Lower your body into the squat position by flexing your hips and knees until your front thigh is almost horizontal. This allows more power on each arm. Squats actually work the muscles of your core better than most ab exercises. Core Activity. Compound Exercise. Though dumbbell and barbell squats can both prove to be incredibly effective when it comes to building lower-body strength and power, one provides substantially more benefits than the other. The list of squat benefits is lengthy, but to summarize and point out the top picks, here are seven key benefits of doing squats. The front squat can strengthen the abs, whereas an overhead squat targets the core. How to do Overhead Squat with proper form and technique. Barbell squats. See all exercise benefits - muscles worked. Equally, there are many ways to perform the overhead squat: Dumbbell overhead squat . A single dumbbell can be used for exercises such as a one-arm overhead press or a split-leg goblet squat to create overload in one limb at a time. If these benefits sound like what youâre looking for in your fitness program, but youâre not sure what exercises to do, here is a dumbbell workout to help you get started: How to do Dumbbell Split Squat Stand with a staggered stance so that your front leg is about 2-4 feet in front of your back leg, holding a pair of dumbbells (weighing about 20-45 lbs) at your sides. Try using a dumbbell overhead with only one arm. Home Gym Exercises Simply train effectively! Adding weights to a squat exercise really forces extra work on the core muscles as they try and maintain balance and stability. Barbell squats are one of the major compound lifts for a reason. Benefits of Dumbbell Squats. Dumbbell Squats Vs. Barbell Squats Conclusion. Types of overhead squats.