Was curious to how many of you are doing the overhead squat. I just started to do them with my weekly training. What a great exercise it is, hits the core damn good.
And what kind of wt. are you using?
Good timing on the post.
I just added this to my routine and did them this morning. It takes a bit to get used to, getting the right stance and grip width, at least for me. I started out relatively light, 90lbs 3x12, to get my form down pat. I can’t seem to go as deep as I can with a plain old squat and tend to lean to far forward. And I’m trying to get used to keeping the bar slightly behind my head so I can lock out my arms. Any of my problems sound familiar?
But it is an awesome movement and it’s now a regular part of my routine.
Last year I did a combo of power snatches and overhead squats (1 ps + 1 ohs = 1 rep) with 135 for 10x3, best ab workout of my life.
[quote]PhilG wrote:
Last year I did a combo of power snatches and overhead squats (1 ps + 1 ohs = 1 rep) with 135 for 10x3, best ab workout of my life.[/quote]
Your avatar looks like a fat person sitting on a pole.
OH squats took me a little bit of getting used to, I’ve noticed that my hip flexibility needs some serious work and my weights utilised are pathetic, but it’s fun dammit!
[quote]Stuey wrote:
Your avatar looks like a fat person sitting on a pole.
[/quote]
LMFAO!
[quote]rugbyhit wrote:
Good timing on the post.
I just added this to my routine and did them this morning. It takes a bit to get used to, getting the right stance and grip width, at least for me. I started out relatively light, 90lbs 3x12, to get my form down pat. I can’t seem to go as deep as I can with a plain old squat and tend to lean to far forward. And I’m trying to get used to keeping the bar slightly behind my head so I can lock out my arms. Any of my problems sound familiar?
But it is an awesome movement and it’s now a regular part of my routine.
[/quote]
Perhaps you should really work on your form without weight before using 90 lbs to rep them out. How wide are you holding the bar at? Snatch or clean grip? Are you keeping an active shoulder during the squat? By this I mean are you trying to bring your shoulders up to touch your ears? There is a difference between just holding the bar there and holding it there with active shoulders.
I’ve done OHS with 135 for a few reps, but I did reps with the bar for the longest time. If you’re feeling like you’re not stable, don’t add weight yet.
[quote]Allen Yeh wrote:
rugbyhit wrote:
Good timing on the post.
I just added this to my routine and did them this morning. It takes a bit to get used to, getting the right stance and grip width, at least for me. I started out relatively light, 90lbs 3x12, to get my form down pat. I can’t seem to go as deep as I can with a plain old squat and tend to lean to far forward. And I’m trying to get used to keeping the bar slightly behind my head so I can lock out my arms. Any of my problems sound familiar?
But it is an awesome movement and it’s now a regular part of my routine.
Perhaps you should really work on your form without weight before using 90 lbs to rep them out. How wide are you holding the bar at? Snatch or clean grip? Are you keeping an active shoulder during the squat? By this I mean are you trying to bring your shoulders up to touch your ears? There is a difference between just holding the bar there and holding it there with active shoulders.
[/quote]
good tip, i’m also just starting to get into these lifts. Just to clarify, your suggesting we DO try to touch our shoulders to our ears right? thanks
[quote]evansmi wrote:
Allen Yeh wrote:
rugbyhit wrote:
Good timing on the post.
I just added this to my routine and did them this morning. It takes a bit to get used to, getting the right stance and grip width, at least for me. I started out relatively light, 90lbs 3x12, to get my form down pat. I can’t seem to go as deep as I can with a plain old squat and tend to lean to far forward. And I’m trying to get used to keeping the bar slightly behind my head so I can lock out my arms. Any of my problems sound familiar?
But it is an awesome movement and it’s now a regular part of my routine.
