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Overhead Squat Self Assessment

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So, you don’t want to upload a video and have me assess your “Overhead Squat Assessment”, you want to assess your own video, am I right?  Well with the right tools, you can.

It’s not that complicated.  Firstly, download and print off one of our Overhead Squat Assessment Checklists by clicking here.

Next you’ll need to watch your own video and then if you see one of the 22 observations as listed below, simply place a tick in the appropriate box.

TWENTY TWO OBSERVATIONS

There are twenty two different observations that you ares looking for and they are broken down into five different sections.  Those sections are:

  1. Foot & Ankle
  2. Knees
  3. Hips
  4. Back & Shoulders
  5. Head

Foot and Ankle

  1. Feet Turned Out 

 What It Looks Like:  

In the anatomical position, the feet should be pointing straight ahead.  If you stand with your feet pointing outwards, then this is usually caused by a muscular dysfunction which can be easily corrected with the right stretching and strengthening program.

Stretch Or Mobilise:  Calf, hamstrings & Glutes

Strengthen: Anterior Tibialis, Glutes & Adductors

Suggested Exercises: Sumo dead lift, Dyna band Tibialis pulls

2.    Feet Wide Stance: 

What It Looks Like: 

In the anatomical position the feet should be positioned shoulder width apart.  If you stand with your feet naturally wide apart then this is usually caused by a muscular dysfunction which can be easily corrected with the right stretching and strengthening program.

Stretch Or Mobilise: Calf/glute complex

Strengthen:  Core, Hips, Glutes, Calves

Suggested Exercises:  Supine Lateral Ball Roll, Forward ball Roll, Hip Extension, Calf Raise

3.    Flat feet

What It Looks Like:  

 The sole of the feet should have a nice even arch creating a straight line down the posterior view of the Achilles tendon. If you have a flat foot, not only will the arch be completely flat on the floor, but the Achilles tendon will have a medial bow in it.  This can cause discomfort when walking, jogging and running.  Whilst a strengthening program can assist in creating an arch in the sole of the foot, anyone who presents with this condition should be referred to a podiatrist.

Stretch Or Mobilise: Glutes

Strengthen: Flexor Hallucis, Peroneals, Anterior Tibialis

Suggested Exercises:  Towel Scrunches, Dyna Ban Tibialis Pulls, Hip Extensions with a belt around the knee

4.    Heel Lift 

What It Looks Like

As the squat movement is performed, your heels rise up off the floor.  This is a common occurrence and is usually as a result of tight calves and/or weak glutes & core.

Stretch Or Mobilise: Calf Complex

Strengthen: Glutes & Core

Suggested Exercises: Dead Lifts

5.    Ankle Rotates In and Up

What It Looks Like: 

As the squat movement is performed, the ankles roll inward and possibly rise up off the floor again, as a result usually of weak glutes and core and tight calves, hamstrings & hips.

Stretch Or Mobilise: Calf, hamstrings & Hips

Strengthen: Glutes & Core

Suggested Exercises: Swiss Ball Wall Squat (hold at the bottom)



Knees

6.    Knees Cave In (knock knee)

What It Looks Like

As the squat movement is performed, the knees buckle inward toward each other, even to the extent that they touch.

Stretch Or Mobilise: Adductors, Tensor Facia Lata, IT band

Strengthen: Glute Medius, External Rotators of the hip, Core

Suggested Exercises: Hip Extension on a swiss ball with a belt around the knees pushing outward throughout the movement.

7.    Knees Bow Out 

What It Looks Like:

This is the opposite of knees caving inward, here, as the squat movement is performed, the knees move outward or laterally,

Stretch Or Mobilise: PirIformis, Glutes, Abductors of the hip

Strengthen: Adductors

Suggested Exercises: Hip extension on swiss ball with a ball between the knees squeezing inward throughout the movement

8.    One Knee Moves Forward

What It Looks Like:

As the squat movement is performed, one knee moves forward of the other.

