There’s a lot that can go wrong with the squat: knees caving in, the back rounding, or getting stuck at the bottom. There’s one cue that seems to help almost anyone and can make the squat look and feel better.
Stack the Rings
I know there’s a Lord of the Rings joke here, but here’s the idea. When I say stack the rings, I mean think of your pelvis as one ring and your rib cage as a set of rings stacked on top. We want all those rings to be aligned for a stable, joint-friendly position.
For non-geared lifters, the arch should be modest. The ribs and diaphragm point up while the hips and pelvic floor point down. This keeps the spine in a stable position and reduces shear. If you arch hard and chase chest-up, you often end up moving the chest forward and losing balance.
A better approach is to tone down the arch and use the canister position, or stack the rings. The idea, credited to Dr. Evan Osar, is to keep the pelvis behind the bar and the arch gentler, so you squat down rather than back.
A quick video can help you see the canister position in action.
If you want more tips like this, some coaches offer programs that break movements into parts to ensure you train the right muscles and engage the right areas to move better and get stronger.
