Legs · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Squat to Overhead Press
How to do the dumbbell squat to overhead press, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Squat
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart holding a dumbbell at each shoulder. Squat down until your thighs are at least parallel, then drive up through your heels and press both dumbbells overhead in one motion. Lower the dumbbells back to your shoulders and repeat.
- 1Feel your quads and glutes power the squat and feed the press
- 2Keep your core braced and chest tall through both phases
- 3Press to full lockout with the dumbbells stacked over your shoulders
Common mistakes
- Don't arch your lower back as you press overhead
- Avoid letting your knees cave in or heels lift in the squat
- Don't break the movement apart; flow from squat into press
Muscles worked
The dumbbell squat to overhead press mainly works the quads, glutes, and front delts, with the triceps, hamstrings, side delts, upper chest, lower back, upper traps, upper abs, lower abs, and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- Front DeltsPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- CalvesSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Lower TrapsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- AdductorsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell squat to overhead press for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More quads exercises
- How to do the resistance band squat
- How to do the resistance band squat to press
- How to do the resistance band thruster
- How to do the resistance band squat walk
- How to do the barbell squat
- How to do the barbell bulgarian split squat
Last reviewed June 2026.