It’s Technique Tuesday where we talk about a movement we’re doing tomorrow, WHY we’re doing it, and other fun facts and tips about it!
Movement: Overhead Squat
Description: Start with the bar in the wide snatch grip overhead position. Initiate the squat by shifting the hips back. Squat to below parallel while stabilizing the bar overhead over the center of your feet. Stand up to full hip and knee extension to complete the rep.
Primary Movement Pattern:
Physical Skills Developed:
Tips, Tricks, and Fun Facts: The overhead squat is the ultimate full body squatting movement. It builds strength and stability throughout the entire body as well as flexibility, especially in the shoulders, and balance.
Start by mastering the air squat to hips below parallel. Then, practice the overhead squat with a PVC pipe until you can maintain the PVC over the center of your feet throughout the full range of motion – this may take time to develop shoulder flexibility.
Once technique is sound with the PVC, progress to the empty bar and beyond!
Setup:
- Wide snatch grip on the bar in the overhead position, shoulders shrugging upward, rotate elbows to face the ground (external rotation)
Initiation:
- Initiate by shifting hips back while keeping the bar over your centerline (middle of your foot)
- Squat to below parallel, stabilizing bar over your centerline (middle of your foot)
- Stand up to full hip and knee extension to complete the rep
Common faults:
- Initiating with knee bend instead of hip shift. This quickly results in a bad position and the resulting issues of heels lifting off the ground or the bar coming forward
- Bar shifting forward in front of feet. This may be a result of a flexibility limitation; as the athlete squats, the bar comes forward and it becomes hard to maintain an overhead position. This can result in shoulder injury if the athlete tries to continue the rep depending on how much weight is used.
Check out our social media for the slow motion video with commentary and have one of our coaches check your technique tomorrow!
Dean