Before We Go by Dan John, (02) Goblet Squats 101, Notes

Post date: Apr 21, 2019 12:33:09 PM

Before We Go by Dan John

(02) Goblet Squats 101 -The Goblet Squat Fixes All - Hold the weight in front as if holding the holy grail. Squat down from there, push the knees out with the elbows and, behold, the goblet squat. The squat is easy. It’s a basic human movement. If we don’t practice it, we might just have to be reminded how to do it. Remember, squats don’t hurt knees, but how we perform them can. Squats can do more for total mass and body strength than probably all other lifts combined. Doing them wrong can do more damage than all the other moves too.

• • Form: Squat Between the Legs

• 1. Start Simply - Find a space and squat down.

  2. At the bottom, the deepest you go, push the knees out with the elbows. Relax. Go a bit deeper. The feet should be flat on the floor. For most people, driving the knees out with the elbows will simplify squatting forever.

  3. To regress, try this drill: stand arms length from door knob or a partner and get the chest up. UP! (Imagine being at a beach when a swimsuit model passes by: puff up the chest, which tightens the low back and locks the whole upper body. The lats naturally spread a bit and the shoulders come back a little.

  4. Now, lower the torso down. This helps us discover a basic anatomical fact: the torso is slung between the legs. As the body lowers, leaning back with straight arms, we quickly discover the true key to squatting: we squat between the legs. We don’t fold and unfold like an accordion; we sink between the legs. Once we understand this, we can progress to the goblet.

• • Get Started

    • Grab a dumbbell or kettlebell and hold it against the chest. With a kettlebell hold the horns, but with a dumbbell just hold it by the vertical end, like holding a goblet against the chest.

    • With the weight cradled against the chest, squat down with the of having the elbows--which are pointed downward--past the knees.

  • Stop Thinking, Start Squatting - The key to learning movement in the gym: let the body teach the body what to do. Try to keep the brain out of it. Overthinking a movement often leads to problems. Allow the elbows to glide down by touching the inner knees, and good things will happen. The more we think, the more ways there are to screw things up. Goblet squats are all the squatting most people need.

  • Foot Placement and Patterning - Do three consecutive vertical jumps, then look down. This is roughly where to place the feet every time we squat. The toes are a little out. This drill, along with the goblet, teach patterning. Unless we own the pattern, we should not move on to heavier work.

  • From Goblets to Grinds - Have athletes perform a grinding move, like double kettlebell front squats, The load remains in the front, forcing the whole core to stay rigid. With two bells the elbows can still point down to push the knees out. The pressure is also teaching you to stay tight as we continue to grease up and down. The dumbbell/kettlebell front squat works the back in the style called “compression.” In this method of strength building, the constant squeezing of a muscle system is the movement. Two great workouts that utilize the goblet squat and the double kettlebell front squat:

    • The Butt Burner 4,000 - Grab a kettlebell in the 25-60lb range. Go lighter than you think.

      1. Perform 1 goblet squat, then 1 bulgarian goat bag swing

      2. Perform 2 goblet squats, then 2 bulgarian goat bag swings

      3. Now 3 and 3. Work your way up to 10 and 10, if possible.

• • • • Build this one up slowly. Just going to 5’s is 15 reps. 10’s and we get 55 each and a lot of lost breath. This combo revitalizes the lower body and teaches ownership of both patterns (the hinge and the squat.)

• • • The Eagle - Combines the Farmer Walk (the basic patterning drill for teaching loaded carries with the grinding double kettlebell Front Squat

• • • 1. Grab two kettlebells and do five to eight front squats.

      2. Drop the ‘bells to the sides and walk away, perhaps as far as 40-meters.

      3. Do another set of front squats, walk again

• • • • Those able to complete 8 sets of 8, plus serious farmer’s walks, live in rarified air.

• • Greatness with Patience - The mistake most of us make is trying to progress to more complex movements before getting the form down. Greatness resides in those who have the patience to master the patterns first, then add complexity later. The simple patterns can make for the most shockingly exhaustive workouts.