Stretch Or Mobilise:  Opposite calf

Strengthen:  Glutes, Core & Calf

Suggested Exercises:  1 legged calf raise on step, with 10 second eccentric lowering

Hips

9.    Lower Back Arches

What It Looks Like:  

As the squat movement is performed, the arch in the lumbar spinal region increases excessively arches.

Stretch Or Mobilise:  Hip flexors, Lumbar Erectors, QL, TFL, Quads & Lats

Strengthen:  Glutes hamstrings & Core

Suggested Exercises:  Horse Stance, Squat

10. Lower Back Flattens or Rounds

 What It Looks Like:

As the squat movement is performed, the arch in the lumbar spinal region decreases or even rounds in the opposite direction. It’s the opposite movement to the one above.

Stretch Or Mobilise:  Glutes hamstrings & Core

Strengthen: Hip flexors, Lumbar Erectors, QL, TFL, Quads & Lats

Suggested Exercises:  Forward ball roll, prone Cobra, Dead lift, Prone Jack knife

11. Anterior Pelvic Tilt:           

What It Looks Like:

In males the pelvis should sit with a line drawn parallel to the floor across the top.  In females this line is permitted to be on a 10 degree angle to the floor.  This is considered neutral pelvis.  An anterior pelvic tilt is where the pelvis is tilted downward beyond these two reference points.

Stretch Or Mobilise:  Hip flexors, lumbar erectors, QL, TFL, Quads & lats

Strengthen:  Glutes, hamstrings & Core

Suggested Exercises:  Horse Stance, Squat

12. Posterior Pelvic Tilt

 What It Looks Like:

As the term suggests, this is where the pelvis is tilted backwards.

Stretch Or Mobilise:  Glutes, hamstrings & Core

Strengthen:  Hip flexors, lumbar erectors, QL, TFL, Quads & lats

Suggested Exercises:  Forward ball Roll, Prone Cobra, Dead Lift, Prone Jack Knife

13. Pelvic Hike

What It Looks Like:  

From an front or a back view of the pelvis, one side is higher than the other or it rises during the squat movement

Stretch Or Mobilise:  The high side QL & Hip Flexors

Strengthen:  The opposite obliques & lumbar erectors

Suggested Exercises:  Lateral Static hold on a swiss ball, side crunch, back extension

14. Pelvic Rotation

What It Looks Like: 

From a left or right side view, the pelvis is rotated so that you can see the far side of the hip more and you can’t see the far side glute.

Stretch Or Mobilise: Opposite calf to the forward hip & the same side QL

Strengthen: Core, Full ROM calf complex & hip flexors

Suggested Exercises:  Hip extension on swiss ball, squats, dead lift.



Back & Shoulders

15. Back Falls Forward

What It Looks Like: 

As the squat movement is performed, your back falls forward so it appears you are bending at the hips forward

Stretch Or Mobilise: Abs, pec Minor, Hip Flexors, calf Complex

Strengthen: Glutes, Back Extensors, Core

Suggested Exercises: Back extension, Dead Lift, Prone Cobra, Horse Stance Squat

16. Back Flexes/Bends To The Side

What It Looks Like:

As the squat movement is performed, you bend from the hips to the side.

Stretch Or Mobilise:    Bending Side: Calf complex, QL, Hip Flexors, Lumbar erectors

Strengthen: Core & Hips

Suggested Exercises:    Supine Lateral Ball Roll, Swiss Ball Lateral Ball Holds (Opp Side)

17. Shoulders/Arms fall Forward Of Ears

What It Looks Like:

As the squat movement is performed, your shoulders and or arms fall forward of their ears

Stretch Or Mobilise:  Pec Minor, Lats, Neck Extensors, Abs, Calves, hamstrings

Strengthen:   Stabilise core, hips & trunk.

Suggested Exercises:  One arm rolls, Prone Cobra, Forward Ball Roll.

18. One Arm Higher Than The Other

What It Looks Like:    

From a standing position with the stick overhead, one arm is clearly higher than the other.