Perhaps you should really work on your form without weight before using 90 lbs to rep them out. How wide are you holding the bar at? Snatch or clean grip? Are you keeping an active shoulder during the squat? By this I mean are you trying to bring your shoulders up to touch your ears? There is a difference between just holding the bar there and holding it there with active shoulders.
good tip, i’m also just starting to get into these lifts. Just to clarify, your suggesting we DO try to touch our shoulders to our ears right? thanks[/quote]
Yes, you should try to keep an active shoulder with your chin up. Work the OHS with a stick if possible, have people critique you from the side.
I find that unless there’s some weight on the bar it won’t fall into the groove. Has to do with shoulder flexibility, I guess. Just 40lbs on the bar is what I need to get the shoulders back far enough.
I haven’t done them heavy in too long (although I do some light ones to warm up before front squatting), but will be adding them to my next training program in about 3 weeks. Now my front squat has doubled since I started, I’m curious to see how much my overhead has increased. Maybe I’m no longer pathetic! 
As for the shoulders, Dan “The Man” John says you should try to get them to your ears. As a byproduct, you’ll be working your traps too.
Thanks for the ‘active shoulder’ tip!
Any tips for increased hip/ankle flexibility?
I find I have great form (or so I think) with a broomstick (stick of pvc pipe actually) but as soon as I grasp an Oly bar…well let’s just say I get a pretty good chuckle 
[quote]Pauli D wrote:
Thanks for the ‘active shoulder’ tip!
Any tips for increased hip/ankle flexibility?
I find I have great form (or so I think) with a broomstick (stick of pvc pipe actually) but as soon as I grasp an Oly bar…well let’s just say I get a pretty good chuckle [/quote]
How do you measure “good form?” Do you actually watch yourself? With a broomstick, it’s really easy to do a squat with the stick overhead without doing a proper overhead squat.
As Miserere indicated above, I think that if you’re learning by yourself, it’s best to add enough weight so that you can feel it if you lose proper form.
[quote]Pauli D wrote:
Thanks for the ‘active shoulder’ tip!
Any tips for increased hip/ankle flexibility?
I find I have great form (or so I think) with a broomstick (stick of pvc pipe actually) but as soon as I grasp an Oly bar…well let’s just say I get a pretty good chuckle [/quote]
get every centimeter of lift you can. that extra bit makes all the difference for a good lockout.
once you learn a good lockout and keep tight through the core, what DJ calls “one piece”, the whole movement clicks into place and you’ll get weight that once made you struggle with surprising ease.
practicing drop snatches will probably help you alot more than struggling with more weight.
one of my favorite ways to warmup is repping drop snatches into overhead jump squats. you just can’t o.h. jump without a good lockout and the weight on center.
[quote]Allen Yeh wrote:
rugbyhit wrote:
Good timing on the post.
I just added this to my routine and did them this morning. It takes a bit to get used to, getting the right stance and grip width, at least for me. I started out relatively light, 90lbs 3x12, to get my form down pat. I can’t seem to go as deep as I can with a plain old squat and tend to lean to far forward. And I’m trying to get used to keeping the bar slightly behind my head so I can lock out my arms. Any of my problems sound familiar?
But it is an awesome movement and it’s now a regular part of my routine.
Perhaps you should really work on your form without weight before using 90 lbs to rep them out. How wide are you holding the bar at? Snatch or clean grip? Are you keeping an active shoulder during the squat? By this I mean are you trying to bring your shoulders up to touch your ears? There is a difference between just holding the bar there and holding it there with active shoulders.
[/quote]
you are absolutly right about starting out with no weight. I need a little more form practice My grip is wide like a snatch. I’m keeping my arms back far enough to lock them out and my spine slightly curved. Another problem seemed to be not keeping my toes pointed out enough in order to drop lower.
i worked on them for 3 months before i could even do 95x10. God, what a brutal exercise… but man even that weight seemed to affect my body ( thicker center back, better posture )…
and to tell ya the truth i find it kind of scary… i am paranoid about losing the bar behind me as in addition to crashing to the floor and making a scene, i am convinced it will indeed tear my arms off!
[quote]Miserere wrote:
I find that unless there’s some weight on the bar it won’t fall into the groove. Has to do with shoulder flexibility, I guess. Just 40lbs on the bar is what I need to get the shoulders back far enough.
