or plate
- Load
- Medium
How to do it
- 1Stand with one foot on a low step or plate, a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
- 2Step your other foot back and across behind the step, landing on the ball of your foot on the floor.
- 3Lower until your back knee is just above the floor, weight in your front foot, hips facing forward.
- 4Push through your front foot to stand and bring your back foot in. Finish your reps, then switch sides.
Cues
- Your front foot stays on the step the whole set.
- Sink deep, but only as low as your hips stay square.
- Chest tall, front knee over your toes.
Common mistakes
- Only part of your foot on the step. Put your whole front foot on it so you can push through your heel.
- Using a step that's too high. A plate or low step is plenty. Any higher makes it hard to balance and keep your hips square.
- Twisting to reach the floor. The extra depth only helps if your hips stay facing forward. Stop where you can keep them square.
Easier
Do a regular curtsy lunge with both feet on the floor, or hold a wall with one hand.
Harder
Take 3 seconds on the way down and pause for 1 second at the bottom.
Try it: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps per side, or 30 seconds on and 30 off per side.
What does a front foot elevated curtsy lunge work?
Mostly the glute of your front leg, plus your quads and inner thighs. Raising the front foot lets you sink lower, so that glute works through a longer range than in a regular curtsy lunge.
