Dumbbell Front Squat

1. Hold a dumbbell vertically in each hand, resting the ends on your shoulders near your collarbones.
2. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, elbows pointed forward and up to keep the dumbbells stable.
3. Brace your core and keep your chest tall before initiating the squat.
4. Bend your knees and hips to lower your body, keeping the dumbbells close to your shoulders.
5. Descend until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, keeping your heels planted.
6. Drive through your heels to stand back up, keeping your torso upright throughout.
7. Reset your grip on the dumbbells between reps if they start to slip.

Common Mistakes

• Letting the elbows drop: Elbows falling below parallel cause the dumbbells to roll forward off the shoulders. Keep your elbows lifted and pointed ahead throughout the set.
• Leaning forward on the descent: Tipping the torso forward to counterbalance the front-loaded weight shifts stress to the lower back. Keep your chest up and core braced.
• Squatting on your toes: Letting the heels rise off the floor reduces stability and shifts work away from the glutes. Keep weight balanced through the whole foot.
• Using dumbbells too heavy to control at the shoulders: If your grip or shoulder position breaks down before your legs fatigue, the load is too heavy for this variation. Choose a weight you can hold cleanly for every rep.