Coaches Corner: Keep Elbows Below Bar! Put your hands evenly on the bar before getting underneath it to ensure that you are in the center of the bar. Typically, a grip slightly wider than shoulder width is most comfortable. Once you have established an even grip on the bar, step underneath it and position it on the musculature of the upper traps. Bring your elbows below the bar and keep them in that position throughout the lift. Now lift the bar off the rack. A lack of tightness in the upper back during the setup is dooming your squat to fail before it even begins. One of the most common ways a squat is missed is due to folding forward, this is a product of lack of tightness in the upper back and lack of strength. You must create an extremely tight shelf by squeezing the shoulder blades together and flexing the traps. A closer hand position will make it easier to achieve upper back tightness, so work on your shoulder mobility to be able to achieve this narrow hand position. Get uncomfortably tight in the setup of your squat. Strength Workout A1. 5 x 3 Back Squat 30sec Rest A2. 5 x 3 Chin Ups 1min Rest
