Dumbbell Plyometric Squat
- Secondary muscles
- Quads, Hamstrings, Calves
- Body part
- Upper Legs
- Position
- Standing
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Plyometrics
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Dumbbells at your sides turn a jump squat into a loaded power drill without a bar on the spine, and the mid-air foot switch layers a coordination demand onto every landing. Keep the weights light - a small fraction of your squat load - and cap sets at five or six explosive reps before landings get sloppy.
How to do the Dumbbell Plyometric Squat
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
- Lower your body into a squat position by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
- As you reach the bottom of the squat, explode upward, jumping off the ground.
- While in the air, quickly switch the position of your feet, landing with your opposite foot forward.
- Immediately lower your body back into a squat position and repeat the jump, switching your feet again.
- Continue alternating the position of your feet with each jump for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Screw the feet into the floor and spread it apart to keep the knees out and the arch of the foot from collapsing.
Muscles worked
Primary
Glutes · Legs
The glutes extend the hip on the way up and take more of the load the deeper you go and the wider your stance.
Secondary
- Quads — The quads extend the knee and drive you out of the bottom, and front squats and close stance variations put more on them.
- Hamstrings
- Calves
Common mistakes
- Knees caving inward — push the knees out over the toes on the way up, especially out of the bottom where they most want to collapse.
- Hips shooting up first — if the hips rise faster than the chest on the way up, you turn the squat into a good morning; drive the chest and hips up together.
- Cutting the depth — get the hip crease below the top of the knee on every rep unless mobility genuinely stops you, in which case work on it.
- Losing the brace — take a big breath into the belly before each rep and hold it through the sticking point, then exhale on the way up.
Sets, reps and where it fits
| Goal | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 3–5 × 3–5 | 90–120 s |
| Conditioning | 3 × 8–12 | 60 s |
Squats go first in a lower body session when you are freshest. Follow them with Romanian deadlifts or leg press, or superset lighter sets with pull-ups to use the same rack.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without dumbbell
Easier and harder
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Dumbbell Plyometric Squat work?
The Dumbbell Plyometric Squat primarily works the glutes. It also involves the quads, hamstrings and calves, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Dumbbell Plyometric Squat good for beginners?
Not as a starting point. The Dumbbell Plyometric Squat is rated advanced because it demands strength, mobility or coordination that takes time to build. Beginners should work up to it through the easier variations listed on this page.
What can I do instead of the Dumbbell Plyometric Squat?
If you cannot do the Dumbbell Plyometric Squat, try the Jump Squat, the Hands to Floor Jump Squat or the Barbell Jump Squat. Each of them trains the glutes through a similar movement, so you can swap them in without changing the rest of the workout.
How many sets and reps should I do?
It depends on your goal. For the Dumbbell Plyometric Squat, a sensible starting point is power: 3–5 × 3–5 with 90–120 s rest; conditioning: 3 × 8–12 with 60 s rest. Do it first in the session while you are fresh. Quality of each rep matters more than the count.
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