Legs · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Supported Squat
How to do the dumbbell supported squat, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Squat
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Hold a dumbbell at your chest or rest one hand on a sturdy support for balance, feet shoulder-width apart. Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower until your thighs are at least parallel, then drive through your heels to stand.
- 1Feel your quads and glutes drive you out of the bottom
- 2Push through your heels and keep your chest up
- 3Use the support only for balance, not to pull yourself up
Common mistakes
- Do not let your knees cave inward or heels lift
- Avoid rounding your back or collapsing your chest
- Do not lean your weight into the support
Muscles worked
The dumbbell supported squat mainly works the quads and glutes, with the hamstrings, lower back, and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- CalvesSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell supported squat 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.