Goblet Squats has been widely known to be popularized by the well-known strength coach & Master RKC Dan John. This lift is not only an excellent exercise to teach the squat pattern it is also great for loosening up tight hips from long hours of sitting and improving hip mobility. Performing strict heavy goblet squats can strengthen up both abdominal and leg muscles. Although, squatting can improve strength level tremendously but it can do a lot of harm than good if you don’t know how to exactly perform them with good techniques. Very often and then not, people hurt their knees and low back from doing the squats due to poor lifting techniques.
In fact, squatting is considered one of the most important functional movements everyone should be able to perform. We are born to squat. If you look at the toddlers, we started our life squatting and there is no reason to lose that natural ability until we stop doing it. As the saying goes, “Use it Or Lose it”. And if you can squat very well already, make sure you are squatting almost every day to maintain this very important human functional movement. If you are struggling to squat well, it’s time to take a serious look at the squats and restore this movement. And according to Dan John in his latest book The Hardstyle Kettlebell Challenge, goblet squat is all most of us will ever need.
To improve your squatting ability, get stronger legs and core, performing the Goblet Squats is the great place to start with. To learn how to do Kettlebell Goblet Squats, watch video below:
And here are the steps:
The Goblet Squat Set Up
Hold the kettlebells by the horns & keep it close to your chest
Have your feet at about hip width apart
Chest up & root your feet down
Straighten up your legs
Tense up your glutes (buttock muscles)
Pay attention to your ankles and not let them roll to the inside
Goblet Squats On The Descend
Hold the kettlebell tight in your hands
Inhale through the nose as you “PULL” yourself down
Spread the floor with your feet
Spread your knee joints out so they end up being in line with your feet
“Pull” yourself down to the point where you can still maintain a neutral spine (that means no rounded back)
Goblet Squats On The Ascend
Hold the kettlebell tight in your hands
Pretend you are “Leg Pressing” the floor
Exhale through the mouth as you PUSH the floor away from you (this gets you out of the bottom position)
Maintain neutral spine as you raise
Raise with the chest up first and not the tailbone up first
Obviously, the best way to learn how to squat is not through reading a blog or watching a video. It is best to see an experienced Perth personal trainer if you live in Perth or attend the Find Your Perfect Squat Workshop that I teach. In that workshop, you can learn different drills and techniques to find the best way for you to squat well and start becoming stronger in the legs and abs.
