Q&A: The Big Three Movements

Leading into the last phase of our first Rev-Con training cycle for 2020, we took the opportunity refresh the big compound movements we like to program with our athletes.

A handy reminder to ensure our technique is on point - always!

SQUAT

Q: Where does the barbell sit for a High Bar Back Squat?
A: Trapezius

Q: Where do your hands go?
A: You hold the bar as close as shoulder mobility allows and feel comfortable.

Q: Where do you position your elbows?
A: Elbows backwards, which means shoulder blades back and down with chest held high.

Q: What position should your feet/toes be in?
A: Stance will vary with each individual, but a rough guide is standing with feet slightly wider than your hip width and toes pointed slightly outwards and knees out.

Q: How do we un-rack the bar?
A: Stand underneath the bar in your designated stance, take a deep breath, un-rack and take 1 step back in to position.

Q: How do we breath during a rep?
A: Take one deep breath in at the top, ensuring the whole body is tight, perform a rep and blow out when you get to the top. Reset and go again.

Q: Do our knees or hips break first on the lowering portion?
A: Individual dependent based on height and hip structure. A general guide is knees out, bum back simultaneously.

Q: What point of the foot do we drive off from?
A: Three points of contact - heel, big toes and pinkie toe while spreading the floor.

Q: How low do we have to squat for the rep to count?
A: Hip joint below knee joint.

DEADLIFT

Q: What stance should you take?
A: The strongest stance is the position you would take if you were attempting to jump as high as possible.

Q: Where does the bar sit at the beginning of the lift?
A: Walk up to the barbell and stand with shins about an inch away from the barbell or over the middle of the foot.

Q: Where do our hands go?
A: Arms should be hanging straight down and just outside your knees.

Q: Are our elbows locked or bent when holding the bar?
A: Elbows always locked.

Q: What do you do with your knees?
A: Pushing slightly outwards in to your locked elbows.

Q: What do I mean by sweet spot when setting the body in position to lift?
A: If your hips are too high you will lose leg drive and all the pressure on the back, if your hips are too low the further away the bar is from centre of gravity which makes the lift more difficult. Find the 'sweet spot.'

Q: What do we do with our shoulder blades?
A: Pull your shoulder blades down towards the back pockets (or think about squeezing an orange in your armpit) to recruit the lats.

Q: Do we look up or down?
A: Head in a neutral position.

Q: What do we do with our breathing?
A: Once in position take a full breath and hold it, maintaining tension throughout the entire body.

Q: What is a legal rep?
A: Standing upright with knees locked out and hips through. Barbell must also be lowered to the floor.

BENCH PRESS

Q: What grip do you position the hands on the barbell?
A: Maximum legal grip is with index finger on the outer ring of the barbell. The closer you bring your hands the greater range the bar has to move and more triceps recruitment, making the movement harder. The wider you bring your hands the less range and more weight can be lifted.

Q: Is creating an arch cheating?
A: Without going too deep in to this, the arch is NOT dangerous for a healthy spine. The arched (extended) spine, allows for the scapula (shoulder blades) to be positioned correctly to perform a bench press. For optimal shoulder health, the safest position is holding retraction and depression (shoulder blades back and down) the entire press. And the only way this can be achieved is when the thoracic spine is extended or arched.

Q: How should our feet be positioned?
A: Standing on the balls of your feet with the heels up in the air at approximately 45 degrees. Push the heels towards the ground (not touching) - this pushes the hips into an extended position which initiates a chain of movements through the body.

Q: Where should your eyes be when starting the lift?
A: Eye level slightly behind the barbell. When you un-rack the barbell should be over the shoulder joint.

Q: What do we do with our shoulder blades?
A: See question 2.

Q: What do we do with our breathing?
A: If possible, hold your breath the entire set, from the moment you un-rack the bar to the moment you rack it back in. If not possible always hold your breath the entire rep and reset.

Q: Where does the barbell make contact with the chest?
A: Generally speaking, at the highest point of body contact.

Q: What position are our elbows in?
A: If the shoulder blades are retracted this will place the elbows in a tucked position. If your elbows are flaring out, you aren't holding your scaps in position and this will not be friendly on the shoulders.

Q: What 3 points of the body must remain in contact with the bench?
A: Head, Back and Glutes.

The techniques and principles we apply are largely influenced by Sebastian Oreb @australianstrengthcoach. Go give him a follow when you get a chance!