Legs
Dumbbell Goblet Squat
Master the fundamentals of lower-body strength with this functional, accessible, and highly effective squat variation.
How to perform.
Follow the sequence — setup is half the lift.
Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed marginally outward.
Hold a single dumbbell vertically against your chest, cupping the top head of the weight with both hands and keeping your elbows tucked in.
Engage your core and maintain a neutral spine as you initiate the movement by sitting your hips back and down.
Descend until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, allowing your elbows to track inside your knees.
Drive through your mid-foot to push yourself back up to the starting position while exhaling.
Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement to ensure full hip extension before beginning the next repetition.
Common mistakes.
Fix these first — they cost reps, kilos, and joints.
- Allowing the heels to lift off the floor during the descent.
- Rounding the lower back or collapsing the chest forward.
- Letting the knees cave inward instead of tracking over the toes.
- Holding the dumbbell too far away from the body, which strains the lower back.
Muscles worked.
The primary movers do the work; the stabilizers keep the path honest.