Dumbbell Squat
Built around independent dumbbell loading, Dumbbell Squat earns a place on leg day and builds muscle you built on purpose.
How to do Dumbbell Squat
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
- Keeping your chest up and core engaged, lower your body down by bending at the knees and hips, as if sitting back into a chair.
- Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Squat Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
3 sets of 5-6 reps with 2-3 minutes of rest. Size up only when both sides finish equally strong.
Hypertrophy
3 sets of 10-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Start each set with the weaker arm and match it.
Endurance
2-3 sets of 15-18 reps with 45-60 seconds of rest. Add reps on the smaller bell before you size up.
Common Dumbbell Squat Mistakes
Letting the stronger arm set the pace for both sides
Match the weaker side rep for rep and stop when it stops.
Moving through the easy half of the range only
Work the part of the range that feels hardest, not the part that feels good.
Training every set to failure this early
Leave two or three reps in the tank and add sets instead.
Easier and Harder Than Dumbbell Squat
Swap Dumbbell Squat For
Dumbbell Squat — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Dumbbell Squat?
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Keeping your chest up and core engaged, lower your body down by bending at the knees and hips, as if sitting back into a chair. Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go. Use dumbbells and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Dumbbell Squat work?
The Dumbbell Squat primarily targets the glutes. It is classified as a legs exercise and is performed with dumbbells.
How many sets and reps of the Dumbbell Squat should I do?
For muscle growth: 3 sets of 10-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Start each set with the weaker arm and match it. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Dumbbell Squat good for beginners?
Yes. The Dumbbell Squat is a beginner-level movement, so it is a reasonable place to start. Keep the load light enough that you can control every rep and stop 2-3 reps short of failure while you learn the pattern.
What can I do instead of the Dumbbell Squat?
Try the Forward Lunge (male), Band Squat or the Cable Pull Through (with Rope). Each trains the glutes with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
