Strength
Overhead Squat
The ultimate test of total-body mobility, core stability, and functional structural strength.
How to perform.
Follow the sequence — setup is half the lift.
Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and grip the barbell with a wide snatch-style grip.
Press the bar directly overhead until your elbows are fully locked out and the bar is positioned over your mid-foot.
Active your shoulders by pushing upward against the bar and rotating your armpits forward to create a stable base.
Breathe into your abdomen and sit your hips back and down while keeping your chest upright and the bar path vertical.
Descend until your thighs are at or below parallel while maintaining a flat back and keeping the weight centered.
Drive through your heels to return to a standing position while keeping the bar locked out rigidly overhead.
Exhale at the top of the movement and reset your breath before beginning the next repetition.
Common mistakes.
Fix these first — they cost reps, kilos, and joints.
- Allowing the elbows to bend or soften during the descent
- Letting the bar drift too far forward of the center of gravity
- Excessive forward lean caused by poor ankle or thoracic mobility
- Heels rising off the floor during the bottom of the squat
Muscles worked.
The primary movers do the work; the stabilizers keep the path honest.