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Manmaker-to-Squat

The manmaker-to-squat extends the standard dumbbell man maker by folding a front squat into every rep, so the legs get a full loaded rep on top of the rows, push-up, clean, and press. Holding the dumbbells in the front rack for the squat also taxes the trunk and upper back hard. It is one of the most complete full-body conditioning movements you can do with a single pair of dumbbells, and it belongs in short rounds where you can keep the technique clean under a heavy breathing rate.

Equipment
Dumbbell
Body part
Quads, Shoulder
Type
Cardio, Strength
Muscles worked
Target
Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Deltoid Anterior, Latissimus Dorsi
Secondary
Gluteus Maximus, Trapezius Middle, Pectoralis Major Sternocostal, Triceps Brachii Long Head, Biceps Brachii Long Head
Tertiary
Erector Spinae, Upper Rectus Abdominals, Abdominal External Oblique, Trapezius Upper

How to do it

  1. 1

    Start in a plank with your hands on two dumbbells set under your shoulders.

  2. 2

    Row the right dumbbell to your ribs, set it down, then row the left the same way.

  3. 3

    Lower your chest to a push-up between the bells and press back up.

  4. 4

    Jump your feet toward the dumbbells and clean them to the front-rack position.

  5. 5

    Perform a front squat, keeping the elbows up and the torso tall.

  6. 6

    Stand and press the dumbbells overhead, then lower them to the floor and return to the plank.

Tips

  • Keep a wide, stable stance in the plank so the rows do not twist your hips open.
  • Rack the dumbbells high on the shoulders before squatting so the trunk stays upright.
  • Choose a load you can press cleanly overhead, since that is usually the limiting step.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • The clean off the floor gets pulled with a rounded back, because the legs are already tired from last rep's squat; hinge, keep the chest up, and let the hips start the pull.
  • Elbows point at the floor in the front rack, so the bells slide toward the collarbones as you stand and drag the chest down with them.
  • The squat gets cut to a quarter depth because it is the fifth thing in the rep, and a shallow squat with dumbbells is not what makes this version worth doing.
  • Rows get hurried and the dumbbell is yanked with the arm while the supporting shoulder collapses toward the floor; the plank has to be still before the row starts.
  • The bells get dropped from overhead at the end of each rep, which is loud, hard on the floor, and leaves your hands nowhere near where the next plank begins.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the manmaker-to-squat should you start with, and what do you need first?
You should already own a solid plank push-up, a dumbbell row that does not twist your hips, and a strict overhead press. Then start with four rounds of four reps and two minutes of rest, using dumbbells no heavier than 10 to 15 kilos, because the rep count lies about how hard this is. Add reps to six per round before you touch the weight. Twenty total reps makes a serious session; much beyond that usually means the load is too light to justify the complexity.
What can I use instead of dumbbells for the manmaker-to-squat?
Two kettlebells work, though the handles sit higher and the rack across the chest feels different; let the bells rest on your forearms for the squat. A single sandbag replaces the whole thing with a clean, squat and press, losing the rows, so add a set of bent-over rows afterward to make that up. With no equipment at all, chain a push-up, a bodyweight squat and a jump into one continuous rep; you keep the shape and lose the load, so treat it purely as conditioning.
What is the manmaker-to-squat good for, and when should I skip it?
It is one of the most complete conditioning movements available from a single pair of dumbbells: push, pull, squat, press and a hard trunk brace in every rep, which suits limited time and limited equipment. It is a poor way to build strength in any one of those lifts, since the load is capped by the weakest link and by your breathing. Skip it with a shoulder that dislikes overhead work, skip it late in a session when form is already fraying, and do not run it for time if the low back is what fails first.

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