Dumbbell Plyo Squat

Setup

1. 01Hold one dumbbell vertically at the chest or one in each hand at the sides.
2. 02Stand with feet shoulder width apart and toes slightly out.
3. 03Clear the area of obstacles and stand on a stable, grippy surface.
4. 04Brace the trunk and set the shoulders before the first rep.

Execution

1. 01Squat quickly to around a quarter to half depth.
2. 02Drive hard through the floor and jump as high as possible.
3. 03Keep the dumbbell tight to the body during flight.
4. 04Land softly on the midfoot, absorbing with bent knees and hips.
5. 05Reset your stance briefly before the next jump.

Checkpoints

• -Knees track over the toes on both the dip and the landing.
• -Landings are quiet and controlled, not stiff-legged.
• -Torso stays upright with the dumbbell close to the body.
• -Each jump gets full intent; height does not fade set to set.

Common mistakes

• -Loading so heavy the jump becomes slow and grinding.
• -Landing with locked knees or on the heels.
• -Letting the knees cave inward on takeoff or landing.
• -Turning it into a fatigue exercise with sloppy, high-rep sets.