A Personal Trainer Shares The Squat Tip That Helped Him Perfect The Overhead Squat

TL;DR

Before you orderOffer from Amazon

Get health and wellness essentials delivered free with Prime

• Fast, free delivery on millions of items
• Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
• Member-only deals all year

Start your free Prime trial →Free trial for eligible customers · Cancel anytime

As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.Hide

Certified personal trainer Francesco Zen shared a squat cue that he says helped improve his overhead squat: shift weight toward the outer edges of the feet and push the knees outward. He also recommends building mobility and stability with easier variations before trying the movement with a barbell.

Personal trainer Francesco Zen says shifting weight toward the outer edges of the feet and pushing the knees outward helped him improve his overhead squat, an advanced movement that demands mobility and stability across the body. In a report for Fit&Well, Zen recommended learning the pattern with a dowel or plastic pipe before attempting it with a barbell.

Zen, a certified personal trainer and founder of ZLIFE, told Fit&Well that the overhead squat relies on stable positioning and activation through the quads, core and glutes. He described the glutes as supporting the movement throughout its range. His cue is to direct the knees outward as the body lowers and shift pressure toward the outer part of the feet.

The overhead squat is performed with a bar or lightweight prop held overhead while the lifter squats. Zen’s guidance is to raise the implement until it sits over the shoulders, lock the elbows, brace the core and keep the spine upright while lowering. The bar should remain steady as the knees track over the feet. He advises pausing at the bottom before pushing through the feet to stand.

Fit&Well’s report presents Zen’s cue as his own training insight, not as evidence from a study or a universal fix. It also says regular practice is needed to develop the combination of mobility and control the exercise requires. The source recommends beginning with a stick or pipe rather than a loaded barbell.

Building Control Before Adding Weight

The cue offers a practical adjustment for people learning a technically demanding squat, but the larger point in Zen’s advice is to build the movement progressively. Holding a bar overhead can make it harder to maintain balance and position than a regular squat. Practicing the pattern with less demanding variations lets a person work on alignment before adding load.

That approach may also be useful to people who do not plan to perform a weighted overhead squat. Fit&Well says preparatory versions can help develop squat mechanics, while Zen emphasizes mobility in the ankles, hips, spine and shoulders. The report does not establish that this cue will suit everyone or resolve an individual mobility or technique problem.

Because the movement is advanced, technique and appropriate progression matter more than copying a single tip. Zen’s guidance supports beginning with simple equipment and a stable position, rather than treating the barbell version as the starting point.

From Basic Squat to Overhead Position

Fit&Well asked certified trainers about exercises they had once found difficult and the cues that helped them improve. Zen identified the overhead squat and said focusing on glute engagement changed how he performed it. The report describes the movement as a full-body exercise involving mobility, core activation and flexibility.

For preparation, the article suggests practicing a bodyweight squat with the arms raised. It also names a squat-and-reach against a wall and a wall-facing squat with raised arms as options for working on spinal and shoulder mobility. Once ready to move without support, a person can hold a gym dowel, plastic pipe or broom overhead to rehearse alignment and warm up before a weighted version.

Zen also recommends a Frankenstein squat as a stepping stone. In that variation, the arms extend forward at shoulder height, with a dowel or bar balanced across the front of the shoulders. Keeping the arms forward makes the position easier to stabilize, while the squat still asks the person to maintain an upright back and guide the knees outward over the feet.

“The glutes support the whole movement, top to bottom.”

— Francesco Zen, speaking to Fit&Well

Limits of the Reported Cue

The source does not provide a publication date, training data or independent assessment of Zen’s technique advice. It does not say how long he practiced, what specific change in performance he measured, or whether the cue works for people with different mobility, strength or injury histories. The claim that the tip helped him is Zen’s personal account, not a guarantee of the same result for others.

Fit&Well’s report does not offer individualized coaching or assess readers’ readiness for the movement. It recommends mastering the exercise with a pipe or stick before using a barbell and suggests working with an exercise professional or spotter for the advanced version. Anyone unsure about technique or whether the movement is appropriate for them can seek guidance from a qualified fitness professional.

Progress Through Easier Variations

The report outlines a gradual sequence rather than a scheduled next event: practice a bodyweight squat with arms raised, work on mobility with wall-based drills, then rehearse the overhead position using a dowel or plastic pipe. The Frankenstein squat is another suggested step before attempting a full overhead squat.

For the barbell version, Fit&Well advises keeping the bar directly over the shoulders, the elbows locked and the torso upright while the knees track over the feet. The report gives no timetable for progressing or benchmarks that apply to everyone. The next step depends on a person’s control and comfort with the lighter variations; the source recommends professional supervision where possible.

Key Questions

What squat cue did Francesco Zen share?

Zen says to shift weight toward the outer edges of the feet and push the knees outward while lowering. He credits the adjustment with helping him engage his glutes during the overhead squat.

Should beginners try the overhead squat with a barbell?

Fit&Well’s report recommends mastering the movement first with an exercise stick or plastic pipe. It describes the overhead squat as advanced and suggests seeking help from an exercise professional or spotter when learning it.

What is a Frankenstein squat?

It is a squat variation with the arms extended forward at shoulder height. A dowel or bar can rest across the front of the shoulders. Zen says the forward arm position is easier to stabilize than holding a bar overhead.

What mobility does the overhead squat require?

Zen identifies mobility in the ankles, hips, spine and shoulders, alongside core activation and flexibility, as part of the movement’s demands. The source does not provide individual readiness criteria.

Does Zen’s cue guarantee better squat form?

No. The report shares Zen’s personal experience and coaching advice, but does not provide evidence that the cue works for everyone. Technique and progression can vary, so the source recommends practicing with lighter equipment before adding a barbell.

Source: rss