Overhead Squat

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
42

I don’t even know who “Dan Jon” is… There are tons of articles in here, and many of them are the biggest crocks of shit, written by people that are bored as hell.

As far as hoisting different size dumbells above my head in order to promote quad hypertrohpy, I’ll leave that up to you guys. I have tried Barbell overhead squats myself and feel like I’m going to drop the damn thing on my head. IMPOSSIBLE to focus and stimulate leg muscles… afterall, this is a leg workout right? Not a balancing act.

Remember, if it’s hard to do, doesen’t actually mean it’s best for you.

43

Hey guys,

I’ve started doing OH squats since x-mas, and I’ve got a few quick questions.

First, for hand positioning I always put my hands right out to ends. Does everyone else do it like that? If no, are there advantages and weaknesses to different hand positioning?

Second, I can only OH squat what I can currently snatch. I know that I can do more weight, but getting it into position is a big problem. I don’t have a platform, and the only weights we have at my gym are metal, so if I miss a snatch, it’s going to be loud, and possibly unsafe for other people.

How does everyone else get it into position? overhead pressing it up is just about impossible for me with how wide I have my hands.

Right now I’m snatching 105x5, but my power clean is up to 185x3, in both lifts I’d like to use more weight, I’m just really worried about missing the lift.

Thanks in advance guys.
-Mat

44

[quote]rhinobolt10 wrote:
Hey guys,

I’ve started doing OH squats since x-mas, and I’ve got a few quick questions.

First, for hand positioning I always put my hands right out to ends. Does everyone else do it like that? If no, are there advantages and weaknesses to different hand positioning?

Second, I can only OH squat what I can currently snatch. I know that I can do more weight, but getting it into position is a big problem. I don’t have a platform, and the only weights we have at my gym are metal, so if I miss a snatch, it’s going to be loud, and possibly unsafe for other people.

How does everyone else get it into position? overhead pressing it up is just about impossible for me with how wide I have my hands.

Right now I’m snatching 105x5, but my power clean is up to 185x3, in both lifts I’d like to use more weight, I’m just really worried about missing the lift.

Thanks in advance guys.
-Mat[/quote]

you could try clean and pressing it with a narrower grip. Do you think the exercise will loose its effects if you use a narrower grip? It will be good for a change.

You could also clean and press it and manage to widen the grip once you have the bar in the overhead position, with some quick creative movements.

45

[quote]pushharder wrote:
Xen Nova wrote:
Overhead squats will tell you very quickly where you are weak.

for that I am grateful. They’re the key reason I’m getting strong everywhere, not just the OHSquats themselves but because I addressed every weakness I found associated with them.

Can you be specific here? I agree with you but how have you done the diagnosis?[/quote]

Arms feel like you can’t stay in groove

  • its your rotator cuff, rear delts, and overall upper posterior. Which are always a bit weaker than everything else.

Problems locking out your elbows

  • JM presses

Can’t keep your lower back tight/keep your arch

  • Good mornings

Can’t go past a certain depth

  • hamstrings or hip flexors too tight

Problems getting out of the hole

  • deadstop front squats, bulgarian squats, and learning to “spread the floor”

Leaning too far forward

  • weak hamstrings

All of the above problems can also be attributed to having a weak abdomen and lower back as well.

OHS really re-emphasizes to you how important your core really is.

Grip strength is important as well, you’d be surprised how much more you could OHS if worked with some grippers for a lil while.

46

[quote]PlateStacker45 wrote:
I don’t even know who “Dan Jon” is… There are tons of articles in here, and many of them are the biggest crocks of shit, written by people that are bored as hell.

As far as hoisting different size dumbells above my head in order to promote quad hypertrohpy, I’ll leave that up to you guys. I have tried Barbell overhead squats myself and feel like I’m going to drop the damn thing on my head. IMPOSSIBLE to focus and stimulate leg muscles… afterall, this is a leg workout right? Not a balancing act.

Remember, if it’s hard to do, doesen’t actually mean it’s best for you.[/quote]

How much do you squat.

47

I agree that OHS can assess weaknesses. In my experience, I feel the most stress in my lower and upper back. Not as much in the quads.

48

I use a very heavy broomstick and some Platemates :stuck_out_tongue:

Just kidding… my pathetic max is 185 for a single but I go apeshit for reps and sets @ 135 lbs (???) This is w/ a PB of 405 lb ME squat :frowning:

Xen Nova is on point with his statement that OHS quickly tells you who’s boss & what’s lacking in your muscle groups… It is a very humbling exercise & perplexing to other gymgoers that have never seen it done before :stuck_out_tongue:

For the guys that do this regularly has anyone varied their grip? I find that if I go reeallly wide (like a snatch grip) the weight “locks” itself out for me and it allows me more control…

Also, shoulder endurance for me is the primary limiting factor… Can anyone recommend any shoulder endurance exercises BESIDES static holds or OH farmer walks I can implement into my program?

