Squats with dumbbells: benefits, technique for the buttocks and legs, recommendations for men and girls

Everyone is hearing about barbell squats. Firstly, this is a basic exercise, and secondly, it is an opportunity to lift heavy weights. Accordingly, barbell squats are designed to increase volume, but can barbell squats work the muscles as well as the same exercise with dumbbells does? No! This is because squats with dumbbells are several different exercises: holding dumbbells on the sides of the body, holding one dumbbell between the legs (plie), and also behind the back.

Benefits of Dumbbell Squats

Dumbbell squats will never completely replace barbell squats, but, nevertheless, this exercise can work the muscles to the maximum and should be considered as an addition to leg muscle training.

There are many benefits to this exercise:

Less axial load due to weight held in hands. Thus, the spine is not compressed, as happens with a barbell. Therefore, exercise with moderate weight can be performed if compression load is prohibited.
A more stable position, because the weight is located below the waist throughout the entire exercise.
Choosing this particular exercise will be the best option for beginners, since squats with dumbbells are easier to master and this type is less traumatic.
Dumbbell squats are great for women. Moreover, by performing different types of this exercise, you can focus on certain leg muscles.

Contraindications

The option of holding dumbbells in your arms down is the most common. One of the main reasons is the low risk of injury.

However, even they have a number of contraindications:

Serious diseases and injuries of the spine. If even when performing this “soft” option you experience discomfort or pain in the spine, then you should abandon it
Problems with knee and hip joints
Injuries and inflammations in ligaments and muscles involved in movement
Heart disease or hypertension (high blood pressure)

What muscles work

Due to the fact that the classic technique of squats with dumbbells involves placing the legs narrowly (this is due to the fact that the weight is located on the sides of the hips), the main load during squats falls on the quadriceps muscle.

In addition to the quadriceps femoris muscle, the following also work:

gluteal muscles;
back extensors;
abdominal muscles.

The trapezius and middle deltoid muscles are indirectly involved

Common beginner mistakes

So, we have found out how to squat with dumbbells correctly for men and girls, all that remains is to look at the places where beginners most often make mistakes. If you learn to avoid them, you can forget about worrying about safety precautions:

The sore spot for absolutely all novice athletes is the back. It should always remain straight, even in squats that require bending the torso;
The next moment is the lifting of the heels, and, accordingly, the transfer of weight to the toes. It is so easy to get a serious ankle injury;
Many athletes breathe incorrectly, resulting in them running out of steam quickly or constantly leaving their heart rate zone;

There are other errors, but this trio is the most popular. Remember this first!

Technique for performing squats with dumbbells

The exercise is performed as follows:

Stand up straight with your back straight.
Place your feet shoulder width apart.
It is very important to monitor your posture. The back should not lean forward, the shoulder blades should be brought together and the shoulders should be straightened. By the way, the more vertical the back, the more the quadriceps are loaded.
Please note that the range of squats with dumbbells should be deep. Dumbbells can be lowered almost to the floor. The heels should not leave the floor throughout the entire movement. It is also important to ensure that the center of gravity is on your heels and not your toes.
Inhalation should be done while lowering the pelvis until it is parallel to the floor, without pushing the knees forward beyond the toes.
It is important to exhale during the effort, that is, when extending the torso.

Basic errors during execution

Using dumbbells that are too heavy

It is very difficult to make this mistake at home, since most athletes simply do not have such dumbbells at home. But when it comes to the gym, there is already room to roam. Especially when you see that everyone around you is lifting large weights, and you are working with small dumbbells. And in pursuit of quick results, you begin to use weights that are too heavy for your level of development. This approach will not help speed up muscle growth. But you can get injured very easily. So take your time, focus on technique and gradually increase the weight. And you won’t notice how quickly you will achieve results.

Round back

Rounding your back can cause serious spinal injuries. In addition, you can easily lose your balance and the consequences of a fall can be very dire. So don't be hunched over. The main reason for this is the direction of view. If you look at your feet, you will involuntarily begin to slouch. Therefore, the gaze should be directed upward.

Lifting your heels off the floor

When you lift your heels off the floor, your body will automatically begin to move forward. As a result, you can lose your balance and fall. In addition, we will break one of the main rules in squats. Namely, your knees should not go beyond your toes. This creates a large load on the knee joint.

Squat technique with dumbbells on shoulders

This version of squats with dumbbells is an analogue of the same exercise with a barbell, but with this type of squats an increased load is created on the shoulders, as well as the upper and middle sections of the spine. This is a very traumatic exercise that uses many stabilizer muscles. In fact, when performing such squats, the load on the spine is maximized, while the efficiency of the muscles remains the same. By the way, when doing this, your hands get tired faster than with the standard technique.

