Goblet Squat

beginner · squat

Setup

Hold a kettlebell with both hands right against your chest, elbows pointing down and tucked in. With no kettlebell, stand a dumbbell on end and cup the top of it.

Execution

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes turned slightly out, the weight held against your chest.
Inhale, brace your belly and pull your elbows down so your ribs cannot tip forward.
Lower straight down between your feet, letting your elbows travel inside your knees.
Go until your hip crease is level with your knee, chest open and lower back flat.
Exhale, push the floor away and stand up, keeping the weight glued to your chest.
Stand tall, squeeze your glutes, take another breath in and go again.

Breathing

Inhale as you lower, exhale as you drive up out of the bottom. Do not hold your breath to move the weight; if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, a hernia or you are pregnant, never hold it at all.

Quick cues

Elbows down, chest open.
Push your knees out.
Keep the weight glued to your chest.
Push the floor away.
Pin a sheet of paper under each heel.

Common faults

Fault: The weight drifting away from the chest and the upper back rounding
Fix: Drop one weight increment and squeeze your elbows into your ribs before each descent.
Fault: The heels lifting at the bottom
Fix: Raise your heels on a 2 cm wedge, or widen your stance slightly and turn your toes out a little more.
Fault: The lower back tucking under at the bottom
Fix: Stop at the depth just before the pelvis starts to tuck, and film from the side to find that point.
Fault: The knees squeezing together on the way up
Fix: Drive both knees toward your little toes and slow down until you can hold that line for the whole set.

Equipment

dumbbell

Muscle groups

legs, glutes, core