Build Functional Core Strength With One-Dumbbell Curl Reverse Lunges

The muscles of your deep core (the obliques and transversus) work the transfer force and stabilize your hips and spine during movement.

This exercise is going to put those muscles under load while you're doing a Reverse Lunge exercise. It's a killer deep core, upper back and leg exercise (not biceps, ironically enough).

This is a variation of the Curl Squat exercise, where you hold a weight (barbell or dumbbells) in the top of the curl position, then squat.

It's a beast on the core and upper back...one of the best core exercises I've ever done.

This version is simple...just heave a dumbbell up to the top of the curl position with both hands (one on the handle, one on the back end of the dumbbell).

Get it up to the top of the curl position.

Now hold it with just the one arm. This is not a bicep exercise, so try to keep the forearm vertical so that you don't need to engage the biceps too strongly. It's more of a support/balance of the dumbbell.

Your lead leg is the opposing limb to the arm holding the dumbbell...e.g. left leg forward, right arm holding the weight.

Step back and down into a Reverse Lunge.

I'm using a 95 lb dumbbell here and it was tough.

Start lighter, get an idea of how it works and feels, then add weight to really challenge your core.

You can actually go heavy enough to get some challenge to the legs here as well.

When you've done your reps on one leg (I got three here), set the dumbbell down.

Grab it with the other hand.

Heave it up to the top of the curl position again.

Then repeat the exercise.

This one is very challenging to the core, especially out of the bottom.

That's where those deep core muscles have to work hard in order to support and stabilize the load.

You can also do One-Dumbbell Curl Squats if you prefer a more stable version to start with.

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Want 90 more unique and challenging exercises to SHRED your core? Check out The Best Core Exercises You've Never Heard Of!

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Want Another Combo Exercise Like This?

Another excellent combination exercise for tightening up and strengthening the deep muscles of the core is one that I call "Ab Rippers."

It sounds horrible but it's actually VERY effective, combining a push and a pull at the same time as the torque goes directly through the core.