Dumbbell Front Squat

Dumbbell Front Squat trains 9 of the 18 muscle groups Full Coverage tracks: Quads 90%, Glutes 45%, Adductors (inner thigh) 40%, Abs 25%, Lower back / erectors 20%, Forearms 15%, Obliques 15%, Hamstrings 10%, Calves 10%.

Backbone movement Level: Intermediate Dumbbells Push Easy on the lower backEasy on the kneesNo load on the spineEasy on the shoulders

Dumbbell Front Squat - Start position — Start position

Dumbbell Front Squat - Finish position — Finish position

How to do it

Clean a dumbbell onto each shoulder and rest the inner head on the front of your delt.
Stand feet shoulder-width, elbows pointing forward and up.
Squat straight down, chest tall, and do not let the elbows drop.
Go as deep as you can hold that upright position, then drive back up.
The moment your elbows drop the weight pulls you forward - that is your real depth limit.

Muscles it trains

Percent of one session's target for that muscle. Anything at 100% finishes that muscle on its own.

Light Main

How it compares

Compared with the Barbell Squat, it loads Forearms 15 points higher, Quads 10 points lower, Lower back / erectors 10 points lower. It needs Dumbbells where the other uses Barbell. Compared with the Bulgarian Split Squat, it loads Abductors (outer hip) 40 points lower, Glutes 25 points lower, Hamstrings 20 points lower. It needs Dumbbells where the other uses Dumbbells + Bench.