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Kettlebell exercises

Heel-Elevated Goblet Squat: Why a Small Lift Lets You Sit Deeper

Heels raised 2 to 3 cm, bell at your chest, drop straight down with knees forward. Also called the heel-elevated goblet squat. Works the front of your thighs.

Strength · Quads · 3 min read · In Structure · Anti-Folding

Why it works: Chapter 13, Why stretching your hamstrings will not loosen them

How to do it

  1. 1

    Get the heels up

    Two or three centimetres is plenty: a thin board, a small weight plate under each heel, or a wedge. Higher than that and your heels feel unstable and tip you onto your toes.

  2. 2

    Bell at the chest

    Hold it by the horns against your chest, elbows in, exactly as you would a goblet squat. Feet about hip-width.

  3. 3

    Let the knees travel

    This is the opposite instruction to most squats. The knees go forward past the toes and the torso stays upright. That is the whole point.

  4. 4

    Straight down

    Drop between your feet rather than sitting back. Your hips finish under you, not behind you.

  5. 5

    Build the depth

    First set is shallower. Work down as the knees and ankles warm, and you'll go deeper here than you can flat-footed.

  6. 6

    Drive through the whole foot

    Even with the heels raised, press through the middle of the foot. Don't roll onto the toes.

  7. 7

    The test

    Torso upright, knees forward, hips under you at the bottom, and a burn across the front of your thighs. If your lower back is doing the work, you've sat back instead of down.

Watch for

  • Sitting back. Your hips go behind you, your torso leans and it becomes a goblet squat on a slope, so the front of your thighs never gets the work.
  • Heels too high. You tip onto your toes and the bottom position wobbles.
  • The bell drifting off your chest. You fold forward and your lower back takes the load.
  • Going deepest on the first rep. Your knees get asked for range they haven't warmed into yet.

Questions

Why squat with your heels elevated?

Raised heels need less bend at the ankle, so your knees can travel further forward while your torso stays upright. You squat deeper, and more of the work lands on your quads, the front of your thighs, and less on your hips and lower back.

Are heels-elevated squats bad for your knees?

Not for a healthy knee. Knees going past your toes is normal in a deep squat: the knee works harder and the hips and lower back work less, which is the point here. Build depth across your sets, and if a knee hurts, stay above the depth where it does and get it checked if it keeps hurting.

What weight kettlebell should I use for heels-elevated squats?

The heaviest bell you can hold against your chest for 5 with your torso upright and your heels steady. If you fold forward or rock onto your toes, it is too heavy.

How many heels-elevated squats, and how often?

They pair with a rack carry in the second half of the Structure · Anti-Folding routine: 5 reps, 3 seconds down and 3 held at the bottom, then a carry, twice, resting until you feel fresh. There is no daily target: squat when your training day has that routine.