Dumbbell Single Leg Split Squat

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand approximately two feet in front of a flat bench, facing away from it.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip at your sides.
3. Reach one foot back and place the top of your foot (laces down) firmly on the bench.
4. Position your front foot so that when you descend, your front shin remains relatively vertical.

How to do it

1. Inhale and lower your hips toward the floor by bending your front knee and hip until your front thigh is parallel to the ground.
2. Maintain a slight forward lean in your torso to keep the tension on your glutes and hamstrings.
3. Exhale and drive through the mid-foot of your front leg to return to the starting position.
4. Perform the movement with a controlled 2-3 second eccentric (lowering) phase and a powerful 1-second concentric (upward) phase.

Form checklist

• Keep your front knee tracked over your second toe, avoiding internal collapse.
• Ensure 80-90% of your weight remains on the front leg; the back leg is only for balance.
• Keep your core braced and shoulders pinned back to maintain a neutral spine.
• Avoid letting your back knee touch the floor with impact; stop just before it makes contact.

Pro tips

• To emphasize the glutes, take a slightly longer stride and lean your torso forward; to emphasize the quads, keep a more upright torso and a shorter stride.
• Think about 'pushing the floor away' rather than just standing up to improve mind-muscle connection with the working leg.

Make it harder

• Add a 2-second pause at the bottom of each repetition to eliminate momentum.
• Perform the exercise with the front foot elevated on a small weight plate to increase the range of motion (deficit split squat).

Frequently asked

What muscles does the dumbbell single leg split squat work?

The dumbbell single leg split squat primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the abs and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the dumbbell single leg split squat?

The dumbbell single leg split squat uses dumbbell.

Is the dumbbell single leg split squat good for beginners?

The dumbbell single leg split squat is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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• Air Pillow Balance Counterbalanced Skater SquatAdvanced · glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps