Muscles Worked in Overhead Squats
Primary muscles worked:
Secondary muscles worked:
How to Overhead Squat
- Stand about shoulder-width apart. Grip the barbell wider than shoulder-width and press it overhead, locking your arms and shoulders into place. Ensure the bar is positioned slightly behind your head in line with your heels, stabilizing your core and squeezing your glutes.
- Engage your shoulders by pushing up into the bar, keeping your elbows locked. Keep your gaze forward, and your spine neutral.
- Start the squat by moving your hips back and down. Keep your chest up and the barbell stable overhead.
- Lower yourself as deep as your mobility lets you, but at least parallel to your knees, without compromising your form.
- Drive through the soles of your feet to return to the starting position, keeping the barbell overhead and your body stable.
- Stand up fully at the top of the movement, with your hips and knees fully extended and the barbell still overhead.
- Repeat for reps.
Commentary
The overhead squat is an exercise that challenges not just your lower body strength but also your core stability, shoulder mobility, and balance. It requires very good mobility, especially in the shoulders, hips, and ankles, to maintain proper form.
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