Which cue corrects line of action by encouraging hip movement during a squat?

• A. Block the knees' forward travel with the hand at initiation of the descent
• B. Push hips back and down
• C. Arch the back
• D. Look up

Answer: (A)

In this question, the movement pattern you’re trying to influence is where the weight travels and which joints drive the descent. Encouraging hip movement to lead the squat keeps the torso upright and shifts the line of action toward the hips and posterior chain.

Blocking the knees’ forward travel with the hand at the start of the descent is the best cue because it physically prevents early knee forward travel, forcing the hips to move back and down first. That hip-first pattern promotes the correct line of action, letting the hips do the driving work and reducing forward knee collapse.

Pushing the hips back and down is a solid cue for hip involvement, but if the knees still drive forward, the line of action isn’t corrected as effectively. Arching the back or looking up can disrupt spinal alignment and stability, and they don’t specifically promote the hip-driven descent this cue targets.