Lunges with dumbbells

Step in the direction required by the variation and lower by bending the hip and knee together. Drive through the supporting foot to return without losing alignment. Keep the same range from repetition to repetition instead of speeding up as you fatigue. Breathe continuously and end the set before technique starts to break down.

Choose a resistance that lets you preserve technique from start to finish. You should feel most of the work in abdominals, hamstrings, glutes and hip flexors and quadriceps; if you feel sharp pain, joint pinching or a clear loss of control, reduce the load or range and stop if symptoms persist.