Overhead Squat

The Setup, Execution, Points of Performance, and Corrections carry over exactly from the Air Squat. We now add to those a load in the OVERHEAD POSITION

Teaching The Movement
SETUP: • Stance = shoulder width • Full extension at hips and knees • Bar held overhead, in the frontal plane, with a wide grip • Active shoulders • Elbows locked EXECUTION: • Weight on heels • Lumbar curve maintained • Chest up • Maintain constant upward pressure on the bar, and active shoulders, to support the load • Bar remains in the frontal plane or slightly behind • Butt travels back and down • Bottom of squat is below parallel (hip crease is below the top of the kneecap) • Knees track parallel to feet • Return to full extension at the hips and knees to complete the move • Head position is neutral • Return to full extension at the top of movement.

Seeing the Movement
PRIMARY POINTS OF PERFORMANCE: • Active shoulders throughout movement • Bar stays overhead, in the frontal plane

Correcting the Movement
ALL FAULTS AND FIXES FROM THE AIR SQUAT APPLY TO THIS MOVEMENT, PLUS THE FOLLOWING:

FAULT – LAZY ELBOWS AND SHOULDERS.

• Fix – Cue athlete to actively press the bar up; use your hands to push the elbows straight and the shoulders into the ears.

FAULT – BAR GOES FORWARD OF THE FRONTAL PLANE.

• Fix – Cue the athlete to press the bar up and pull it back to overhead or slightly behind.