What to look for:

• Whole foot always in contact with the floor
• Stance width around hip width
• Foot/knee/hip alignment
• Neutral spine/tall posture
• Hips pushed back
• Unlocked knees (very slight bend)
• Finish tall – NOT extended
• No rounding of shoulders
• Hips start higher than the knees
• Take the slack out of the bar
• Keep the barbell close to the body
• Knees, hips and chest all rise together
• Dead stop each rep

Coaching cues:

• “Stay tall, chest up”
• “Push your hips back as far as possible”
• “Pencils under armpits”
• “Create as much tension as you can in the bottom”
• “Keep the bar close”
• “Pull the slack out of the bar”
• “Finish tall”
• “Push the hips into the BB”

When to:

• Regress: If client is unable to maintain positioning, take back to a Block Pull or you may just need to reduce the load.
• Progress: Once the client can perform 2-4 sets of 3-10 reps in solid technique they should be able to perform any hinge movement.

Coaching considerations:

• You may use bands/chains/pauses to provide some variation within the movement.
• Try to maintain a double overhand grip for as long as possible to help build grip strength.
• If grip becomes a limiting factor straps or a mixed grip may be used. If you choose mixed grip vary the supinated/pronated hand each set