Head up or down in a squat?
Hi Sarah,
I also agree with the others. I definitely don’t teach them to look downwards when doing squats, because it increases the danger of unwanted injury or loss of concentration at the very least.
Best,
Harris
www.sophofit.com
Hi Sarah,
I am with all the others. I cue to look ahead so that the head stays neutral but also stress that the core be engaged.
Karin Singleton
www.meltnc.com
Hi, I was the National Drug Free powerlifting Champion awile back. So, i have some expierence with the squat. i agree with all who have said keep head in neutral position with a gaze ahead while going down. Looking down can cause the stability to be thrown off and lead to falling face down. i know that for a fact!!!
Hey Sarah..
Pack that neck in place and go neutral. It really makes a lot of sense when you look at the sketal anatomy of a human being. Your spine is like a long continuous chain and if change the shape at one end of the chain you are likely to affect the chain at the opposite end. Try it for yourself.
Take a shoulder with stance and extend your arm out in front of you with your fingers extended. Now set your neck in nuetral and make a double chin. Have someone try to bend your arm.No try it again, but this time look up instead of neutral. What happened?
Changing your head position loses the stability of your lumbar spine, changes origins and insertions of core muscles and can’t be as strong.
So the old cue was “head up, squat up,” now just concentrate on eyes going up.
Hope this helps…
jeremy