Foundational Friday: Overhead Squat, Part 2

When we last paid the Overhead Squat (OHS) a visit, the basic setup and execution was covered. This can often be a frustrating movement and things don’t always go so smoothly the first few times out. Today, we’re going to address two of the most common flaws we often see with the OHS.

Elbows Unlocked and Inactive Shoulders

To fix this, the athlete must push their shoulders actively into their ears while using the hands to press the elbows straight. This fault causes the athlete to fatigue quickly as the arms are doing most of the work instead of the bar resting on a nice stable surface created by solid shoulder placement.

Bar Drifts Forward Out in Front

This happens when the load is no longer directly above the shoulder blades. For those whose torso travels forward due to lack of flexibility, the bar should be pulled back and pressed up high in order for it to become aligned with the scapula (shoulder blades) as it is at the beginning of the movement. This also occurs because of a lack of shoulder flexibility and can be improved over time with consistent work with a variety of stretches.

Again, these are only a few of the possible flaws that can occur with the OHS. With the many unique body types and proportions we find just in our gym, we are bound to encounter special cases. If the fixes above do not improve your situation, a trainer will gladly help you work towards improvement and an eventual solution.

WOD – 8.14.09

Shoulder Press 7×1

Tabata Burpees

Cash Out: 6 rope climbs (as many w/o using feet as possible)