Why Goblet Squats Are the Underrated Lower-Body Exercise You Need to Do
When you're ready to add weight to your squats but aren't quite ready for a barbell, dumbbells and kettlebells might leave you wondering, "but what do I do with my hands?!" The solution? Turning your unweighted squats into goblet squats.
You can perform these simple squats with a dumbbell or a kettlebell (or anything else that's heavy and compact, for that matter). They're called goblet squats because "you hold a kettlebell or dumbbell in front of your chest with your hands cupped around it like you're holding a goblet," says Heidi Jones, founder of Sweat to Change TV and the director of content at Fortë, a boutique fitness streaming service.
While goblet-holding may not seem particularly relevant to your everyday life, this move is actually a key functional skill to have: "A goblet squat is a very natural primal movement pattern and postural position," says Lisa Niren, an ACE-certified head instructor for Studio, a workout class platform. "It's similar to how you would pick up a child (or anything else) from the ground," she explains.
Goblet Squat Benefits and Variations
Yes, goblet squats are an easy way to add weight to your basic bodyweight squat, but placing the weight in front of your chest can also help you learn the proper balance and movement pattern to perform a regular squat, says Niren. So, basically, if you've got your goblet squat form down pat, you'll also be perfecting your all-over squat form in the process. Plus, they'll strengthen everything in your lower body (hips, quads, hip flexors, calves, hamstrings, and glute muscles) as well as your core and latissimus dorsi (aka your lats, a large muscle that stretches across your back). Gotta love a multitasking movement! (Read more on the anatomy of your leg muscles here.)
"The goblet squat is a perfect progression for beginners who often have difficulty performing a front and/or back squat out of the gate," says Niren. "It's useful for building quad strength, balance, and body awareness — specifically, keeping your torso upright and stable while using the legs to perform a proper squat," she explains. The placement of the weight allows you to sink lower in your squat, too, which will help maintain or increase your mobility, adds Jones.
If you're ready to kick it up a notch, make the goblet squat a total-body move: Try a goblet squat and curl (lower into a squat, then extend the weight toward the floor and curl back to the chest, trying three to five curls at the bottom of each squat) or a goblet squat and press (lower into a squat, then extend the weight straight forward in front of chest — keeping core braced — and return it to chest before standing up). Ready to add more weight? Proceed to the barbell back squat.
How to Do a Goblet Squat
A. Stand with feet wider than shoulders-width apart, toes pointing slightly out. Hold a dumbbell (vertical) or kettlebell (held by the horns) at chest height with elbows pointing down but not tucked in to touch ribs.
B. Brace abs and hinge at hips and knees to lower into a squat, pausing when thighs are parallel to the ground or when form starts to break down (knees cave in or heels come off the floor). Keep chest tall.
C. Drive through heel and mid-foot to stand, keeping core engaged throughout.
Goblet Squat Form Tips
Keep chest tall at the bottom of the squat. (See also: How to Do Squats Correctly — Plus, 6 Squat Mistakes You're Probably Making)
If using a kettlebell, you can hold it with the handle facing up or with the ball facing up, which is more challenging.
Keep core engaged and avoid rounding spine forward or backward during the squat.
Avoid leaning back when you stand up at the top of each rep.
