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May 28, 2007
How is Your Midline Stabilization?
It is probably clear to most of you who did today’s WOD why midline stabilization is an important element of the overhead squat. Actually midline stabilization is essential to most core to extremity, multi joint, functional movements CrossFit exploits to produce some of the most profound workout experiences. The key to midline stabilization is understanding how to use your muscles and connective tissue to hold your spine, hips and head inline irrespective of your body orientation, standing, squatting, pulling or pushing. The clip above illustrates how midline stabilization allows these athletes to support and control significant weight overhead while completing an overhead squat to finish the snatch.
Post your favorite overhead squat issue to comments
Posted by Franklin Okumu at May 28, 2007 10:37 PM
Comments
I don't have enough experience to have a favorite OHS issue, but I do have a question. How do you build the strength to lose the wobble in the elbows? I am doing 75# OHS for reps, not max, and my elbows feel like my weak link.
Posted by: Kristine Brooks Boncer at May 30, 2007 10:59 AM
Kristine ideally the elbows should not move much as they should be fully locked out for this exercise. For some people the fully locked position still allows a few degrees of flexion in the elbow so it is harder to stabilize the elbow joint with your triceps through the full range of motion on the OHS. I would say the most important features for overall stability of the arms in the OHS are midline stabilization (hips in line with spine) followed by active shoulders (squeezed up toward ears). Try a few with a dowel both ways shoulders lax and active.
Posted by: Franklin O at May 30, 2007 9:41 PM