How to Perform

Stand about two feet in front of a bench, place the top of one foot behind you on the bench
Hold dumbbells at your sides or a single dumbbell at your chest
Lower until your front thigh is parallel to the floor or slightly below
Push through your front heel to stand back up
Complete all reps on one side before switching

Tips

Keep your torso upright and your front knee tracking over your toes — leaning forward overloads the lower back instead of the quads
No bench? A sturdy chair, step, or even a couch works; or do reverse lunges for a similar unilateral pattern
Use a 2-3 second descent and controlled press — the balance requirement makes slow tempo essential for safety
Placing your back foot too close to the bench so your knee travels too far forward is the most common setup mistake — step further out
Feel the burn in your front leg quads and glutes — if your back leg is cramping, your stance is too narrow or the bench is too high

Equipment	Why You Need It	Our Pick	Review
Adjustable Dumbbells	Progressive overload for single-leg training	Powerblock Elite	Read Review
Weight Bench	Provides rear foot elevation at the right height	Flybird Adjustable Bench	Read Review