THE DAY OF YOUR LEG no workout would be complete without some of the squats, but that doesn’t mean you can only use one barbell to do them.
Grab a kettlebell (or, if you’re short on KB, a dumbbell) and tackle this challenging leg day that will put your lower body to the test as you perfect your squat form. The routine, the goblet squat count up finisher men’s health fitness manager Ebenezer Samuel, CSCSis designed to accumulate a lot of time under tensionwhich is one of the keys to gaining more muscle and strength during your strength training sessions.
The key to the finisher is the squat cup, a variation of the squat that moves the load from the shoulders to the front of the torso. You won’t be able to lift as much weight as you would when your back is bearing the weight, but you’ll have to fight and use your core to maintain proper posture. “Do it hard and you’ll rattle your glutes and quads, challenge your abs more than you think, and perfect your squat mechanics,” says Samuel.
How to do the goblet squat count up
● Hold a kettlebell (or dumbbell) in front of your chest at the cup holding position. Stand with your feet a little more than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed slightly out, then squeeze your glutes and core.
●Thrust your butt back and down into the squat, stopping at the bottom with your thighs parallel to the floor (or as deep as is comfortable given your mobility level). Keep your core engaged to prevent the weight from pulling down on your torso; don’t let your elbows rest on your knees.
● Hold as you count, then lift your heels off the floor to stand up.
● Do another rep, but pause for two seconds at the bottom before standing up.
●Continue adding a second to the hold position for each subsequent rep, up to 8 reps. That’s 1 game.
●Complete 3 games in total.
“If you get to 8, you’ve spent 32 seconds at the bottom of a squat and turned it into a working position,” says Samuel. For a full 3-set workout, that’s over a minute and a half of tension in total.
Brett Williams, fitness editor at Men’s Health, is a NASM-CPT-certified trainer and former professional football player and technical reporter who divides his training time between strength and conditioning training, martial arts, and running. He can find his work elsewhere on Mashable, Thrillist and other outlets.
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