Bodyweight Squats Too Easy? Try These Next.

Have you ever watched a baby squat? Perfect form! 🙂

As adults, we’ve grown into our dysfunctions, physically speaking. Tight chests, rounded shoulders, immoblible thoracic spines, tight hip flexors, weak glutes…combined, these contribute to difficulty maintaining correct movement pattern in the sit-down-stand-up position. 

At Valeo, we’re well aware of the vital importance of knowing how to and being able to squat properly – it’s one of our primal movements and required for anyone who wants to function optimally well into their later years. In fact, the lack of squatting and standing ability is one of the number one reasons the elderly require living assistance, a reality that motivates many of our members.

Before our Semi-Private members do any exercise, we assess them via the Functional Movement Screen so we can develop the best, most customized workout plan for their body, ability and needed growth. 

Step one for most individuals is teaching them how to perform, control and achieve excellence in the squat with just their own bodyweight. 

Once this is accomplished over time, the next progression for most people is the Goblet Squat. The beauty of the goblet squat is that the counterbalance of the dumbbell or kettlebell lets people who can’t get the ‘feel’ for a proper squat more tuned in to what it feels like while simultaneously getting maximum depth, comfort and stability.

Here, we’ve broken it down so you can feel confident executing this movement in your next workout program. 

THE GOBLET SQUAT

1. Stand with dumbbell vertically between the feet (more by heels).
2. With shoulders packed back and back flat, inhale and lower hips with flat back to reach dumbbell.
3. Grasp the head of the dumbbell and zip it aka ‘clean’ it straight up to chest, powerfully exhaling as you do. Weight should rest in your palms, with fingers up.
4. Keeping the weight at your chest, with chest ‘proud,’ pull your body to the ground.
5. Inhale on the way down. 
6. Push knees out as you lower.
7. If able, go down low enough where hip crease is below knees.
8. Keep back flat, chest proud, weight over the whole foot and elbows touching insides of knees.
9. Keep back flat, chest proud, weight over the whole foot and elbows touching insides of knees.
10. Perform a forceful exhale as you bring hips and shoulders up at same rate. Stand up all the way straight, squeezing glutes and abs in the tall position.

When you are done with all your reps, lower the weight with integrity, tension and control – that is, lower just as you would during the exercise. No flopping the weight down!

And remember, if ever there is pain with exercise, stop! This indicates a dysfunction that hasn’t been addressed or fully corrected yet – a regression or little tweak of the exercise is required and a Coach can help you out with that. It’s about moving well, not just moving. 🙂 

Here’s a video of me doing the Goblet Squat with a dumbbell and, a bit more advanced, with a kettlebell.