Lockdown Training Tips - Goblet Squats

Unfortunately Lockdown 🔐 will be going on for a while yet so here's some more tips for training at home, in particular focusing on a common fixture of many programs - the Goblet Squat.

Elevate your heels for more depth

Elevating your heels makes it easier to achieve a full range of motion. There are numerous benefits to this on this particular exercise but that is a discussion for a different day.

Full range of motion can be different for different people depending on a number of factors but as a general target we like to aim for the crease of hip below the top of the knee or what might be referred to as a below parallel position. There are some caveats to this of course, such as maintaining a good position through your back, but overall it's a good target to work towards.

You can elevate your heels by standing on books, blocks of wood, yoga wedges, small weight plates or by wearing olympic lifting shoes if you have them. Whatever you choose make sure it's nice and secure for you to stand on.

Stretch your calves

This can help improve your ankle mobility which in turn can have a large bearing on your ability to sit into a squat and the range of motion you achieve.

Spend some time in your warm up doing some ankle mobility work to prepare for the Goblet Squats in your workouts. A few simple exercises and a short time dedicated to this can make all the difference.

You can see an example of one of our favourite stretches in the graphic attached. Some other excellent exercises for this can be found with a simple Google.

Slow tempo eccentrics

One of the main limiting factors of home training can be the equipment you have available. For many of you that may mean only having access to some dumbbells and kettlebells.

However, there are still ways you can make your Goblet Squats more challenging. One of the best ways to do this is by manipulating the tempo of the movement. In particular by using slow tempo eccentrics (think the downward part of the squat) and pauses in the bottom position of the exercise, you can make things much more challenging.

For example, you could try using a 5 count on the eccentric, a 3 count pause at the bottom and then going full speed on the concentric (way back up).

Get more help working towards your goals

If you have found these tips helpful and would like further guidance on how to go about training towards your goals, take a look at our Online Personal Training page and drop us a message!