Dumbbell Split Squat

The dumbbell split squat isn’t your average compound exercise. It’s a versatile movement that targets multiple muscle groups in the lower body. It single-handedly enhances strength, stability, and balance.

Unlike traditional squats, this unilateral movement challenges each leg independently, effectively correcting muscle imbalances and preventing potential overuse injuries. 

Are you ready to include this powerful movement in your next workout? Then you’re in the right place. We’ll dive into how to perform the dumbbell split squat, tips for adding it to your workout split, and more. Let’s get into it.

How To Do

  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and toes pointing forward. Hold a dumbbell in each of your hands.
  2. Ensure a neutral spine position with your chest and head facing forward. Take a large step forward with one of your legs. 
  3. Your knees should be stacked directly above your ankles. Your feet should still be hip-width apart.
  4. Take a deep breath in and engage your core. Lower your back knee down until it is just above the floor. 
  5. Push firmly down with both of your feet to return to your starting position. Breathe out as you come back up to the starting position.
  6. Repeat as necessary.

Tips From Expert

  • Resist the urge for your knee to collapse inward during the movement. Instead, you want to keep your hip, knee, and ankle in a straight line.
  • To better target the glutes, try leaning forward slightly through the torso.
  • During the lowering phase, continue tilting your pelvis forward to prevent rounding through your lower back. Imagine that your pelvis is a bowl of jelly and you don’t want any to slide out.
  • To have enough space to square your hips, it’s important to maintain a stance with your feet hip-width apart.
  • If you struggle with balance, try holding onto a wall or piece of equipment for added stability.

Optimal Sets and Reps

Depending on your training style, you will want to customize the amount of sets and reps in your workout. This section will help you determine the ideal amount to suit your workout goals.

Training Type Sets Reps
Strength Training 3–5 4–6
Hypertrophy 3–4 8–12
Endurance Training 3–4 15–20+
Power Training 3–5 1–3
Optimal Sets & Reps of Dumbbell Split Squat

How to Put in Your Workout Split

The dumbbell split squat is a compound exercise that engages many of the muscles of the lower body. It utilizes the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings, and involves the core for stabilization.

Adding the dumbbell split squat to your workout split can enhance lower body strength and promote functional fitness. 

More importantly, though, dumbbell split squats can be used to treat and prevent muscular imbalances and subsequent lifting injuries.

Here are some options for incorporating it into your split:

  • Leg Split — Include the dumbbell split squat as one of your main lifts on leg day. It can be performed after compound movements like a dumbbell squat or deadlift. Add calf raises to your routine to effectively target the entire leg.
  • Full-Body Split — Full-body workouts are the best option for individuals with limited time in the gym. To further maximize the efficiency of your short workout, consider using super sets. This involves performing exercises back to back with limited time in between. 
  • Push/Pull Split — Push exercises involve pushing weight away from your body. Glute bridges, lunges, step-ups, calf raises, and dumbbell split squats are all considered push exercises. Interchange push days with your favorite pull leg workouts during a 3-day workout split.

In the guide below, your 1RM refers to the maximum amount of weight you can lift for one repetition.

Strength Training Focus:

  • Weight: Heavy, 80%–100% of 1RM.
  • Rest: Two to three minutes between sets.

Hypertrophy Training Focus:

  • Weight: Moderate to heavy, 60%–80% of 1RM.
  • Rest: 60–90 seconds between sets.

Endurance Training Focus:

  • Weight: Light to moderate, 40%–60% of 1RM.
  • Rest: 30–60 seconds between sets.

Power Training Focus:

  • Weight: Heavy, 80%–90% of 1RM.
  • Rest: Two to three minutes between sets.

Primary Muscle Groups

Quadriceps

Muscles located at the front portion of your upper legs, below your pelvis and above your knees. Consists of four parts.

Quadriceps

The quadriceps, commonly known as the quads, are a group of four muscles located at the front of the thigh. During dumbbell split squats, most of the load is placed on the quadriceps — they are responsible for the heavy lifting.

As you lower your body into the squat, the quads control the descent through the eccentric contraction. This involves lengthening the muscle under tension and is shown to improve muscle thickness more significantly than concentric movement.

When you push back up to the starting position, the quadriceps contract concentrically. This involves shortening the muscle fibers to straighten the knee and lift the body.

Despite their heavy lifting, the quadriceps also play an important role in stabilizing the knee. They help the knee resist rotating inward during the lowering and lifting phase of the movement. 

To keep the majority of the effort targeted to the quadriceps, maintain more of an upright position through the torso. Leaning forward during dumbbell split squats will help you to better target your gluteus muscles.

Secondary Muscle Groups

Gluteus

Large, superficial muscles located at your buttocks just below your lower back area.

Hamstrings

Muscles located at the back of your upper leg, below your glutes and above your calves. Consists of three muscles.

Erector Spinae

Muscles that span the entire length of your spine on either side.

Gluteus 

The gluteus muscles, commonly referred to as the glutes, are a group of three muscles located in the buttocks. These include the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and the gluteus minimus.

The gluteus maximus, the largest of the three muscles, is responsible for the heavy lifting during the dumbbell split squat. 

During the lifting phase, the gluteus maximus is primarily responsible for straightening the hip of the front leg. It also plays a crucial role in the lowering phase of the movement. It helps control the body’s descent, preventing it from dropping too quickly.

The gluteus medius and minimus play more of a supporting role to the gluteus maximus. They help to stabilize the pelvis during the exercise. This stabilization prevents side-to-side movement and helps keep the hips and knees aligned.

