Overhead Squat
Bodyweight Strength - The Overhead Squat is one of the most demanding exercises and it requires a high degree of bodyweight strength, coordination, and flexibility throughout the entire body all at the same time.
At the beginning the Overhead Squat will simply be performed with your bodyweight and a broomstick. It is important to develop the necessary flexibility to perform this exercise properly with a weightless broomstick before even considering moving on to using a weighted bar.
To perform the exercise you will need sufficient shoulder flexibility, rotator cuff flexibility, lat flexibility, hip flexibility, chest flexibility, bicep flexibility, hamstring flexibility, and calf flexibility. If ANY one of these is lacking, it will hinder or disable your ability to perform this exercise. For this reason, once you have finally mastered the Overhead Squat, it is a good idea to keep it in your exercise routine to be performed frequently because it will help keep you flexible and will instantly reveal to you any tight muscles that need to be addressed before they get too bad.
The technique for the exercise will be the same regardless of whether you are using a broomstick or a weighted barbell.
Step up to a Squat rack with a barbell loaded to the desired weight and dip under it ad stand up with it as you would if you were about to perform a Back Squat. Place your hands at a Snatch grip width and make sure they are evenly placed to insure that the bar is centered on your shoulders. Step back from the rack as though you are about to perform a Back Squat. Once you are where you want to be, place your feet at about a shoulder width stance with your toes pointed slightly outwards. Using your legs, "pop" the bar up overhead (as seen in the demonstration video). This is your starting position.
Make sure that your elbows and shoulder are completely straight and locked out. This is highly important for stability and for the safety of your joints. Once everything is locked out and stable, begin to squat down just as you would when performing a Back Squat (except that in this case the bar is overhead rather than resting on your shoulders). Look straight ahead throughout the exercise. Not up, not down.
Keep you entire back arched (upper back and lower back) and keep your chest up throughout the exercise just as you would on a Back Squat. Only squat as low as you are able to without rounding your lower back (just like on a Back Squat) with your current flexibility. Do not try to force yourself lower. As with all other exercises, the flexibility will come steadily with time as long as you will perform your exercises correctly and utilize the full range of motion that you current flexibility will allow while maintaining proper form.
Once you have reached the bottom of the squat, push back upwards to the starting position. Be very deliberate to keep your shoulders and elbows locked as well as your back arched and your chest up on the way up.
If you ever feel that you are losing control, do not try to "save" the lift. Save yourself instead. Simply drop the weight to the ground (to the front or back of you - depending on which way it was tipping) and get out of the way! Many gyms these days do not allow members to drop weights. It is against their rules. If possible, find a local gym that has an Olympic Lifting Platform and bumper plates that are specifically designed for this kind of training and are made to be dropped regularly and safely. If you are not working out at a gym with this equipment, we recommend that you not perform lifts that may require you to drop weights on the floor. However, if you do choose to perform Overhead Squats at a gym that does not allow you to drop weights (against our recommendation), obviously it would be better to drop the weights on the floor and receive a lecture from the gym owner than to drop the weight on yourself and end up in the hospital.
When you are finished with the exercise, you will either drop the weight on the floor (if allowed) or drop the barbell back on your upper back/shoulder area and absorb the weight with your legs (as demonstrated in the demonstration video). It is important to practice this technique with very light weights at first to prevent injury. After mastering this with light weights, you can move up steadily to heavier weights as your comfort and confidence with the technique grows. do not injury yourself trying this. We recommend finding a qualified training instructor at our local gym to assist you in mastering this exercise as well as this specific technique.
Disclaimer - We do not recommend performing any exercise without the supervision of a highly qualified bodyweight strength professional present with you. This detailed exercise description is for informational purposes only. Consult your physician before attempting any strength training program or attempting this exercise or any of the other exercises on www.bodyweight-strength.com
At the beginning the Overhead Squat will simply be performed with your bodyweight and a broomstick. It is important to develop the necessary flexibility to perform this exercise properly with a weightless broomstick before even considering moving on to using a weighted bar.
To perform the exercise you will need sufficient shoulder flexibility, rotator cuff flexibility, lat flexibility, hip flexibility, chest flexibility, bicep flexibility, hamstring flexibility, and calf flexibility. If ANY one of these is lacking, it will hinder or disable your ability to perform this exercise. For this reason, once you have finally mastered the Overhead Squat, it is a good idea to keep it in your exercise routine to be performed frequently because it will help keep you flexible and will instantly reveal to you any tight muscles that need to be addressed before they get too bad.
The technique for the exercise will be the same regardless of whether you are using a broomstick or a weighted barbell.
Step up to a Squat rack with a barbell loaded to the desired weight and dip under it ad stand up with it as you would if you were about to perform a Back Squat. Place your hands at a Snatch grip width and make sure they are evenly placed to insure that the bar is centered on your shoulders. Step back from the rack as though you are about to perform a Back Squat. Once you are where you want to be, place your feet at about a shoulder width stance with your toes pointed slightly outwards. Using your legs, "pop" the bar up overhead (as seen in the demonstration video). This is your starting position.
Make sure that your elbows and shoulder are completely straight and locked out. This is highly important for stability and for the safety of your joints. Once everything is locked out and stable, begin to squat down just as you would when performing a Back Squat (except that in this case the bar is overhead rather than resting on your shoulders). Look straight ahead throughout the exercise. Not up, not down.
Keep you entire back arched (upper back and lower back) and keep your chest up throughout the exercise just as you would on a Back Squat. Only squat as low as you are able to without rounding your lower back (just like on a Back Squat) with your current flexibility. Do not try to force yourself lower. As with all other exercises, the flexibility will come steadily with time as long as you will perform your exercises correctly and utilize the full range of motion that you current flexibility will allow while maintaining proper form.
Once you have reached the bottom of the squat, push back upwards to the starting position. Be very deliberate to keep your shoulders and elbows locked as well as your back arched and your chest up on the way up.
If you ever feel that you are losing control, do not try to "save" the lift. Save yourself instead. Simply drop the weight to the ground (to the front or back of you - depending on which way it was tipping) and get out of the way! Many gyms these days do not allow members to drop weights. It is against their rules. If possible, find a local gym that has an Olympic Lifting Platform and bumper plates that are specifically designed for this kind of training and are made to be dropped regularly and safely. If you are not working out at a gym with this equipment, we recommend that you not perform lifts that may require you to drop weights on the floor. However, if you do choose to perform Overhead Squats at a gym that does not allow you to drop weights (against our recommendation), obviously it would be better to drop the weights on the floor and receive a lecture from the gym owner than to drop the weight on yourself and end up in the hospital.
When you are finished with the exercise, you will either drop the weight on the floor (if allowed) or drop the barbell back on your upper back/shoulder area and absorb the weight with your legs (as demonstrated in the demonstration video). It is important to practice this technique with very light weights at first to prevent injury. After mastering this with light weights, you can move up steadily to heavier weights as your comfort and confidence with the technique grows. do not injury yourself trying this. We recommend finding a qualified training instructor at our local gym to assist you in mastering this exercise as well as this specific technique.
Disclaimer - We do not recommend performing any exercise without the supervision of a highly qualified bodyweight strength professional present with you. This detailed exercise description is for informational purposes only. Consult your physician before attempting any strength training program or attempting this exercise or any of the other exercises on www.bodyweight-strength.com