Known as one of the most dynamic movements in athletic development, the Overhead Squat can be a dramatically beneficial movement for an athlete’s performance. The Overhead Squat is famous for developing strength (in a large range of motion), speed, explosive power, flexibility, joint stability, and core strength. Almost sounds too good to be true, but before you go ahead and try this movement out for yourself there’s a few things you need to know. First, always have a qualified supervisor on site to make sure you go through the movement correctly to build good habits and avoid injury. Here is a list of coaching points to remember as you perform the overhead squat:
• Get in an “Athletic Stance” (feet shoulder-width apart, toes straight, shoulders back with good posture)
• Wide Grip on the bar (snatch grip or hands outside the knurling marks), bar above head, elbows and shoulders and wrists locked (stack your bones)
• Pinch shoulder blades together, pop hips back, and begin to lower your butt
• ALWAYS keep your weight on your heels, back flat, shoulders back
• Continue to squat until thighs are at least parallel to the ground (imagine a marble on the middle of your thighs, you’ve hit parallel once the marble would have rolled back to you)
• Stand straight up, driving through your heels the entire time keeping arms straight and eyes forward
Remember to ALWAYS have a spotter/coach throughout this lift due to the high risk that this movement can pose without the proper technique. Not only is this a very versatile lift for athletic development and overall fitness, the overhead squat is used frequently as a movement assessment test. It is a reliable tool for trainers to identify faulty movement patterns. If you’ve ever been through an evaluation at CAMP, then you have more than likely done this test. By identifying these incorrect movements, we can build a program tailored to your specific needs to accomplish the goals that you set out to achieve.
Akamu Aki
Ogden Manager / Performance Specialist
CAMP, Building Better Athletes