49

Another 2 questions please:

1)Obviously being a unilateral exercise what is the most weight you guys would recommend for a Bulgarian style OHS? Half of the normal I can do or start light?

  1. Who feels using DBs instead of the barbell on OHS is better or has more function? I am a wuss on these simply because I don’t have my co-ordination down :frowning: I guess, but doing them at even 40 lbs is killer… Guess I should stagger them and just hold a heavier weight in my non-working hand as torque ballast?

Just wondering as tonight is leg day and I want to work this into the pain & sacrifice :stuck_out_tongue:

50

[quote]Xen Nova wrote:
PlateStacker45 wrote:
I don’t even know who “Dan Jon” is… There are tons of articles in here, and many of them are the biggest crocks of shit, written by people that are bored as hell.

As far as hoisting different size dumbells above my head in order to promote quad hypertrohpy, I’ll leave that up to you guys. I have tried Barbell overhead squats myself and feel like I’m going to drop the damn thing on my head. IMPOSSIBLE to focus and stimulate leg muscles… afterall, this is a leg workout right? Not a balancing act.

Remember, if it’s hard to do, doesen’t actually mean it’s best for you.

How much do you squat.[/quote]

Like most bodybuilder would answer, I don’t even know. I’m willing do guess mid 400’s? I am NOT a powerlifter, nor do I train/squat like one. And being 5’ 7" and 210+ lbs… I think I know how to train for size. I also believe the ONLY people (beside the toning women and 16 year old kids that have read THIS post) I have seen do overhead squats are Olympic Lifters training for the Snatch, doing singles and doubles of ass to the grass overhead squats, but thats after that snatch it up. I really don’t see the point of anyone else doing this lift unless your trying to be some Odd/Dinosaur lifter…!!!

56

Pushharder:

Just throw in another story of you, the missus and her friend getting randy like that Christmas post… uh, sorry, wrong forum…

All this bickering over why we do OR don’t do OHS will be forgotten…

Hahahahahahaha

Oh yeah, I do OHS becuse it helps with my cunnilingus form and technique.

57

[quote]rhinobolt10 wrote:
Hey guys,

I’ve started doing OH squats since x-mas, and I’ve got a few quick questions.

First, for hand positioning I always put my hands right out to ends. Does everyone else do it like that? If no, are there advantages and weaknesses to different hand positioning?

Second, I can only OH squat what I can currently snatch. I know that I can do more weight, but getting it into position is a big problem. I don’t have a platform, and the only weights we have at my gym are metal, so if I miss a snatch, it’s going to be loud, and possibly unsafe for other people.

How does everyone else get it into position? overhead pressing it up is just about impossible for me with how wide I have my hands.

Right now I’m snatching 105x5, but my power clean is up to 185x3, in both lifts I’d like to use more weight, I’m just really worried about missing the lift.

Thanks in advance guys.
-Mat[/quote]

Since you snatch, do you also drop snatch (aka snatch balance) great practice for getting under the bar and catching it overhead. I have heard that you should be able to drop snatch/OHS more than your snatch, since all you have to do is jump under the bar.

58

[quote]Krollmonster wrote:
rhinobolt10 wrote:
Hey guys,

I’ve started doing OH squats since x-mas, and I’ve got a few quick questions.

First, for hand positioning I always put my hands right out to ends. Does everyone else do it like that? If no, are there advantages and weaknesses to different hand positioning?

Second, I can only OH squat what I can currently snatch. I know that I can do more weight, but getting it into position is a big problem. I don’t have a platform, and the only weights we have at my gym are metal, so if I miss a snatch, it’s going to be loud, and possibly unsafe for other people.

How does everyone else get it into position? overhead pressing it up is just about impossible for me with how wide I have my hands.

Right now I’m snatching 105x5, but my power clean is up to 185x3, in both lifts I’d like to use more weight, I’m just really worried about missing the lift.

Thanks in advance guys.
-Mat

[/quote]

K. gives good advice re. getting the bar overhead. You could also do a snatch-grip push-press: Unrack the bar like a back squat, move your hands out to wherever you want them dip and drive with your legs, and lock out with your shoulders. Some people can snatch-grip push-press more than they overhead squat. You could also snatch-grip jerk the weight overhead.

Be careful with snatch-grip push-press volume and intensity as you get into it… these can be hard on the shoulders.

Grip depends on you - your limb lengths and proportions. I am ~6’ tall and put my thumbs on the rings, more or less, but I have good shoulder flexibility and my arms might be a different length than yours.