I haven’t done them heavy in too long (although I do some light ones to warm up before front squatting), but will be adding them to my next training program in about 3 weeks. Now my front squat has doubled since I started, I’m curious to see how much my overhead has increased. Maybe I’m no longer pathetic!
As for the shoulders, Dan “The Man” John says you should try to get them to your ears. As a byproduct, you’ll be working your traps too.[/quote]
Coach John is awesome and a great man, but yes it kills your traps…I remember wondering…“man my traps are killing me…all I did yesterday were OHS’s…oh…duh”
[quote]rugbyhit wrote:
Allen Yeh wrote:
rugbyhit wrote:
Good timing on the post.
I just added this to my routine and did them this morning. It takes a bit to get used to, getting the right stance and grip width, at least for me. I started out relatively light, 90lbs 3x12, to get my form down pat. I can’t seem to go as deep as I can with a plain old squat and tend to lean to far forward. And I’m trying to get used to keeping the bar slightly behind my head so I can lock out my arms. Any of my problems sound familiar?
But it is an awesome movement and it’s now a regular part of my routine.
Perhaps you should really work on your form without weight before using 90 lbs to rep them out. How wide are you holding the bar at? Snatch or clean grip? Are you keeping an active shoulder during the squat? By this I mean are you trying to bring your shoulders up to touch your ears? There is a difference between just holding the bar there and holding it there with active shoulders.
you are absolutly right about starting out with no weight. I need a little more form practice My grip is wide like a snatch. I’m keeping my arms back far enough to lock them out and my spine slightly curved. Another problem seemed to be not keeping my toes pointed out enough in order to drop lower. [/quote]
Do you mean you feel like you have to point your toes out to be able to squat deeply? Do you have to do this with a regular squat also?
[quote]pmvfunds wrote:
i worked on them for 3 months before i could even do 95x10. God, what a brutal exercise… but man even that weight seemed to affect my body ( thicker center back, better posture )…
and to tell ya the truth i find it kind of scary… i am paranoid about losing the bar behind me as in addition to crashing to the floor and making a scene, i am convinced it will indeed tear my arms off! [/quote]
Eh it happens, as longs as you tell the gym workers your sorry they usually won’t raise too big of a fuss. Remember the bailout means the weight goes forward or backward and you go the opposite way, don’t try to recover from something because that is how you get hurt.
[quote]Backlash79 wrote:
rugbyhit wrote:
Allen Yeh wrote:
rugbyhit wrote:
Good timing on the post.
I just added this to my routine and did them this morning. It takes a bit to get used to, getting the right stance and grip width, at least for me. I started out relatively light, 90lbs 3x12, to get my form down pat. I can’t seem to go as deep as I can with a plain old squat and tend to lean to far forward. And I’m trying to get used to keeping the bar slightly behind my head so I can lock out my arms. Any of my problems sound familiar?
But it is an awesome movement and it’s now a regular part of my routine.
Perhaps you should really work on your form without weight before using 90 lbs to rep them out. How wide are you holding the bar at? Snatch or clean grip? Are you keeping an active shoulder during the squat? By this I mean are you trying to bring your shoulders up to touch your ears? There is a difference between just holding the bar there and holding it there with active shoulders.
you are absolutly right about starting out with no weight. I need a little more form practice My grip is wide like a snatch. I’m keeping my arms back far enough to lock them out and my spine slightly curved. Another problem seemed to be not keeping my toes pointed out enough in order to drop lower.
Do you mean you feel like you have to point your toes out to be able to squat deeply? Do you have to do this with a regular squat also?
[/quote]
I need a wider stance and my toes turned out more for the OH squat. For my back or front squats I can turn my toes back in. It just seems more stable with OH squat with toes turned out
I use the OHS as a warmup exercise as suggested by Coach Dan John. 3X8 with 65lbs, along with 3X8 pullups. It really loosens things up in the hips and shoulders. I find now that I work out better after the warmup sets. Good training.