Cable Goblet Squat

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Set the cable pulley to the lowest position and attach a rope or straight bar.
2. Stand facing the machine with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width and toes pointed slightly outward.
3. Grasp the attachment with both hands at chest height, keeping your elbows tucked in close to your ribs.
4. Step back 1-2 feet from the machine to create tension on the cable and establish your balance.

How to do it

1. Inhale and brace your core as you lower your hips back and down, keeping your chest lifted and the weight close to your body.
2. Descend until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, ensuring your knees track in line with your toes.
3. Exhale and drive through your mid-foot to return to the starting position, squeezing your glutes at the top.
4. Maintain a controlled tempo, taking 2 seconds to lower and 1-2 seconds to rise.

Form checklist

• Keep your heels glued to the floor throughout the entire movement.
• Maintain a neutral spine and avoid letting the cable pull your shoulders forward.
• Ensure your knees do not cave inward as you drive upward.
• Keep the handle pinned against your chest to maintain a stable center of gravity.

Pro tips

• Use the forward pull of the cable to sit deeper into your hips than a traditional squat allows.
• Focus on 'spreading the floor' with your feet to maximize glute and hip abductor recruitment.
• At the bottom of the movement, briefly touch your elbows to the inside of your knees to ensure consistent depth.

Make it harder

• Add a 3-second isometric pause at the bottom of each repetition to increase time under tension.
• Perform the exercise standing on a small platform or weight plates to increase the range of motion.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the cable goblet squat work?

The cable goblet squat primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the abs, erector spinae, and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the cable goblet squat?

The cable goblet squat uses cable.

Is the cable goblet squat good for beginners?

The cable goblet squat is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Alternating Hamstring Curl JackIntermediate · abs, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• Band DeadliftBeginner · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Banded Hip ThrustIntermediate · glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• Barbell Clean And JerkAdvanced · deltoids, erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius