Dumbbell Cossack Squats

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with your feet in a very wide stance, roughly double shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold a single dumbbell vertically against your chest in a goblet grip, with your palms cupping the top weight plate.
3. Point your toes slightly outward and engage your core to maintain an upright torso.

How to do it

1. Inhale and shift your weight to one side, sitting your hips back and down as if performing a single-leg squat.
2. Keep the non-working leg completely straight, allowing the foot to rotate so the toes point toward the ceiling while the heel remains on the floor.
3. Descend as deep as your mobility allows, ensuring the heel of your working foot stays flat on the ground.
4. Exhale and drive through the mid-foot of the working leg to return to the wide standing starting position.

Form checklist

• Keep your chest lifted and avoid rounding your lower back during the descent.
• Ensure the knee of the working leg tracks in line with your toes, not collapsing inward.
• Keep the heel of the squatting leg firmly planted on the floor at all times.
• Maintain a fully locked-out knee on the trailing (straight) leg to maximize the adductor stretch.

Pro tips

• Think about 'pulling' yourself down into the hip socket of the working leg to maximize depth and active mobility.
• At the bottom of the movement, pause for a second to feel the stretch in the straight leg before driving back up.

Make it harder

• Increase the weight of the dumbbell or hold two dumbbells at your sides in a suitcase position.
• Perform the movement with a slow 3-second eccentric phase to increase time under tension and control.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the dumbbell cossack squats work?

The dumbbell cossack squats primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the adductors and hip flexors as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the dumbbell cossack squats?

The dumbbell cossack squats uses dumbbell.

Is the dumbbell cossack squats good for beginners?

The dumbbell cossack squats is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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