A goblet squat is a squat done holding one weight upright against your chest, both hands cupped under the top of it. The weight out in front acts as a counterbalance, so it can be easier to keep your chest up and sit down between your knees than in a plain squat. Your thighs and buttocks do the work, and your upper back and trunk hold the weight steady.

How to do the goblet squat

Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart and your toes turned slightly out.
Hold one dumbbell upright against your chest, both hands cupped under the top end. Keep your elbows tucked in and pointing down, as if you were holding a tablet to your chest.
Bend your knees and push your hips back to lower yourself. Your elbows stay inside the line of your knees.
Go down as far as you can while your heels stay flat, your back stays straight and the weight stays at your chest. For many people that is about thighs level with the floor, as in the video. Stop higher if you cannot keep that position.
Push through your heels to stand back up, keeping the weight close to your chest, then repeat.

What you should feel

Work in your thighs and buttocks, with your upper back and stomach working to keep you upright under the weight.

Common mistakes

Letting the weight drift away from your chest, which pulls you forward.
Knees falling inward. If your knees close in on your elbows at the bottom, push them back out.
Heels lifting as you go down.
Rounding your upper back at the bottom of the squat.

How often

Many programs start with a light weight, or none at all, and 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12, a few days a week. Your physio will pick the weight, depth and numbers for you.

Stop and check with your physio if

Sharp pain in the knee, hip or lower back, or pain that keeps building through the set.
The knee gives way, locks or catches.
The knee swells after the session.

From the clinic

If you are new to squatting, learn the plain bodyweight squat first and add the weight once your depth and knee position feel steady. No dumbbell at home? A full water bottle or a small bag of rice held the same way against your chest does the job.

The video shows steady, continuous repetitions down to about thighs level with the floor. There is no need to go deeper than you can control with your heels down and your back straight. If you have had a hip or knee replacement, get the go-ahead from your surgeon or physio before you try goblet squats. A deep squat bends the hip well past a right angle, and many surgeons ask you to avoid that for the first months after some operations. Your surgical team will also tell you how deep you may go and when you can start adding weight.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-26.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Goblet squat