Buzz
If you're just starting strength training, you’ve probably heard the advice to begin with lighter weights or even no-weight exercises, gradually progressing. While this is solid advice, sometimes we get comfortable with the simpler version of an exercise, not realizing that adding weight can actually make it easier.
This article was inspired by our managing editor, Meghan Walbert, who shared that after reading a post of mine on goblet squats, she decided to give them a try. 'It’s surprising how much more stable a goblet squat feels compared to an air squat,' she mentioned. And she's absolutely right.
Goblet squats
In a goblet squat, you lower your body by bending your knees—just like an air squat, but with a weight held in front of your chest as you do it.
The weight does make your legs work a bit harder as you rise, but like Meghan found, it can actually make balancing easier. Squats require you to push your hips back, and the weight in front helps counterbalance that. Goblet squats are a great way to start adding weight to squats (especially compared to barbell front or back squats, though we’ll get into those later). They make it much easier to maintain proper form going both down and up.
The weight also gently encourages you to keep your core engaged, helping to transfer force from your legs through your torso—a habit that will build core strength and improve your ability to lift heavier weights in the future.
Pistol squats
A pistol squat is a notoriously tough move. It's just like an air squat, or a goblet squat, but performed on one leg. (You extend the other leg in front of you, hence the resemblance to a pistol.)
If you can barely manage a pistol squat, you might think that adding weight would make it harder. However, like with goblet squats, the weight acts as a counterbalance, helping you maintain proper body alignment. If you can perform a pistol unweighted, you're likely capable of doing one with a 5 or 10-pound dumbbell.
If you're aiming for your first pistol squat, try adding weight to the exercises you’re already working on. For example, when practicing partial pistols (only going halfway down), hold a dumbbell to see if it improves your performance.
Kettlebell swings
Kettlebell swings are a foundational kettlebell exercise for both beginners and more experienced individuals. However, I’ve observed that many struggle to move beyond the beginner level when using light weights.
The reason for this is that a proper kettlebell swing relies on the powerful muscles of your hips to drive the bell. If you use a heavier kettlebell, you’ll need to generate more force with your hips to move it effectively. But if you start with a very light kettlebell, it doesn’t provide feedback on whether your form is correct, causing you to focus too much on your technique. Grab a heavier bell—say, 50 pounds instead of 10—and you’ll almost teach yourself the correct form.
Front squats
Front squats with a barbell are known for being tough to master. Once you get the hang of the right shoulder and wrist position, they’re actually not that difficult.
But you won’t figure that out using a broomstick or one of those PVC pipes that every weightlifting gym keeps in the corner. An actual barbell, even an empty one, has some weight that helps it settle onto your shoulders. If you're strong, you’ll likely need to add extra weight to the bar to make it feel comfortable. Then, you can start mastering the movement.
Anything you’re practicing with a broomstick
Let’s talk about those broomsticks. It’s totally fine to use one when you’re first figuring out what a lift is supposed to look like. I’m sure I’m not the only one who practiced squats, deadlifts, snatches, and even overhead presses with a broomstick at home before taking them to the gym.
Once you have a good understanding of the movement, get yourself a real bar (or at least a pair of dumbbells) as soon as you can. It really feels different. After all, perfecting your back squat with a broomstick doesn’t compare to the experience of doing the same squat with a loaded barbell.
Anything you’re doing for reps
When it comes to bodyweight exercises like pushups and pullups, we often focus on how many we can do instead of how much weight we can handle. And that's fine if you're training for something like a military push-up test.
But if your goal is to build strength, you’ll want to add weight when possible. You don’t have to wait until you’re doing countless reps to add weight; once you're hitting around five or ten reps, you’ll likely start noticing benefits by incorporating weight into some of these movements.
For example, adding weight to your pullups might be easier than trying to increase the number of reps. And if pushups are your focus, try adding bench presses with a barbell or dumbbells to your routine, rather than just doing pushups over and over. Strength training with weights will help you do more reps of bodyweight exercises, so training both ways can be beneficial.
