How to do a Goblet Squat
- Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell against your chest with both hands.
- Stand with feet just outside shoulder-width, toes slightly out.
- Brace your core and keep your chest tall and elbows tucked.
- Bend your knees and sink your hips straight down.
- Lower until your elbows brush the inside of your thighs.
- Drive through your heels to stand and squeeze your glutes.
Keep in mind
- Hold the weight tight against your chest with the elbows pointing down.
- Let the elbows brush the inside of the knees at the bottom.
- The weight is a counterbalance — it lets you sit more upright than a bodyweight squat.
- Keep the ribs down; don't let the load pull you into an arch.
Common mistakes
- The weight drifting away from the chest — pull it back in and shorten the set.
- The upper back rounding under the load — use a lighter weight.
- Rushing the reps — with a load in your hands, control matters more than the count.
Breathing
Breathe in at the top, hold the brace down and up, and breathe out as you finish standing.
Take care
Pick a weight you can hold securely for the whole interval — it is usually a slipping grip, not the legs, that ends this one.
Easier and harder
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