Dumbbell Split Squat

How to Perform the Dumbbell Split Squat

Stand in a split stance with one foot approximately 2-3 feet in front of the other, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
Position your front foot flat on the floor and your back foot on the ball of the foot with your heel raised.
Brace your core and keep your torso upright with your chest lifted.
Lower your body by bending both knees simultaneously until your back knee nearly touches the floor.
Ensure your front knee tracks over your toes and your front shin remains relatively vertical.
Drive through the heel of your front foot to push yourself back up to the starting position.
Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other leg.

Stance too narrow, causing loss of balance

Position your feet about hip-width apart laterally (as if on railway tracks, not a tightrope) for better stability.

Front knee drifting too far forward over the toes

Shift your weight into the heel of your front foot and ensure your shin stays close to vertical.

Leaning the torso forward during the descent

Keep your chest up and shoulders back. Think about lowering straight down rather than forward.

●Focus the majority of your weight on the front leg, using the back leg primarily for balance.
●Start with bodyweight split squats to build balance and stability before adding dumbbells.
●Aim to lower until your back knee is 1-2 inches from the floor for full range of motion.

Strength

4-5 sets of 3-5 reps at 80-90% 1RM

Hypertrophy

3-4 sets of 8-12 reps at 65-75% 1RM

Endurance

2-3 sets of 15-20 reps at 50-60% 1RM

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