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Kettlebell Goblet Squat: Form and Common Mistakes

Kettlebell Goblet Squat: Form and Common Mistakes — video by Zack Henderson Play · 10:20

Video by Zack Henderson on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A strength coach shows how to find your squat stance, hold a kettlebell at the chest and squat with control, then fixes five common errors and shows a few variations.

  • 10 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • kettlebell
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Step by step 8

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Stance: heels a little wider than your hips, toes turned out to the angle your hips choose. 1:03
  2. Active descent: use your abs and hip flexors to pull yourself down, practised lying with knees to chest. 3:02
  3. Pick-up: deadlift the bell, guide it to your chest and hold it by the horns, elbows pointing down. 4:16
  4. Squat: bend hips and knees together, elbows just inside the knees, whole foot loaded; breathe out as you stand. 4:34
  5. Other grips: the upside-down belly hold, or holding the belly with thumbs hooked through the horns. 5:18
  6. Mistakes 1–2: let the knees travel forward a little, and don't round your low back; just below parallel is fine. 6:16
  7. Mistakes 3–5: keep a proud chest, lead with the shoulders so the hips don't shoot up, and keep heels down. 7:10
  8. Variations: prying and curls at the bottom, then single and double rack front squats and bottoms-up squats. 8:18

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Set heels a little wider than hips and let your toes turn out naturally
  • Hold the bell by the horns at chest height, elbows down, sliding just inside the knees
  • Keep the whole foot loaded and lead with your chest so hips don't shoot up first

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 2 takes load

  • Hips takes loadgoblet squats, deep squat position
  • Knees takes loadgoblet squats
  • Shoulders movesholding the kettlebell at the chest
  • Elbows movesholding the bell by the horns, elbows down
  • Wrists & hands movesgripping the kettlebell
  • Upper back moveskeeping the chest up under the front load
  • Ankles & feet movesgoblet squats, heels staying down

Easier option from the coach: Raise the heels on plates or books if ankles are tight

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Zack Henderson; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety