Exercises · Quads and glutes · Dumbbell

Goblet squat

How to do it

1. Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell at your chest with both hands.
2. Squat down between your knees, keeping your chest up.
3. Stand back up.

Form cues that help

• Keep the weight close to your chest and your elbows pointing down.
• Set your feet about shoulder-width apart with your toes turned out a little.
• Push your knees out in line with your toes as you sit down.
• Keep your whole foot on the floor and stand tall at the top.

Common mistakes

• Letting the weight drift away from your chest. Keep it tucked in.
• Rounding forward. Lift your chest and keep it up as you go down.
• Heels lifting. Stay balanced over the middle of your foot.
• Bouncing out of the bottom. Control the way down and stand up smoothly.

Alternatives and variations

• The barbell back squat lets you load the movement more heavily.
• The leg press is a machine option that takes balance out of the picture.
• The lunge trains each leg on its own.
• Holding a lighter weight and pausing at the bottom is a good way to practise the pattern.

How to progress it

Add reps until you can finish every set cleanly, then move to the next heavier dumbbell. When the weight gets awkward to hold, the barbell back squat is the natural next step. Log your reps every session. See progressive overload.

See it moving in FollowSet

FollowSet has a 3D demo for the goblet squat, with the working muscles highlighted, and it logs every set. Download it on the App Store.

General information, not medical advice. Stop if you feel sharp pain in your knees, hips or back, and ask a qualified coach or clinician if you have an injury.