The dumbbell overhead squat is great for overloading your lower body (especially your quadriceps and glutes), strengthening your core, and improving your balance.
The dumbbell overhead squat is a challenge for both mobility and stability. It’s a relatively advanced exercise, as it demands more mobility and stability than even a standard squat.
It’s much better to use very light dumbbells with a full-depth, balanced squat than heavier dumbbells that are unstable in a partial-depth squat. You can gradually increase the weight you’re lifting as you get more familiar with performing the dumbbell overhead squat.
Benefits of Dumbbell Overhead Squat
- Improve mobility and flexibility: It helps develop multiple areas of athleticism such as balance, flexibility, and mobility. At a higher level, it works on your proprioception and coordination.
- Train Full Body: The overhead squat is an excellent way to strengthen all the major muscle groups of your lower body. It also requires a substantial engagement of the core and upper body to stabilize the dumbbell overhead.
- Improve Performance: Incorporating overhead squats can translate to better performance in your chosen sport – anything from baseball to boxing – if you’re a strength or fitness athlete.
- Overhead squats are versatile. The overhead squat is a great exercise to practice at home. If you don’t have access to a dumbbell, consider trying this exercise while holding a water bottle and PVC Pipe.
- Strengthen core. Overhead squat activates your core muscles as stabilizers. Keep your core engaged through the full range of motion during the exercise to unlock this benefit.
Both Arm Dumbbell Overhead Squat
Both Arm Dumbbell overhead squat is an excellent alternative to barbell squats to build quality muscle mass in the legs. These leg exercises are done standing with a pair of Dumbbells.
One benefit the dumbbell squat has over the barbell squat is that you can perform it anywhere, and there’s no need for a spotter.
Muscles Worked
Primary Muscles Worked: Quads, glute
Secondary Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, adductors, spinal erectors, abs.
How to do Both Arm Dumbbell Overhead Squat
- With your feet hip-width apart, stand holding a dumbbell in each hand overhead, directly above each shoulder. Your palms should be facing forward and your elbows almost fully extended.
- Bend your knees and lower yourself with your back straight and head up until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Keep your torso neutral and your arms almost fully extended.
- Now raise yourself up using only the thigh power, keeping your back straight in a position with legs nearly locked out.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tips
- Keep your torso upright, shoulders back, head up, and feet flat.
- Start with light weights until you master proper form and balance.
- Make sure that your toes and knees are pointing in the same direction.
Single Arm Dumbbell Overhead Squat
Single arm dumbbell overhead squat is an extremely demanding exercises. It required good mobility and stability.
Muscles Worked
Primary Muscles Worked: Quads, glute
Secondary Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, adductors, lower back, abs.
How to do Single-Arm Dumbbell Overhead Squats
- With your feet hip-width apart, stand holding a dumbbell in each hand overhead, directly above
- Grip a dumbbell in one hand and extend it directly overhead, locking out your elbow at the top position.
- Place your feet about shoulder-width apart, with your toes very slightly pointing outwards.
- Be sure to keep your chest upright and your eyes forward. Bend your knees and lower yourself with your back straight and head up until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Once your knees hit a 90-degree angle, briefly pause before exhaling and driving back upwards at a controlled speed using your quadriceps and glutes while bringing your hips forward.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tips
- Don’t overextend your lower back. Try to keep a neutral spine throughout.
- Don’t lean forward, as that will throw off your center of balance and make the movement impossible to do correctly.
Takeaways
The dumbbell overhead squat is fantastic in developing control, coordination, stability, and balance. It’s a very efficient, compound exercise that works multiple muscles and joint simultaneously.
FAQs
Can you do an overhead squat with dumbbells?
Absolutely! A dumbbell overhead squat is a great movement to develop control, stability, balance, and strength. If you don’t have dumbbells, you can get creative or use another training tool like a kettlebell or barbell.
Why are overhead squats so hard?
There are significant mobility and stability requirements for an overhead squat. Specifically, you need to have ample mobility – ankle, hip, spinal, and shoulder – to get into the position. From there, it takes strength to maintain the stability to perform the exercise.
