Prying Goblet Squat
A kettlebell goblet squat that pauses in the hole so the elbows can pry the knees out and open the hips.
How to do it
- Stand with the feet about shoulder width and the toes turned out slightly.
- Hold a kettlebell by the horns at the chest with the elbows pointing down.
- Brace the trunk and pull yourself down between the knees.
- At the bottom, slide the elbows inside the knees and pry the knees out.
- Keep the chest tall and the heels down while you breathe in the hole.
- Stand by driving the floor away, then reset the goblet before the next descent.
Key technique cue
At the bottom, elbows press the knees out, chest tall, heels down.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Folding the lower back in the hole instead of keeping a long spine.
- ✕ Resting on the joints with a soft trunk instead of prying against tension.
- ✕ Prying on every heavy set after the hips are already open.
- ✕ Letting the kettlebell drift away from the chest and losing the counterweight.
Benefits
- ✓ The front load lets most people sit deeper with a taller chest.
- ✓ Elbows-in-knees prying opens the hips without a separate stretch.
- ✓ It is the teaching squat used before heavier front squats.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 -
Step 2 You are here - Prying Goblet Squat
About the exercise
The prying goblet squat is Dan John's goblet squat used as a hip-opening drill. You hold a kettlebell at the chest, sit between the knees, then use the elbows against the inner thighs to push the knees out while you stay in the hole. That teaching sequence treats the first set as mobility: pry in the hole, then squat heavier without prying. This is not a max-effort squat; it suits kettlebell mobility blocks, squat-pattern teaching, and Simple & Sinister style warm-ups.
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