What Are Goblet Squats?

If you have ever attempted a regular air squat, then you’ll know how effective they can be for increasing the strength that you have in your legs. These are great for forming everything below the waist, helping you to develop your core, lower back, glutes, and hamstrings.

However, when doing the goblet squat it is important to adopt the proper form. The form is one of the things in exercise that people get the most wrong and it frequently leads to improper muscle growth and possibly serious injury.

The weighted element of the exercise is what will help you develop your upper body as well as your lower. You can get a great workout in your shoulders, back, chest, and biceps with this workout.

So what are goblet squats and how can you incorporate them into your exercise? What is the best number of sets to do for goblet squats? What do goblet squats work? How can you maintain proper form with your exercise? What are the common mistakes made with these exercises?

Well, if you are looking for the answer to some of these questions, then we would suggest that you keep reading. We have compiled a handy how-to guide for everything to do with the goblet squat. We’ll cover the correct form along with the muscle groups that you’ll be targeting.

Goblet Squats - What Do They Do?

First off, we’ll talk about what exactly the goblet squat is. This exercise is just like a squatting exercise, except there is added weight to the front of your body, causing you to tighten your core and straighten your back.

The fact that this exercise is much more intense than the basic air squats is very crucial. Not only does it target the lower portion of your body, but it will also help the upper body.

Because you are holding a weight, there will be a lot more tension placed on your back as well as your chest and arms. This also makes goblet squats one of the highly effective belt squat alternatives.

If you want to improve your balance, then this is one of the best exercises that you can do. This is because all of the muscles in your legs are being targeted, all of which will work together to keep you more stable and balanced.

You should always try and bend your knees and keep your hips level when you bend down.

You should make sure that when you bend down that your elbows touch your knees. This is so that your body keeps straight and that your knees do not cave in when you perform the squat. If your knees cave in regularly, then this might lead to further injury way down the line.

The Proper Goblet Squat Form

Make sure that when you are standing with your dumbbell or your kettlebell that you are maintaining a proper squat form. To do this, make sure that your feet are shoulder-width apart and that you have an even distribution of weight.

Hold the weight close to your sternum and make sure that you have it gripped tightly in both palms.

Keep your core tight and your shoulders very straight. Keep your head upright and look straight ahead.

Once you have done this, then bend your knees backward, keeping your spine rigid the entire time. Make sure that as you initiate the squat that you are keeping your torso rigid and you are not looking down.

When you complete the movement, make sure that your knees and elbow are touching. We would suggest that you put your elbows on the inside of your knees, so you can avoid them prolapsing to the sides.

This is one of the most solid movements that you can do, just make sure that you are locking your core tight so you don’t keel forward.

The Benefits Of Goblet Squats

These exercises will really help you to develop the muscles in your legs and thighs. It will also help you improve stability in your lower back, which is important if you suffer from sciatica or other lower back-related issues.

This is also a great exercise for developing your butt. This will increase your glutes, which will lead to your butt developing that nice and round shape. You should make sure that you bend your knees and that your elbows are eventually coming into contact with them.

This will also help you to maintain a good balance when you are walking around engaging in everyday activities. By engaging all the muscles in the lower half of your body, you are enhancing the amount that they can tense.

Having muscles that tense in all parts of your legs is the key part of getting a good balance. If you are a gymnast, then these exercises will be crucial.

The Key Muscle Groups

The muscle groups that you’ll be working on will be those in the posterior region of your body, that is, the legs and thighs. The primary movers in this exercise will be your glutes and your quads, which are located at the front and back of your thighs and legs.

If you are doing the goblet squats though, you can be sure that the upper body muscles will also be exercised. This will be the biceps, as they will be naturally tensed as you hold the weight. It will also help with your shoulder rotation as well as developing your pectorals.

Common Goblet Squat Mistakes

Here are a few mistakes that some people make when doing goblet squats:

• Torso tilting - try not to lean too far forward when you are using this weight, as this will put undue strain on your back.
• Valgus collapse - this is when the knees collapse inward, which will cause you significant injury over time.