Overhead squatting, like Military Press, requires that the trainee learn how to Snatch the barbell overhead. In Primal Rotational Patterns, we teach a progression of Overhead Squatting that begins with learning how to Clean dumbbells or a barbell to a front rack position. We then Progress to a full Snatch of a barbel overhead, and learn to stabilize it in wide grip (Snatch Grip) position. Finally, we learn to do this and squat.
Overhead Squatting may be the most challenging of all exercises from a fascial perspective because it challenges the most tissue in a single exercise to provide coaptational forces under stress. The upper body is required to provide a dynamically braced environment in an overhead position which translates the fascial planes superiorly. At the same time, the lower body is required to perform a squat, which translates the fascial planes inferiorly.
There is no other exercise that yields as much information about the global fascial health of the body in a single movement, and it is for these reasons that it is present in the exercise routine at the end of the workout – as a kind of global re-check of the entire fascial system under fatigue – as well as the first exercise that we use to in the Pro and General Evaluations.