Hamstrings 

The hamstrings are a group of three muscles located at the back of the thigh. They work synergistically with the gluteus during both the lifting and lowering phases of dumbbell split squats. 

During the lifting phase of the split squat, the hamstrings work together with the gluteus maximus. They help to straighten the hip of the front leg. They also contract during the lowering phase to control the lowering of the body. Thus preventing a rapid drop and ensuring a smooth movement.

Located opposite the quadriceps, the hamstrings also help stabilize the knee joint by balancing the forces exerted by the quadriceps.

Erector Spinae

The erector spinae is a group of muscles and tendons that run along the spine. During dumbbell split squats, the erector spinae contract isometrically, meaning the muscles do not lengthen or shorten. 

This contraction plays an important role in maintaining proper upper-body posture, keeping the spine neutral, and preventing unwanted rounding.

Equipment

Dumbbells

Dumbbells

You can use these for a wide range of unilateral and bilateral exercises. Avoid using momentum to lift. Ensure a secure grip to prevent drops.

Variations

Exercises that target the same primary muscle groups and require the same equipment.

Squat To Overhead Press

Dumbbell Lunge

Dumbbell Walking Lunge

Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat

Dumbbell Jumping Squat

Dumbbell Lunge With Bicep Curl

Dumbbell Step-Up

Alternatives

Exercises that target the same primary muscle groups and require the different equipment.

Hack Squat

Barbell Squat

Bodyweight Squat

Bodyweight Bulgarian Split Squat

High Knees

Standing Quadricep Stretch

Burpees

Jumping Jacks

Lunges

Side Lunge

Who Should Do It? 

Beginners

Dumbbell split squats are considered an easy unilateral exercise option, thanks to them being a static-stance exercise. 

Compared to walking or reverse lunges, there is less stabilization required with dumbbell split squats. Users also have the option to hold onto the wall or a piece of equipment to enhance stability. Both can effectively reduce the barrier to entry for dumbbell split squats.

Individuals With Muscular Imbalances

Knee pain affects up to 25% of all adults. Quite often this knee pain results from muscular imbalances, which cause unnecessary strain on the joint.

Unilateral movements, like dumbbell split squats, target and strengthen each leg individually. This can be an effective treatment option for treating knee pain caused by muscular imbalances.

Athletes

Dumbbell split squats effectively target major lower body muscles, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. 

Strengthening these muscles is crucial for powerful movements in various sports. A good example would be professional football, in which players switch running direction multiple times in a single match.

Who Should Not Do It?

Beginners With Poor Form

Although dumbbell split squats can be a more accessible unilateral exercise for beginners, it’s not necessarily an easy exercise. Mancy actions are happening at one time during the dumbbell split squat. When not performed properly, muscle strains are a risk.

New exercisers who haven’t mastered proper squat techniques should start with bodyweight squats. Otherwise, seek professional guidance before progressing to weighted variations.

Individuals with Knee Injuries

Knee injuries often lead to instability in the joint. The unilateral nature of split squats requires stable knee joints to maintain balance and proper form. Therefore, anyone with a pre-existing knee injury should refrain from doing dumbbell split squats unless directed by a professional.

Anyone With Low Back Pain

Dumbbell split squats heavily involve the erector spinae; the muscles and ligaments surrounding the spine. Holding dumbbells while performing split squats adds significant load to the spine, which can exacerbate existing lower back pain.

Individuals suffering from lower back pain should work with a physical therapist to strengthen their back before attempting the dumbbell split squat.

Benefits Of The Dumbbell Split Squat

Increases Lower Body Strength

There’s no denying the benefits of squats. This includes the dumbbell split squat as it’s a great way to build strength in the lower body. 

It simultaneously targets many of the largest muscle groups, including the glutes, hamstrings, and quads. This means it effectively builds strength in these lower body muscles using a single movement.

The movement pattern of split squats also mimics many everyday activities and sports movements. It improves functional strength that translates to better performance in various physical activities, sports-related and otherwise.

Builds Postural Control

Postural control refers to the body’s ability to maintain proper alignment and balance while in motion. The dumbbell split squat helps to improve postural control.

Holding dumbbells during the split squat requires significant core activation to maintain balance and stability. This strengthens the muscles that stabilize the torso and support good posture.

Improves Balance

The dumbbell split squat is a unilateral movement that works one leg at a time, naturally challenging your balance. Having to stand on a single leg activates the stabilizing muscles and ligaments located on the lower body.

These muscles include the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves. However, there are also multiple ligaments located around the hip, knee, and ankle. Many of these are also highly activated during the dumbbell split squat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it better to do split squats with a barbell or a dumbbell?

One isn’t necessarily better than the other and will depend on your experience level. Beginners should start with dumbbells, while more experienced practitioners can switch to barbells for an added challenge.

Are dumbbell split squats beneficial?

Absolutely. Dumbbell split squats are an excellent exercise for increasing muscle mass and strength in the lower body. Moreover, they effectively reduce muscle imbalances between the two legs. This plays an important role in reducing wear and tear on the joints.

Do dumbbell split squats burn belly fat?

No, dumbbell split squats cannot be used to target belly fat. However, performing dumbbell split squats can contribute to weight loss by burning calories and increasing overall muscle mass.

Do dumbbell split squats build abs?

Yes, compound lower-body exercises, including dumbbell split squats can be effective at building core strength. The core is highly engaged during dumbbell split squats as it contracts to help maintain an upright posture.

Resources

Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.

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