Quads exercise
Dumbbell Single-Leg SquatHow to do it, with form in numbers
- Also works
- Adductors
- Level
- Intermediate
How to do it
How do you do the Dumbbell Single-Leg Squat?
- Stand on your right leg holding a dumbbell in your right hand by your side.
- Lift your left leg straight out in front and reach your left arm forward.
- Sit back and down on your right leg to about a half squat, knee over your toes.
- Keep your heel down and your chest up.
- Drive through your whole foot to stand tall, then switch sides after the set.
Cues
- Knee over the toes, not in.
- Heel heavy.
- Reach forward to balance.
Common mistakes
- Letting the knee cave in.
- Going deeper than you can control.
- Dropping the free foot to the floor.
Form in detail
What does good form look like?
The version in our demo
A partial pistol, about a half squat on one leg, loaded with one dumbbell in the hand on the standing-leg side, the free arm reaching forward for balance.
Starting position
Stand on the right foot, toes a little out, the left leg held straight in front with the foot flexed. A dumbbell hangs in the right hand beside the standing leg (neutral grip, arm long); the left arm reaches forward at shoulder height. Brace the trunk.
The movement
Sit back and down on the right leg, the knee travelling forward over the toes and in line with them, heel down, trunk leaning forward a little, while the left leg rises in front. Go to about a half squat, then drive through the whole right foot to stand tall.
Breathing
Breathe in on the way down, breathe out as you stand.
Tempo
About 1.8 s down, 0.2 s at the bottom, about 1.4 s up, 0.6 s standing.
Form in numbers
What are the angles and distances?
| Measure | Target | Good range | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stance knee at the bottom | 100° | 90–110° | |
| Trunk from vertical at the bottom | 25–28° | 15–35° | |
| Free leg forward of vertical | 30° standing → 70° at the bottom, knee 11° | never touching the floor | |
| Free foot above the floor | ≥ 7 cm | ≥ 3 cm | |
| Dumbbell arm | long (elbow about 16°), the bell beside the standing leg | never touching the leg | |
| Reaching arm | straight ahead at shoulder height | level ± 10° | |
| Heel lift | 0 cm | 0 cm |
The targets our 3D demo was built to, from the references below. Bodies differ, so treat the ranges as a guide for your own build.
For coaches
Use this demo in your clients’ programs
The Dumbbell Single-Leg Squat is in Trainaq’s exercise library. Add it to a workout, and your client sees this demo in the free Trainaq app above the sets they log.
Sources
Sources
- Physitrack, "Single-leg squat off step with weight" (weight held, squat only as low as you can control)
- ACE Exercise Library, "Single-leg Squat" (hips back, knee in line with the second toe, heel down, controlled depth)
- NSCA, Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed. (2016), ch. 15
