Overhead Squat

Why should you use the Overhead Squat?🏋🏻‍♂️

The Overhead Squat helps with strengthening the upper back by working the muscles around your shoulder blades. This will help with back strength and stability and also help in preventing injury caused by constant over training of ‘mirror muscles’ (Chest, Shoulders, Arms) and who doesn’t like getting injured less?!😆

Other reasons to Overhead Squat are, Improve Shoulder Stability and Increase Core strength💪🏼

Now due to the OHS being a complex movement I wouldn’t recommend jumping straight into the exercise without proper instruction from a coach who knows the mechanics of the movement

So lets go through the main points of the OHS🤓

1️⃣ External Rotation in the Shoulder- It is important to keep external rotation (Elbows pointed down) in the shoulders throughout the whole movement, by doing this you keep the bar overhead in a stable position, meaning you keep tension through the shoulders and back

2️⃣ Thoracic Extension- Keeping tension in your shoulder blades throughout the movement helps keep extension in the spine which therefore creates stability in the shoulders and keeps the bar overhead throughout the movement

3️⃣ Depth of Squat- This is not just important for the OHS but for all squats, when squatting you should be aiming to get your hip crease bellow the knee’s, if you are not doing this there is a problem with your mobility either in you hips or ankles. A deep squat will help increase muscle development in the Glutes, Hamstrings and Quads, which will lead to a more developed physique (if this is your goal) or increased calorie expenditure (if you want to lose weight)

If you would like more information or you would like to try the OHS with proper guidance then drop me a message and I will be glad to help!