How to perform the Dumbbell Hack Squat
- 1Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out, and hold a dumbbell behind you with both hands so it hangs just below your glutes, keeping your chest up and shoulders relaxed.
- 2Bend your knees and sit your hips straight down as if sliding your back down a wall, lowering the dumbbell toward the floor as you breathe in, then push through your heels to stand tall again, squeezing your quads and glutes and breathing out at the top.
Coach tips
- Keep your heels flat on the floor; if they start to lift, shorten your range of motion a bit until your ankles loosen up.
- Think about dropping your hips straight down instead of leaning your chest forward so the work stays in your quads and glutes, not your lower back.
- Use a slow, controlled lower and a strong, smooth push back up, breathing in on the way down and out as you stand.
Powered by Hypro
Train quads smarter
One rep, one set. Hypro turns the Dumbbell Hack Squat into measurable progress, week after week.
Smart Progression
The right weight, every set
Hypro suggests your next Dumbbell Hack Squat weight and reps based on what you actually lifted, your rest, and your fatigue. Choose weight-first or reps-first. The more you log, the sharper it gets.
Weekly Volume
See exactly how much quads you train each week
Every set you log counts toward weekly volume per muscle group. Spot imbalances, avoid junk volume, and program the same way IFBB Pros do.
Coach-Built Plans
Use this exercise inside an IFBB Pro plan
Pick a coach-made program, get a plan matched to your goals, and message your coach for form checks. The Dumbbell Hack Squat fits right into proven hypertrophy and strength templates.
For optimal quads hypertrophy: aim for 10-20 weekly sets at 65-80% of your 1RM with 1-2 reps in reserve.
