What equipment do you need for the single arm overhead dumbbell squat?

You need dumbbell to do the single arm overhead dumbbell squat.

Legs · Dumbbell

Single Arm Overhead Dumbbell Squat

How to do the single arm overhead dumbbell squat, 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

Find more:Quads exercises Dumbbell exercises

How to do it

Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, holding a single dumbbell locked out overhead with one arm straight. Push your hips back and bend your knees to squat at least to parallel, keeping the dumbbell stacked over your mid-foot and your chest up. Drive through your heels to stand. Complete your reps, then switch arms.

1Your glutes and quads driving you out of the bottom
2Your shoulder and upper back working to keep the weight locked overhead
3Your core bracing against the offset, one-sided load

Common mistakes

Don't let your arm drift forward or your elbow bend
Avoid letting your knees cave in or your heels lift
Don't overarch your lower back; keep your spine neutral

Muscles worked

The single arm overhead dumbbell squat mainly works the quads, with the upper abs, obliques, glutes, front delts, side delts, triceps, lower back, upper traps, mid traps, lower abs, hamstrings, and calves assisting.

QuadsPrimary
Upper AbsSupport
ObliquesSupport
GlutesSupport
Front DeltsSupport
Side DeltsSupport
TricepsSupport
Lower BackSupport
Upper TrapsSupport
Mid TrapsSupport
Lower AbsSupport
HamstringsSupport
CalvesSupport
ForearmsMinor
LatsMinor
Lower TrapsMinor
AdductorsMinor

Kovo programs the single arm overhead dumbbell 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.

Get Kovo free Estimate your 1RM

More quads exercises

See all quads exercises →

Last reviewed June 2026.