Tips for maximum efficiency

Before performing squats with dumbbells, be sure to do a general WARM-UP of the whole body. Particular attention should be paid to the knee, hip, shoulder and elbow joints.
If you can't squat deeply without lifting your heels off the floor. Then it’s worth working on stretching your calf and soleus muscles.
Athletes who find it difficult to hold dumbbells in their hands for a given number of reps. Wrist straps can be used. They will relieve your forearms a little and give you the opportunity to focus on working your leg muscles.
Don't look at your feet while doing squats. If you want to visually track your technique, use a mirror.
At the initial stage, your muscles are not as elastic as those of professional athletes. You can place small discs from a barbell under your heels.
To perform squats, it is best to use special shoes with hard soles. Mostly athletes prefer to use weightlifting weights.
After training your legs, be sure to do calming exercises. Stretching the muscles that were stressed during training is best suited for this role.

What conclusion can be drawn from all of the above? Beginning athletes and girls can get the maximum results from squats. It is also very convenient to perform this exercise at home. And thanks to the wide variety of exercises. All muscles of the lower body can be developed.

Good luck to everyone in your training!

Recommendations for squats with dumbbells for girls

Several variations of this exercise are suitable for women.

Plie squats with dumbbell

This exercise should be done from an elevated position, for example, with your feet on platforms or benches. It is very important to perform deep squats - the pelvis is below the knees. This squat emphasizes the load on the adductor surface of the thigh and gluteal muscles.

Classic squats with one dumbbell

This type of squats has already been described in the article. This type of exercise is aimed at working the quadriceps and gluteal muscles. The lower the pelvis, the more the gluteal muscles are stretched and loaded.

For girls, it will be important to increase the number of approaches and reduce the weight, for example, perform any of these exercises in circuit training. If you choose a two-day training scheme, you can include a new exercise in each workout. The optimal number would be 20-25 repetitions of 3-4 sets.

Benefits of squats

The squat with dumbbells is an exercise that is used to develop muscle mass and strength not only in the legs, but also in the whole body.

I would like to note the following advantages:

The leader among strength exercises to stimulate the production of your own testosterone

Thanks to this hormone, the process of muscle biosynthesis starts in the body.

In simple words, the more testosterone in the blood, the larger and faster your muscles and strength will grow.

The essence of strength training is to provoke the release of testosterone by performing special exercises so that the process of muscle growth begins during the rest period. And squats with additional weight are in first place for this indicator.

One of the best exercises for increasing muscle mass and leg strength
Indirectly affects the development of the muscles of the upper body

For example, high-repetition squats (breathing squats) help expand the chest and increase lung capacity.

There are even methods for pumping up the chest and arm muscles, where squats are placed at the head of the training scheme.

Used to develop most motor qualities (strength, speed, general and strength endurance)
High energy consumption, which is especially important when training on terrain
Has a strengthening and developing effect on the body

With proper and well-constructed training, squats not only contribute to the development of the muscular system, but also strengthen the osseous-ligamentous system, the cardiovascular system, improve lung ventilation, and have a positive effect on the circulatory system and the gastrointestinal tract.

Recommendations for squats with dumbbells for men

For men, the types of squats do not change. Ideally, the main load on the muscles should be carried out using squats with a barbell, leg press in the simulator and a hack machine, however, if this is not possible, then leg training should be structured as follows:

The number of approaches in each exercise is from 3 to 5 (together with the warm-up), and the number of repetitions is from 8 to 14.
The training program should begin with a warm-up.
Classic squats, with dumbbells at your sides, should be performed at the beginning of the workout, then perform plie squats.
After this complex, it is best to do lunges and exercises on the lower leg muscles.

Squat for girls

Young ladies associate squats with round and toned buttocks, but more about them below.

By doing squats, you strengthen the muscles of your legs and buttocks, giving them shape and elasticity. Exercise with weights is perfect for gaining muscle mass and showing relief. Girls who have never exercised before should prepare their body for the load and, for now, squat without weights.

Dumbbells are also used to prepare a girl for more serious weights (if she plans to lift a barbell). The squat technique for girls is not very different from that for men; the only difference is the weight of the equipment. You can use a chair to practice the technique. Place it behind you, touch it with your buttocks when squatting, and go back.

Alternative grips

1Gai.Ru (translation) / artofmanliness.com

The standard front squat, where you wrap your thumbs around a barbell, requires a lot of wrist mobility. If you do not have such mobility, then keep several alternative methods of capture:

Remove a few fingers from the barbell. Try taking your pinky and ring fingers off the bar and hold it with your index, middle and thumb. The bar will be securely attached to the deltoid "shelf" so you don't have to use all your fingers to hold it in place.

Try a wider grip. If you have a short humerus and a long forearm, you will lack the wrist flexibility needed for a narrow grip. So try gripping the bar with a wider grip.

Use belts. If you have lifting straps, you can use them to grip the bar. Simply wrap them around the bar, grab them with your hands, and extend your elbows forward.

Try a cross grip. Another good option if you have trouble holding the bar in a front rack. Cross your arms and step under the bar. Place the barbell in the “dimple” between your thumbs and the rest of your palms. The bar should still rest predominantly on the front of your shoulders, with your thumbs holding it in place. Raise your elbows up so that your shoulders are parallel to the floor. And, of course, stand up straight.

