A squat is a common movement that we use in our everyday life. As trainers we incorporate this movement to make everyday living easier for our clients. For example, getting up out of a chair or getting something from a lower cabinet. There are many variations of this exercise. You can use a barbell to back squat or front squat, use dumbbells to suitcase squat, or a kettlebell to goblet squat. Today I will be covering the kettlebell goblet squat and the differences between making it a knee dominant exercise verses a hip dominant exercise.
When performing a goblet squat the client should begin with their feet shoulder width apart and toes slightly turned out. The client should then bring the kettlebell up to about chest height holding it with both hands and squeezing the elbows close to their sides, activating the lats . Standing up nice and tall, the client should brace their core and take a deep breath in as they begin to squat. As the client is squatting they want to keep their chest up nice and tall and “spread the floor” by driving the knees outward. The client will then push through the floor to stand up engaging the hamstrings and glutes and exhaling at the top.
Key things that you will notice about the Knee dominant squat is that the clients torso will be more upright, toes facing forward, weight in the heels and a greater shin angle. Because of this positioning we will be working our anterior muscles such as your hip flexors and quadriceps. In the hip dominant squat the clients torso will be a little more forward, toes slightly turned out, weight in the mid foot and a lesser shin angle, activating the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, spinae erectors, & calves)
