the hinge and the squat

Question 1

the hinge and the squat general checkpoints

Answer 1

1. Position maintenance and core stiffness, neutral spine
2. Hip dissociation
3. Bar path
4. Weight distribution in the foot
5. Lat engagement (bar close to body)

Question 2

Observation positions:hinge and squat

Answer 2

Mainly from side (bar path, back, feet)
also from back (hips, ankles, feet and knees),
from front to confirm observations from back

Question 3

Hinge starting position

Answer 3

1. Neutral torso with 360-degree tension - Ribs, pelvis, lower back. Ribs positioned above pelvis, lower back slightly extended.
   2.Neutral thoracic spine - Upper back slightly rounded with shoulder blades against ribs.
2. Bar close to body - Bar close to body. Armpit angle remains constant.
3. Foot position - Observe foot, though it’s hard to see toe and heel contact with ground.
4. Knee position - Knees should be slightly bent.

Question 4

Hinge end position

Answer 4

1.Neutral torso with 360-degree tension - Ribs, pelvis, lower back. Ribs positioned above pelvis, lower back slightly extended. Ask about or feel core tension. It should be maintained.

2.Bar close to body - Bar close to body. Armpit angle remains constant.
3. Neutral thoracic spine - Upper back slightly rounded with shoulder blades against ribs.Shoulder blades shouldn’t move.
Tension in lats.

4. Foot position - Observe foot, though it’s hard to see toe and heel contact with ground.Inquire about weight distribution over the foot.
5. Vertical shins - Position of foot, shins and knee. Check pressure in foot. If knees are too bent, pressure shifts toward the forefoot; if too straight, it shifts toward the heel.

Question 5

Hinge Checkpoints:
concentric and eccentric phase

Answer 5

1. Pure hip movement – eccentric.
   Rib and pelvis alignment, lower back position. Ask if the client feels increasing pressure in the lower back.

2.Pure hip movement – concentric.
Rib and pelvis alignment, lower back position. Ask if the client is consciously pushing the ground away with their heel (not pulling the bar up).

3. Neutral torso with 360-degree tension. Ribs positioned above the pelvis, slight lower back extension.
   Ask about maintaining core tension throughout the movement.

4.Foot position. Foot placement (though challenging to observe fully).
Inquire about pressure distribution in the foot.

5.Vertical shins. Foot, shin, and knee positioning. Ask about foot pressure. Excessive knee bend shifts pressure to the forefoot; over-straightening shifts it to the heel.

Question 6

Common energy leaks in the RDL

Answer 6

Hyperextension
Hyperflexion
Excessive knee bending or extending
Hip shift
Bar moving away from the body

Question 7

Progression sequence for teaching the RDL

Answer 7

1. Banded PVC waiter’s bow with calves against a box
2. PVC waiter’s bow with calves against a box
3. DB Romanian deadlift with calves against a box
4. DB or barbell Romanian deadlift

Question 8

Front squat grips

Answer 8

1.Zombie / no hands
2.Crossover / hands inside shoulders
3. Olympic full grip / hands outside shoulders

Question 9

The front squad starting position

Answer 9

1. Upper back tension with slight extension.
   Elbow, upper back and bar positions.
2. Bar placement.
   Elbow, hand, upper back and bar positions.
   Could you release the bar without it falling from your shoulders?
3. Neutral torso with 360-degree tension.
   Rib and pelvic alignment, lower back curvature.
   Can you maintain a proud posture without losing tension?
4. Foot positioning.
   Heel and toes ground contact (though difficult to see).

Question 10

The front squad end position (at the bottom):

Answer 10

1. Hips between heels
   Bar position above midfoot. Ask if the client is actively pushing their hips between their feet.
2. Upper back tension with slight extension.
   Elbow, upper back and bar positions. Check if the client can maintain bar position without hands.
3. Bar placement. Elbow, hand, upper back and bar positions. Confirm bar stability on shoulders.
4. Neutral torso with 360-degree tension.
   Rib and pelvic alignment, lower back curvature.
5. Foot position. Heel and toes ground contact (though hard to see). Ask about foot pressure distribution
6. Knee position. Knee movement over foot between little and big toe. Foot pressure can confirm proper knee tracking.

Question 11

Front Squat Checkpoints: Concentric and eccentric phase

Answer 11

1. Knee and hip coordination during eccentric phase. Hip and knee movement. Check foot pressure and knee movement. In a disjointed motion, pressure shifts from heel to forefoot or vice versa.
2. Knee and hip coordination during concentric phase.
   Hip and knee movement. Assess foot pressure and upper back stability.
3. Upper back tension with slight extension during concentric phase. Elbow, upper back and bar positioning. Ensure bar stability on shoulders and maintenance of proud posture.
4. Neutral torso with 360-degree tension (both phases). Rib and pelvic alignment, lower back curvature.
5. Foot position. Outer heel and toe placement. Inquire about foot pressure distribution.
6. Knee position. Knee tracking between little and big toe. Foot pressure confirms proper knee alignment. Excessive inward or outward movement affects pressure distribution.

Question 12

Front Squat Mobility limitations

Answer 12

1. The Ankle
2. The hip
3. The upper back

Question 13

the front squat Common energy leaks

Answer 13

1.Hyperextension
Observe the pelvis and spine from the side.

2.Stripper squat
Lombard’s paradox, Foot pressure distribution, Anterior-Posterior Strength difference

3.Knee valgus
Observe the pelvis, knees and feet from the front or back. To prevent valgus, helping them find more stable positions for the foot/ankle, knee, and hip. Focus on guiding tension in the foot and hip, as the knee merely follows the actions of these joints and their associated muscles.

4.Hip shift.
Observe the hips and spine from the back or side.
maintain even pressure across both feet, Imagine you’re standing on a newspaper.

5.Upper back hyper flexion
Hyperflexion due to loss of tension, Hyperflexion due to bar center of gravity shift.

6.Butt wink
During the squat, we want to maintain core stiffness and a neutral spine. This means that with a butt wink, there is a loss of core stiffness (tension) in the bottom position.

Question 14

Progression sequence for teaching the front squat

Answer 14

1.Banded goblet box squat
2.Paused goblet box squat
3.Paused goblet squat
4.Front squat

Question 15

Making unilateral exercises more challenging

Answer 15

Increase unilateral focus by working more on a single leg.
Enhance dynamism by changing the base of support during the movement. This involves foot movement.
Both methods increase the challenge by reducing stability.