Bulgarian lunge technique in Smith

Bulgarian lunges in the Smith machine allow you to focus on one or another muscle group.

To train the front of the thigh, the foot should be placed strictly under the bar. Moreover, the load will be focused directly on the teardrop-shaped bundle of the quadriceps. The elevation for the auxiliary leg should be installed approximately half a meter from the machine.

To effectively work the gluteal muscles, the front (working) leg should be placed as far as possible, and the bench closer to the bar. This way the amplitude of movement will be much shorter, the distance between the legs will also be shorter, but this will create a maximum load on the gluteal muscles, they will be in tension all the time. Naturally, when performing this exercise you will not be able to maintain your posture, since you will have to shift your body towards the bar.

Should you perform Bulgarian lunges in Smith in such a way that the knee angle is too sharp and the body is tilted?

Of course, this is not the best option for training legs. There are many more excellent machines and exercises in the gym, thanks to which the athlete will simply achieve results in the development of leg muscles.

Precautionary measures

Squats with dumbbells between your legs at home are fraught with various injuries and sprains. To avoid trouble, first of all, do not use equipment that is too heavy. Start training with light dumbbells or no dumbbells at all. And only when you feel that you have developed your muscles sufficiently, increase the weight. And also adhere to the following rules:

Do not lean on your toes while squatting. This will cause you to lose your balance. Therefore, place your center of gravity on your heels and the outer parts of your feet.
During squats, make sure that your knees do not extend beyond your toes. In this case, the load on the joints will increase, which will lead to their abrasion.
Keep your body straight and never slouch. Otherwise you will damage your spine.
To avoid problems with balancing, do not point your toes out more than 30 degrees.
Look straight ahead or slightly up. Then your back will be kept in the correct position.
When performing squats with dumbbells between your legs, be sure to perform the exercise smoothly. Remember, sharp lunges lead to sprains and even torn ligaments.
During exercise, keep your core muscles in static tension. Thanks to this approach, your position will become more stable, in addition, you will reduce the load on the spine and prevent injury.

Weighted squats are a great exercise to help you achieve noticeable results.

But it is important that the technique of performing the exercise is correct. In addition, do not forget that a visible effect is achieved only by regular training and alternating classes.

Interesting Facts

Interesting records in squats with weights, which are part of powerlifting, are impressive - they amount to more than 300 kilograms for women and over 500 for men, for example:

V. Alkhazov set a world record with a weight of 567 kilograms (in the equipped version);
D. Reinhodt was able to perform squats without equipment with a weight of 423 and a half kilos.

Surprisingly, earlier the technique of performing squats was different - until the 1920s, the exercises were performed while standing on the toes, and only later Henry “Milo” Steinborn introduced the option of performing the exercise while standing on a full foot.

Roger Eells' research marked the beginning of athletes learning proper breathing techniques. It was thanks to him that the motto appeared: breathe correctly, squat and grow.

Squats with dumbbells are quite complex strength exercises that require a lot of effort from the athlete.

However, if the correct technique is followed, the exercise algorithm is not violated and the permissible number of squats is not exceeded, this is the most effective way to pump up your hips, legs, tighten your tummy and train your back.

Plie

This technique comes from dance lessons; plie is one of the required parts in many productions. If you squat using this technology, both the buttocks and legs, as well as the main muscles of the thighs, will be actively involved. Stand up straight, keeping your back perfectly straight. Place your feet beyond shoulder width. As you inhale, slowly squat down, spreading your knees to the sides, then as you exhale, smoothly rise to the starting position. To enhance the effect, you can take additional weight, for example in the form of a fitness weight or a bottle of water. At the initial stage, squat 10 times. Gradually increase the number of approaches.

Secrets and tricks

There are several features of squats that will make the exercise more effective:

As the position of the legs narrows, the load level increases;
As the angle of inclination of the body increases, the pressure on the back increases, and on the legs decreases;
With deeper squats, the load on the buttocks becomes heavier;
If it is impossible to keep your heel on the floor, you must use a stand. But you don’t need to get carried away with it - it significantly reduces the effectiveness of the exercises.

Lunges

Famous exercises aimed at working out and strengthening the muscles of the buttocks and legs can be performed in various ways. They provide sufficient load, so rest between sets should be a minute. Thanks to this, you will be able to get great results in the shortest possible time.

If the technique is followed correctly, serious consequences can definitely be avoided. Today there are two most effective lunge options:

Classic. Having straightened your back and fixed your gaze in front of you, you need to take one leg one and a half to two steps back, and leave the other in place. The dumbbells should be held in outstretched arms. First you need to perform a squat, bending your legs 90 degrees. The knee of the back leg should not touch the floor and relax, and the knee of the front leg should go beyond the toe. After pausing at the bottom point for a second, you should return to the original position.
With a leg push. The second option is performed in the same way as the previous one, but when returning to the starting position, you will need to jerk your back leg forward, as if making a kick.

Each exercise should be performed in 3 sets of 12 repetitions. Both of them can be included in one program and executed one after the other.