When was the final time you probably did a dumbbell cut up squat? 

Should you’re unfamiliar with this train (or not doing it recurrently), chances are you’ll be lacking out. 

It’s so efficient as a result of it permits you to practice your whole decrease physique one leg at a time. This helps you construct balanced measurement and energy and doubtlessly enhances athletic efficiency. 

Furthermore, you may carry out it nearly anyplace utilizing no matter tools you’ve got out there, making it a extremely adaptable lower-body train you may carry out wherever and nevertheless you want. 

On this article, you’ll study what the cut up squat is, why it’s useful, which muscle tissue it really works, methods to carry out it with correct type, keep away from widespread errors, and embrace it in your program, the most effective options, and extra. 

What Is A Cut up Squat?

The dumbbell cut up squat is a lower-body train.

To carry out this train, seize a dumbbell (or kettlebell) in every hand and step ahead with one foot. Bend each knees, reducing your physique till the knee of your rear leg brushes the ground, then stand again up.

Cut up Squat: Advantages

1. It trains your whole decrease physique.

The cut up squat trains your whole decrease physique, together with your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves

It additionally mimics actions we make in on a regular basis life (e.g., climbing stairs, stepping over objects, and operating). Therefore, the cut up squat may also help make day by day actions simpler by strengthening the muscle tissue concerned in these actions.

2. It trains your decrease physique unilaterally.

The cut up squat is a unilateral train, which suggests it permits you to practice one aspect of your physique at a time. 

That is useful as a result of unilateral workouts . . .

  • Could permit you to carry extra whole weight than some bilateral workouts (workouts that practice either side of the physique on the identical time), doubtlessly serving to you acquire extra muscle over time
  • Assist you develop a better mind-muscle connection together with your quads, glutes, and hamstrings since you solely have to give attention to a single leg at a time
  • Assist you right muscle imbalances as a result of either side of your physique are pressured to carry the identical quantity of weight (one aspect can’t “take over” from the opposite)
  • Enhance a number of facets of your athletic efficiency greater than bilateral workouts, together with leaping, agility, and velocity

3. It’s extremely adaptable.

The cut up squat doesn’t require a squat rack, machine, or bench, so you may carry out it just about anyplace, whether or not on the gymnasium, at dwelling, or in a resort room whereas touring. 

Moreover, you may add resistance to the cut up squat utilizing any tools you’ve got out there, together with dumbbells, kettlebells, a barbell, or resistance bands. And if in case you have none of those handy, you need to use simply your physique weight.

In different phrases, the cut up squat is an adaptable train for coaching your decrease physique, wherever and nevertheless you select to train.

Cut up Squat: Muscle tissues Labored

  • Quadriceps
  • Hamstrings
  • Glutes
  • Calves

Right here’s how these muscle tissue look in your physique:



split squat muscles worked



Cut up Squat: Kind

One of the best ways to study methods to do a cut up squat with correct type is to separate the train into three components: arrange, descend, and squat.


strength training


1. Arrange

Maintain a dumbbell in every hand and let your arms cling at your sides. Stand upright together with your ft hip-width aside, your chest up, and your shoulders again, then step 2-to-3 ft ahead together with your proper foot. 

2. Descend

Decrease your physique by bending each knees till your left knee touches the ground and your proper thigh is parallel to the ground. As you descend, preserve your higher physique upright and permit the heel in your left foot to return off the ground.

3. Squat

Reverse the movement by pushing by means of your entrance heel to straighten your legs and return to the begin place. When you’ve carried out the specified variety of reps, change legs and repeat the method. 

Right here’s the way it ought to look once you put all of it collectively:



split squat form


Cut up Squat: Widespread Errors

1. Taking an excessively slim stance.

Having your ft nearly consistent with one another could make balancing harder. Keep away from this by making certain your ft keep about hip-width aside all through the train. 

2. Bouncing your knee off the ground. 

Descending too rapidly may cause you to bounce your knee off the ground. 

Whereas it would make the train really feel simpler, it might improve damage threat and forestall your legs from working as arduous, robbing you of muscle and energy acquire.

3. Stepping too far ahead.

Taking an excessively lengthy stride in the course of the set-up could make the cut up squat uncomfortable and balancing more difficult.

To keep away from this, solely step 2-to-3 ft ahead when organising.

The best way to Embody the Cut up Squat in Your Program

Embody the cut up squat towards the tip of your lower-body or leg exercises after your foremost bilateral workouts. Right here’s an instance of the way you would possibly do that:

  • Barbell Again Squat: 3 units of 4-to-6 reps with 2-to-3 min relaxation
  • Romanian Deadlift: 3 units of 4-to-6 reps with 2-to-3 min relaxation
  • Cut up Squat: 3 units of 4-to-6 reps with 2-to-3 min relaxation
  • Leg Curl: 3 units of 6-to-8 reps with 2-to-3 min relaxation

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The Greatest Cut up Squat Alternate options

1. Barbell Cut up Squat


dumbbell split squat


Utilizing a barbell as a substitute of dumbbells for the cut up squat permits you to carry heavy weights since you aren’t restricted by your grip energy, which is mostly higher for gaining muscle and energy. 

The downsides are that it’s not as straightforward to drop the burden if you happen to lose stability, and it locations the load in your again, which will not be appropriate for these with again points. 

2. Bulgarian Cut up Squat


split squat


The one distinction between the Bulgarian and common cut up squats is that the previous includes elevating your rear foot on a bench or field.

Elevating your rear leg locations extra weight in your entrance foot, which suggests the Bulgarian cut up squat works your muscle tissue barely extra. 

That mentioned, the cut up squat calls for much less coordination and stability, making it a extra appropriate selection for newbie weightlifters or these recovering from accidents.

3. ATG Cut up Squat


split squats


The ATG cut up squat is actually an everyday cut up squat carried out by means of an extended vary of movement

Within the ATG (“ass-to-grass”) cut up squat, you decrease your physique so far as attainable and push your entrance knee over the prime of your foot, inflicting your entrance leg’s hamstring and calf to satisfy. Some specialists consider this makes the ATG cut up squat extremely efficient for gaining quad energy, enhancing flexibility, and growing injury-resistant knees. 

Keep in mind the ATG model requires a level of flexibility many lack. If so for you, a superb workaround is to raise your entrance leg and place a wedge beneath your foot.

+ Scientific References