Old Forum Need help with bb OH squat form..

[JediMind]

Hi. The main dilemma is whether to push the chin forward while OH squatting. I've always do  dl's and back squats with chins out, i've noticed doing this arches the spine more and feels natural and strong. Though recently  i've noticed chins are not put out or the eyes not fixed at the ceiling at front, as taught in PTTP.

I do OH squats with slightly more than shoulder grips and snatch grips,  with chest up and not shrugging the shoulders but more like how comrade Brett Jones recommended  assuming the shoulders like elastic.  I realized when i put out my chin i can squat deeper. it's not like the chin out assists with deeper OH squat but rather the chin out is the factor to squatting deeper. i've checked with Rippetoe's video on OH squat where he asked to keep the head down and i don't think that's right. I liked Dan John's video as he stressed on keeping the chins out to take a punch.

Please suggest or give me the whole nine yards on OH squatting.

Thanks

 

[AndyMcL]

Can you record a video of you trying the two different ways?

 

[Zach Ganska]

Can you perform a solid OH squat without weight?

 

[JediMind]

Andy, I can't- much as i want to resolve this matter. But i can tell you that it'd be hard to spot the difference except at one i squat deep and the other barely parallel.

Zach, i can but the form is better with weight as i can activate all the muscles which helps with the groove.

Isn't there any rule as to what to do with the chin (tuck in or push out) for bb OH squat? I checked with Ironmind's OH squat article-didn't mention anything about chin or neck.

Here's my find.. Rippetoe stresses on shrugging the shoulders and asserts that weight of the bb be on the scapulae but says nothing about pushing the chin out instead says to look down or put your head down, but if i push chin out that engages the scapulae even more and i'm sure it's what the T-Spine wants beacuse i can feel it elongating and expanding the chest more. you might want to know...instead of deliberately shrugging the shoulders ( com Pavel said it was the kiss of death or something) i push up with the lats or rather kind of pull up/seperate the upper half of the body ( the line at the bottom of the sternum or from the solar plexus) from the torso or abs.

 

[JediMind]

Zach, the chin movement/form applies without weights too. Try it and let me know what you think is right. Once without minding the chin, then again pushing it forward asking for a punch.

 

[Zach Ganska]

Omar,

having to push your chin out to go deeper and rely on weights to get down in your squat may be indicators of some stabilization issues.  If you focus on working to improve your squat unweighted you'll make gains once you load the pattern.  I have been applying this to my training and use heavy double KB  front squats only once a week as a means of assessing if I'm still making progress.

After six weeks of prioritizing stabilization and correct movement patterning I'm continually squatting better and hit a decent PR in the front squat.  The OH squat is obviously far more challenging, hence prioritizing quality over load may make your progress faster.

 

[JediMind]

Zach, thanks for getting back. You might be right about trying to contract muscles and go for the squat without load- this might help me control contracting muscles better under load. But Zach what do you think about the chin?