Stretch Or Mobilise:  Opposite QL, Obliques, Same Calf, & Traps

Strengthen:   Same QL & Obliques, Opposite Calf & Traps

Suggested Exercises:  TVA Activation, Horse Stance, Squat, Forward Ball Roll, Prone Jack Knife

19. One Arm Forward/ One Arm Back

What It Looks Like: 

From the left or right lateral view, when you have your hands above your head, one of your arms is forward of the other.

Stretch Or Mobilise: Forward arm: Same hip flexors, Obliques, QL, opposite Calf & Lats

Back Arm: Opposite Hip flexor, Obliques, QL, same Calf & Lat

Strengthen:  Hip complex, Core, Shoulders & Back Extensors

Suggested Exercises:  One arm rolls, horse stance, squats, side crunches, forward ball roll, prone cobra, hip extensions.

Head

20. Head Forward

What It Looks Like

From a left or right lateral view, your ear lobe sits forward of the tip of the shoulder joint.

Stretch Or Mobilise: Abs, traps, levator scapulae, pec minor

Strengthen:   Lower traps, back extensors

Suggested Exercises: Prone Cobra, horse stance, squat, back extension

21. Head Tilts Up

 

What It Looks Like: 

As the squat movement is performed, you tilt your head up and look at the roof.  If you are an experienced gym goer, then this movement could have been caused from a faulty lifting technique where you’ve been taught to look up when squatting or dead lifting a heavy weight.

Stretch Or Mobilise: SCM

Strengthen: Deep cervical flexors of the neck

Suggested Exercises:  Chin tucks, wall lean

22. Head Tilts Down

What It Looks Like: 

The opposite of looking up, this is you tilt your head to the floor during the squat movement.

Stretch Or Mobilise:  SCM, Pec Minor, Abs, Hip flexors

Strengthen:  Deep cervical flexors, thoracic extensors

Suggested Exercises:  Foam Roller Longitudinal Lie, Prone Cobra

NOW WHAT?

Once you know your faults, you can set out to correct them and that’s simply a matter of performing two things:

A REGULAR STRETCHING PROGRAM to rectify all of the muscle groups that you’ve identified as needing to be stretched and,

A REMEDIAL WEIGHT TRAINING PROGRAM to strengthen all of the muscles that you’ve identified as being weak or unstable.

The great thing is, I’ve already created the various programs for you.  All you have to do is correctly choose the right program for you and start.

Stretching Programs

  • Less than 4 observations

If your self analysis revealed that you have less than 5 observations, then you are safe to simply start a training program based on your goals.  There is no real need to address you lack of flexibility as a form of red=mediation.

  • Between 5-9 observations

If your self analysis revealed that you have between 5-9 observations then I suggest you perform my 1 Day Flexibility Program every other day.  You can find that program by clicking here.

  • 10 or more observations

If your self analysis revealed that you have 10 or more observations then I suggest you perform my 2 Day Flexibility Program.  You can find that program by clicking here.

Remedial Weight Training Program

  • Less than 4 observations

If your self analysis revealed that you have less than 5 observations, then you are safe to simply start a training program based on your goals.  There is no real need to address your lack of flexibility as a form of remediation.  feel free to simply jump right in and have a go at my 3 Day Full Body Workout Program (Beginners)

  • Between 5-9 observations

If your self analysis revealed that you have between 5-9 observations then I suggest you perform the Day 1  of my 3 Day Full Body Workout Program (Beginners) and alternate this with a day of stretching as above.

Follow this regime for 6-8 weeks and then re-test your overhead squat.

  • 10 or more observations

If your self analysis revealed that you have 10 or more observations then I suggest you perform the Day 1 and the Day 2 of my 3 Day Full Body Workout Program (Beginners) and alternate this your 2 day stretching program.

So do day 1 weights 1 day, then do day 1 stretch the next day, then day 2 weights and then day 2 stretching.  Have a day off and then repeat.

Follow this regime for 6-8 weeks and then re-test your overhead squat.


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