What is the primary cue to correct an inactive overhead position in the overhead squat?

• A. Cue athlete to press the bar up.
• B. Use a tactile cue to push the elbows straight, shoulders up, and armpits forward.
• C. Cue the athlete to press up and pull it back over midfoot.
• D. Knees forward during the dip in the movement sequence.

Answer: (A)

The main idea is to establish an active, upward force through the bar to stabilize the overhead position. Cueing the athlete to press the bar up prompts them to engage the upper back, lats, and shoulder girdle so the bar stays stacked overhead and over the midfoot. This creates the tension and thoracic extension needed to keep a tall torso and prevent the bar from drifting forward or the arms from collapsing. It’s a clear, repeatable instruction that directly influences how the bar sits in relation to the body during the squat.

Fine-tuning with tactile cues that remind the athlete to push the elbows straight, keep the shoulders tall, and drive the armpits forward can help, but they support the movement after the bar is being pressed up rather than establish the overhead position itself. Other cues that focus on bar path specifically—like pulling the bar back over the midfoot—or changes to knee position during the dip address different aspects of the lift and don’t target the overhead stability as directly as the pressing cue.