Dumbbell Squat To Shoulder Press
The Dumbbell Squat to Shoulder Press is a dynamic, full-body compound exercise that combines a deep squat with an overhead press. This movement targets the legs, glutes, core, and shoulders simultaneously, making it highly effective for building strength and metabolic conditioning.
Since this exercise places high demands on both your cardiovascular system and neuromuscular coordination, the AI analyzes your daily HRV and sleep data to prescribe the optimal volume and intensity. If your recovery scores are low, the app may reduce the load to prevent fatigue-induced form breakdown. Additionally, by tracking your RPE and performance history, the AI learns exactly when your power output drops, ensuring you train in the sweet spot for strength without risking injury to your lower back or shoulders.
Form Cues
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and dumbbells racked at shoulder height
- Lower into a deep squat while keeping your chest upright
- Drive explosively through your heels to return to standing
- Use the momentum from your legs to press the weights directly overhead
- Lower the weights smoothly to your shoulders before starting the next rep
- Don't round your lower back at the bottom of the squat
- Don't press the dumbbells overhead before your hips are fully extended
- Don't let your knees collapse inward as you drive up
- Don't arch your lower back excessively while pressing overhead
Common Mistakes
- Pressing too early with the arms
- Rounding the lumbar spine
- Valgus knee collapse
- Hyperextending the lower back
- Cutting the squat depth short
Muscles Worked
This exercise is a functional powerhouse that primarily engages the quadriceps and glutes to generate upward momentum from the squat. The energy created by your lower body is then transferred through a rigid core to the anterior deltoids and triceps, allowing you to press heavier loads overhead than you could with a strict press.
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