Stop Destroying Your Squat - Do THIS Instead

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

A common problem in the squat is raising the chest early during the ascent. Raising the chest early simply means that you’re making your torso or back angle too vertical too soon when coming out of the hole on the squat. Let’s fix this.

Typically, when addressing this issue, we simply cue you to “drive your hips.” You drive your hips up, and everything else goes up as well. However, if that's not working and you’re still raising your chest too soon, try this cue: “Stay in your lean.”

Julie will maintain this back angle - this leaned over position - as she drives up out of the hole.

In other words, stay in that leaned over position that you achieved during the descent. When you initiated your squat, you reached back with your hips, you shoved your knees apart, and you pointed your chest at the floor. Simply put, you leaned over, so stay in that leaned over position a little longer than you think you should on the way back up out of the hole.

Now, of course, your torso will eventually become more vertical - we do finish the lift in a standing up position, of course. The key is that you don’t try to make it get vertical right away. Stay in your lean.

As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.

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