Goblet Squat – Great Leg Exercise, Anywhere, Anytime

What the heck is a Goblet Squat?

You could be forgiven for assuming that it’s some strange cellar maneuver dreamed up by Ryan for filling his wine glass straight from a barrel of vintage Bordeaux… Bu no, it has nothing to do with drinking.

The Goblet Squat is basically a front squat performed with the weight held tight against your chest. It’s a great variation for learning to drive back to standing by pressing through your heels. Keeping the weight tight against your chest also forces your upper body and core to work harder to hold the posture. Yep, you guessed it! That means you get a heck of a tough core workout while blasting your legs. And who doesn’t love multi-tasking?

Adam demonstrates the movement with a dumbbell, but you’re not limited to that tool. Kettlebells, medicine balls, and even large water jugs will all work equally well. The key is to form a “goblet” with your hands and arms and cradle the weight from below, rather than grasp it. Keeping your elbows in tight connects the resistance to your core so you’ll be driving directly from your legs.

And what happens to those pointy elbows at the bottom of the squat? If you’ve got long monkey arms like Ryan, they’ll  come to the insides of your knees, just grazing your thighs. It’s okay to spread your legs wide to achieve this.

Check out the video for a detailed primer on exactly how to do this exercise.

Let’s review the main performance cues for the Goblet Squat:

• Tuck your elbows in tight to drive the weight down through your core
• Cup the weight in your open palms rather than grasping it
• Keep those shoulders pulled down, and shoulder blades pinched together
• Break at the waist first — pretend you’re sitting back in a chair.
• Your back remains neutral throughout. Squat to the point where you can maintain a flat back. That’s your current range of motion.
• Press through your heels to return to standing.

If you’re new to Goblets, begin with 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps to build a solid base. When you’re comfortable with that you can start gradually increasing the weight.

Goblet Squats are a great lower body variation for blasting your core as you lean out those shapely legs! We love them, and we know you will too.

Get practicing, and if you have questions please post them in the comment section.

You may also enjoy:

1. Dumbbell Squat – A Versatile Anytime, Anywhere Option
2. Bodyweight Pistol Squat Exercise – Shoot your leg strength through the roof
3. Can One Exercise Really Meet All Your Cardio Needs?