What Is A Goblet Squat?
A goblet squat is similar to the traditional squat, but the most important difference is the use of a weight (usually a kettlebell or dumbbell) held against your chest to ensure a proper range of motion. Since the item you hold is meant to help your form, it can really be anything that you can hold with both hands at the height of your chest.
So let’s talk about how to do one.
How To Do a Goblet Squat?
Performing a goblet squat requires good form in order to reap the benefits they provide. We’ll start with a brief on how to do one, but we’ll also go over some modified options and dive deeper into getting the perfect form later.
- To get started, hold a dumbbell or kettlebell by the horns and rest it against your chest.
Next, place your feet slightly further than shoulder-width apart.
- Then, lower yourself into a squat until both thighs are parallel to the floor before pushing back up to return to standing position again.
- After you perform this motion for several reps on each side, take a break before repeating for another set or two if desired!
The Proper Form of A Goblet Squat
Squatting is an amazing exercise that will build your butt the right way. But the proper alignment matters in any movement because it impacts which muscle groups we fire up at what time and intensity – but how can you achieve proper alignment?
The limiting factor of a squat isn’t just depth; many people struggle with getting all the way down while still maintaining good form! Here’s what to watch for:
- Feet: Keep your feet slightly further than shoulder-width apart, pointed straight out. Be sure you keep them very straight, just like you’re standing on skis.
- Back: Keep a neutral back position throughout the exercise, avoiding arching or rounding at any point.
- Chest/Hips: At the bottom of each squat repetition, make sure that your hips are below your chest. This will ensure that you are working the correct muscles and avoiding any potential injuries.
- Knees: Make sure your knees track in line with your toes, and don’t let them cave inward as you squat. If it helps, you can put a resistance band around your thighs to better focus on not letting your knees go inward. If you’re putting pressure against the band pushing outward, you’ll keep them from caving.
- Arms: Keep the arms parallel to each other throughout the exercise, keeping the weight against your chest. You may also choose to cross your arms in front of you for a little added challenge.
- Shoulders: Keep your shoulders down. Don’t let them creep up towards your ears – you’ll feel a difference from doing so!
- Head: Keep your head in a neutral position, looking straight ahead. Don’t let it droop down or dip up as you squat.
Kettlebell or Dumbbell: Keep it close to the body at all times, which will help keep proper form in check.
How To Perform Modified Goblet Squats
Now that we’ve covered the basics of how to do a goblet squat and the proper form, let’s talk about some modifications you can make if you find these instructions too challenging or you want to focus on different areas of the exercise.
If You’re New To Squats: If you are new to squats and have never done them before, we recommend performing a bodyweight squat first. Once you have that mastered, then move on to the goblet squat.
If You Struggle With Depth: If you struggle with getting all the way down while still maintaining good form, try using less weight or doing a quarter-squat instead of a full one. This will help maintain good form and still allow you to get the benefits of the exercise.
If You Struggle With Balance: If you struggle with balance, try doing a goblet squat against a wall for stability. This will help keep you from wobbling or losing your balance during the movement.
If You’re Focusing on Strength: If you are focusing specifically on strength, try doing a goblet squat with a heavier weight. This will allow you to lift more weight and challenge your muscles even more.
If You’re Focusing on Endurance: If you are focusing specifically on endurance, try doing a goblet squat for higher reps. This will help improve your overall stamina when it comes to this kind of exercise.
If You’re Focusing on Power: If you are focusing specifically on power, try adding a jump to the end of your squat. This will help increase speed and explosiveness as well as strength when it comes to this kind of movement.
For An Extra Challenge, Try Elevated Goblet Squats
Elevated goblet squats are a great addition to your routine. All you have to do is place a weight or platform of some type underneath your heels before performing the goblet squat.
By elevating the heels, you shift your weight forward to better work your quads.
FAQ
The goblet squat is a very popular exercise that gently targets the quads and glute muscles, but also engages the upper body and your core (more on that below). Using goblet squats can improve your strength, balance, and coordination. Most people use goblet squats as part of their regular leg workouts because they’re easier than barbell squats and target the same muscle groups.
Goblet squats are generally considered safer than barbell squats for beginners who don’t have experience with heavy weights. The goblet squat technique makes it easy to keep your back straight while you do the movement, which reduces stress on your lumbar spine that can occur when you lift heavy weights with bad form.
Goblet squats primarily target the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. However, they also activate other muscles in the lower body such as the calves, adductors (inner thighs), and abductors (outer thighs). This makes goblet squats an ideal exercise for overall strength and power development in the legs – and the perfect squats for glutes!
The answer depends on what kind of results you’re looking for when performing goblet squats. If you’re looking for strength, then performing sets of five reps with a heavy weight is ideal. If endurance is your goal, then doing goblet squats in higher rep ranges (15-20) will allow you to perform the exercise more often and gain better results over time.
The weight you use for your goblet squats should be relative to your own strength and abilities. If you’re just starting out, it’s best to use a lighter weight so that you can focus on maintaining good form. As you get stronger, gradually increase the amount of weight you’re using for each set.
Takeaway
Goblet squats are a fantastic exercise for your lower body. If you’re looking for a way to target the muscles of your legs and improve strength, endurance, power, or even all three – then goblet squats are the perfect workout.
You can use them at home with just a weight, or as part of an intense personal training workout that targets multiple muscle groups. So whether you’re just getting started, or have been exercising for a while, this squat will make a great addition to your routine.
