How to squat properly with dumbbells?

Are you tired of looking like a newborn giraffe every time you try to do squats with dumbbells? Fear not, fellow clumsy-minded individuals! This guide will take you through the ins and outs of how to squat properly with dumbbells. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to execute flawlessly…or at least without falling over!

The Basics

Let’s start by breaking down what exactly a squat is supposed to look like:

  • Feet shoulder-width apart
  • Toes pointing slightly outward
  • Knees tracking in line with your toes (not caving inward)
  • Sit back into your hips as if sitting down onto an imaginary chair
  • Keep your chest up and back straight throughout the movement
  • Return back up by driving through your heels

Seems simple enough, right? Now let’s add some dumbbells into the mix.

Choosing Your Weights

Before we get started on form, let’s make sure we’re choosing appropriate weights that won’t cause injury or hinder our ability to perform a proper squat.

DO NOT pick up weights heavier than Terry Crews’ biceps just because it looks cool. Start small and work your way up as you become more comfortable and confident in executing proper form.

The Grip

There are different types of grips when it comes to holding dumbbells during squats:

Goblet Grip

Hold one weight vertically in front of your chest

This grip takes pressure off of the wrists while also engaging core muscles. It can also act as a counterbalance which helps maintain balance throughout the movement.

Suitcase Grip

Hold two weights next to each other parallel outside your legs

This grip requires more stabilization work from abdominal obliques since it involves keeping both arms active for gripping. Good to use when doing lunges, as it mimics holding a suitcase.

Dumbbell Rack Grip

Hold weights racked across your shoulders behind your neck with palms facing forward.

This is the most advanced grip and requires significant upper body mobility in the shoulder girdle area. This position conditions you for a barbell back squat, but if done incorrectly can hurt your spine or cause discomfort.

The Squat

Now that we’ve got our weight and grip sorted out, let’s get into how to actually execute a proper dumbbell squat:

Step 1: Setup

  • Stand up straight with feet hip-width apart.
  • Hold one dumbbell vertically against your chest using both hands.

    Pro-tip: If this form seems uncomfortable, consider switching to Goblet Grip from earlier.

Step 2: Lowering

Begin squats while keeping these points in mind:

  • Keep the chest lifted
  • Hinge at the hips as if sitting back into an invisible chair
  • Drive through heels coming back up

Pro-tip: It is essential to increase balance during squats by ensuring that they go low enough until thigh bones align parallelly with the ground ( #QuadNation), keeping stability throughout. You’ll know this alignment is achieved when you feel increased tension on glutes/knees.

Step 3: Progression

As you become more comfortable executing good form and make sure it’s mostly painless, don’t be afraid of increasing weight gradually. However, avoid jumping too quickly since even subtle balances changes can drastically alter muscle growth progressions.

We all lift differently based on our preferred forms; so choose what right-doing progression path feels best for us! Make small improvements over time rather than quick fixes leading directly towards pain!

Common Mistakes (aka What Not To Do)

Avoid making these common mistakes – otherwise called “frustration-magnets” – when doing your squats:

  • DO NOT let your knees cave inwards #froglegs. Remember to keep them tracking over toes and outward pointing slightly so you’ll avoid developing knee pain.
  • DO NOT lean forward, causing your chest to collapse slightly – You’re not proposing marriage! (Jokes aside, this will hurt the lumbar spine).
  • DO hold the dumbbells tightly during squatting because letting go halfway through is just embarrassing.

If there’s no rush on achieving full-range movement for now, one thing we suggest beginners try avoiding is squatting below parallel…Doing so puts unnecessary pressure on joints that aren’t quite ready.

Conclusion

Squats are an essential exercise that can help our bodies grow stronger parts while keeping us healthy overall as long as done correctly. Still, it doesn’t come easy to a lot of people who think they’ve tried every type of approach without making progress; It could also potentially lead down injury lane if proper form goes unchecked. Keeping form guards up such as those mentioned here in this guide should set you off towards executing perfect squats!

So grab those weights and start squatting like a pro… just don’t forget to wear pants first!

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