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Kettlebell What is the purpose of Goblet Squats in the warm up?

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Benedictine Monk

Benedictine Monk

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I apologize if this has been covered elsewhere, but I am curious what's expected of the GSQ warm up. Are we supposed to actually progress in weight? Or is it just a prying movement?
 
As it is part of the warm-up, I viewed it as a prying movement. Further, I tend to view the squat as dual purpose diagnostic/alignment movement. For me, it illuminates issues as well as reinforces an ideal movement pattern.
 
For me, the purpose is to get me ready for the swings and TGUs.

I'm grateful someone like Pavel and his team poured 1000's of hours of knowledge and experience into this program (S&S) that I can buy for less than $10 and 'simply' do.

For me, squats suck.

But that's because I suck at squats.

I am getting better at them and for me, that's enough; for now.
 
I do goblet squats every warmup even now that I am off S&S and the reason is simple. I am a desk worker and my hip mobility is not great; if I go straight into deadlifting or squatting heavy weight, I will invariably earn myself some pain. I use 32kg because that is what feels best, I don't see any reason for me to go heavier.
 
First let me say that I have not been doing goblets for an extensive time, but for me, coming from pure powerlifting training with pushing hard on the back squat close to five years with some major and a couple of minor injuries. When I decided to get rid of barbell training for now (and maybe forever) and started doing goblets (3x5) as in the warm-up coupled with swings from the S&S my hips and lower back has NEVER EVER felt this good! That being said, barbell squats are great if treated accodringly, but goblets really improved my overall health in an awsome way!

This quote says if all.

Will Moore said:
As it is part of the warm-up, I viewed it as a prying movement. Further, I tend to view the squat as dual purpose diagnostic/alignment movement. For me, it illuminates issues as well as reinforces an ideal movement pattern.
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To me, goblet squats are a very valuable part of the warm up. I usually train at 5:30 am, and the goblet squat helps me to get my back ready for the workout. I wake up every morning with an unpleasant lower back (I think it has to do with my bed). The muscles of my lower back are rigid, stiff, and difficult to get to relax which can occasionally interfere with my first set or 2 of swings. The goblet squat helps to tamp down whatever neurological pathway is inhibiting muscular relaxation. I am tight and stiff when I start set 1, warm and usually loose when I finish set 3. I currently use a 32 for my goblet squats (40 for swings, 40 & 48 for get ups) because using the 40 causes my hands to ache for a couple days after.
 
I'm really surprised no one uses them as part of their workout. I routinely do sets of 3-5 with my 60kg and can't imagine not doing them.
 
I've seen it too many times to deny it--when used as part of the warmup routine with brand new trainees, it teaches them how to squat well like nothing else I've tried. Session after session, week after week, they just keep going lower and coming up stronger as they put in the practice.
 
KernLittle said:
I'm really surprised no one uses them as part of their workout.
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I do have my favorite student (my girlfriend) do at least one extra set of goblets every session, in addition to her two warmup sets. Probably her least liked drill, but she does them well--with less and less complaint all the time, too.

Santa need not pay a visit when one has a significant other with a tight, athletic backside.
 
J Petersen said:
Santa need not pay a visit when one has a significant other with a tight, athletic backside.
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lol.. this is true. My husband also approves of the effect of squats, swings, and deadlifts.

As for the BenedictineMonk's question, I think it can be either one for S&S, but primarily intended as a prying and warm-up exercise. I usually use a 16kg for the goblet squats and halos in warm-up. But a few times recently I've done a 1-2 sets of 5 with 32kg and it does seem to wake my legs up a bit better prior to swings. It's not supposed to be part of the main event for S&S, but you might want to progress in weight so that it's comparable to your swing weight.

@Daniel Holtz Have you ever tried spending a few minutes in yoga "child's pose" after waking? If that's too much for the low back muscles, put a pillow or two over your knees so that you can lean forward and relax comfortably, slowly working your chest down, and move the knees outward if it feels right. Just an idea to help talk those muscles into letting go of that tightness.
 
@Anna C I have not tried that. The best thing I've found is sitting upright, be it on the commode or in the car driving to the gym. It seems that aligning my spinal column and putting weight on it helps most. I think that the size of my abdomen is a contributing factor. I also wonder if my previous back injury, ruptured L5 disc in 2003, contributes as well.
 
"If it is important, do it every day. If it's not important, don't do it at all." (Dan Gable).

Squat, as one of the most fundamental movement patterns, is very important.

GSQ is also a foundation for all other types of squats - front squat, back squat.

Hence the well known slogan "just do it!" refers to GSQ.
 
I really need quad work to strengthen and balance the support muscles that support my knees. So I have beem doing them w/ "swing weight" which right now for me is 24 kg. In addition I do either 5 front squats or 1-3 reverse lunges in standing part of my modified TGU (floor part to sit/post and back down, park it, and stand, clean, bent-press then the squats). This has made a very noticeable difference in my overall daily comfort and also in general movement abilities. I could probably do the regular TGU at this point (modified because any weight against floor w/ "downside" knee caused severe not-good kind of pain but I really love working bent press! Some days, depending on how I feel and how legs feel, I bag the squats during TGU completetly and just do bent press; those days I still do the goblets for warm-ups though I may drop back and use the 16 kg for them
 
I've been doing the goblet squats as a warmup per the instructions in S&S, though upon seeing my local SFG instructor, he pointed out some flaws in my technique. Since making those corrections, I feel different muscles working and I'd compare it now to doing a loaded face-the-wall squat in terms of glute/hamstring usage, and then adding the prying of the hips at the bottom. My question is, is there some metric to determine if this is helping me? Pavel and crew have done their homework, but everyone is different. I'm pretty hypermobile and my SFG instructor, before he corrected my technique, complimented me on my ability to get down into a butt-to-calves full depth squat with kettlebell and back up again. I get the feeling from comments on this board that many people have difficulty getting down that low. I've skipped the goblet squat on occasion and not noticed a difference with my S&S workout. Is this a better warmup for some people than others? Thanks!
 
I have a feeling some people need the goblet squat as a mobility exercise more than others but it's important for everyone to maintain the squat pattern so you should still do them.
 
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