While the Goblet Squat is a fantastic exercise for teaching proper squat mechanics, it's also a fantastic CORE exercise.

It targets the "anti-flexion"/bracing function of the core, which is critical for front squats, back squats and deadlifts.

Without a strong "bracing" function, your body will collapse forward when the weight gets too heavy. If you're serious about increasing your strength in the squat or deadlift, increasing your bracing strength is absolutely critical. Quite often, it's the weakest link of the entire movement and will limit your overall strength gains.

This exercise solves one of the biggest problems I run into with performing Goblet Squats for anterior (frontal) core strength...not having enough weight to use.

Now, if you have access to relatively heavy dumbbells (or kettlebells), you can progress quite a ways with the regular goblet squat. However, if you've maxed out the weights you have available to you, this exercise is the solution.

It's going to allow you to load as much weight as you can physically handle.

I call it the EZ Bar Goblet Squat...and it's brutally effective.

Take a normal EZ bar and load weight onto just one end. I've got three 45-lb plates loaded on here (about 155 lb total including the bar). You can use smaller-sized plates like 25's or 35's as well.

The reason you just load one end is simple...that's the end you're going to be supporting in the "goblet" position. The function of the bar is to organize the plates and keep them from sliding around while you lift them and to provide a "post" to start the exercise from.

If you start loading the bar with plates on the bottom, you would need to have an EXTREMELY strong collar to ensure the plates don't slide off when you start the exercise. That's one of the big reasons I only recommend loading the top end (safety).

As it is, with the plates on top, your collar only needs to be strong enough to hold onto the weight of the bar. YOU will be supporting the weight of the plates yourself.

To get the bar into position, grab the bar on either side of the plates.

Then stand it up on end. Brace the end with your foot to keep it from sliding as you stand it up.

Now we're ready to start.

Get yourself right up into the plates. Hold the the plates under the sides with the palms of your hands. The plates will also be touching your upper chest.

You'll notice that the range of motion of this exercise is shorter than the regular Goblet Squat because of the length of the bar and how it stands on the ground. This makes the exercise more of a core-strength exercise than a leg exercise. Your legs will easily be able to handle the load through this range of motion...it's your core that will be most challenged (with some shoulders, triceps and upper back).

Brace your core HARD.

Now stand up, blowing out your air through pursed lips as you do so (as if blowing up a balloon).

Take another breath then lower the bar back down, setting it on end and releasing the tension in your body. Reset, take another breath, then go again.

Because of the short range of motion, the stopping at the bottom of each rep and the capability of using a lot of weight, this exercise is most useful for going heavy and challenging your core strength rather than going for lots of reps.

Perform sets of 4-6 reps...3-4 sets total.

So we've talked about why you'd want to use this to increasing loading on a Goblet Squat...why use this exercise instead of an actual Front Squat to develop the core?

Front Squats are excellent for that purpose, but they're primarily a leg exercise...this exercise is not meant as a full replacement for it. This exercise doesn't rely on leg or shoulder strength (to maintain the racked position of the bar) to the same degree as a front squat, making the core the true focus of the exercise.

This gives it tremendous carryover in terms of addressing the potential "weak link" of bracing core strength during your regular front squats (and back squats and deadlifts).

It also requires a lot less technical skill to perform than a Front Squat (just get under the weight and push) making it a good exercise for finishing off a workout.

Bottom line, if you have an EZ Bar, give this one a try...it's all about applying effort to the weight and seeing what your body is capable of (and training it to be capable of more!).

You can watch the full video this exercise in action here (just 3 minutes long).

---

Click Here to Learn 6 More KILLER Core Exercises Just Like This...