The wall-facing overhead squat

Purpose

The wall-facing overhead squat highlights and trains ankle dorsiflexion, thoracic extension, shoulder mobility and upright squat mechanics. It is both a mobility test and a movement to build overhead stability while keeping the chest up.

Setup and warm-up (do this first)

1. Warm your body 5–10 minutes: light cardio, leg swings, hip circles.

2. Mobility prep (2–3 minutes): ankle dorsiflexion drills, thoracic extensions over a foam roller, shoulder pass-throughs with a band or PVC.

3. Scapular prep: 8–12 scapular push-ups or band pull-aparts to activate the upper back.

Find your foot placement (important)

1. Stand facing the wall, toes about a fist-width from the wall (rough starting point).

2. Hold the PVC overhead and try to keep the PVC as close to the wall as possible while maintaining flat feet.

3. If you touch the wall with the PVC without letting heels lift or torso collapse, move your feet slightly back until you can keep heels flat and chest upright. Note this distance — it’s your working foot placement.

Step-by-step movement (hands-on cue list)

1. Stand facing the wall with feet roughly hip-width, toes slightly turned out if needed, at the foot distance you found.

2. Grasp the PVC with a wide grip so your forearms are vertical when the PVC is overhead. Lock the elbows.

3. Press the PVC overhead actively by pushing the bar up through the hands and shrugging the shoulders slightly to create a stable overhead position.

4. Pack your ribcage: ribs down and core braced. Chin tucked slightly, chest tall.

5. Take a full breath in, brace the core.

6. Begin the squat by sending the hips straight back and down while keeping the torso as upright as possible so the PVC stays close to the wall.

7. Drive knees out to track over toes, aim to get the crease of the hip at or below the knee if mobility allows.

8. Keep heels pressed into the floor; do not let them rise.

9. Pause briefly at the bottom, maintain tension in the shoulders and core.

10. Exhale slightly, then drive through the whole foot to stand, keeping the bar path vertical and the chest up.

11. Repeat for the prescribed reps.

Breathing

• Inhale and brace before descent. Maintain intra-abdominal pressure during the squat. Exhale on the way up or after you complete the concentric.

Reps/sets and programming suggestions

• Mobility practice: 3–5 sets of 4–8 controlled reps focusing on depth and position.

• Strength skill (light loaded): 3–4 sets of 3–6 reps with a light barbell or kettlebell press hold overhead, emphasize form.

• Use it in warm-ups to assess mobility each session.

Coaching checklist (use to give quick feedback)

• Feet distance correct 

• Heels stay down.

• Torso remains upright; no excessive forward lean.

• Wall stays close to the wall.

• Shoulders active and elbows locked.

• Knees track over toes.

Common mistakes and quick fixes

1. Heels lifting

• Cause: limited ankle dorsiflexion or feet too close to wall.

• Fix: move feet slightly back; do ankle mobility drills and calf mobilization.

2. Torso collapses forward or chest drops

• Cause: poor thoracic extension or weak upper back.

• Fix: thoracic mobility work, wall angels, more banded pull-aparts, and practice maintaining rib-down position.

3. PVC hits the wall or you cannot keep bar close

• Cause: insufficient shoulder flexion or too-narrow grip.

• Fix: widen grip slightly, do shoulder pass-throughs and chest opener stretches.

4. Knees cave in

• Cause: weak glute med/hip control.

• Fix: cue knees out, add glute activation drills and banded lateral walks.

5. Can’t reach depth

• Cause: combo of ankle, hip, thoracic or shoulder limits.

• Fix: break the problem down — test ankle dorsiflexion, thoracic mobility, and shoulder flexion individually, then address the limiting link.

Regressions (if you cannot do the full movement)

• Hold broom at shoulder height and do wall-facing partial squats.

• Box or bench behind you as a depth target to squat to a controlled box.

• Wall-facing squat with reduced range: only go as low as you can while maintaining position; practice weekly.

Progressions (once you can do it well)

• Add slow tempo: 3–5 second descent to reinforce control.

• Light loaded overhead hold (kettlebell bottoms-up or light barbell).

• Overhead squat with weight away from wall (normal overhead squat) once mobility and stability are sufficient.

Safety Notes

• If you have shoulder pain, stop and test shoulder flexion without load. Work on mobility and consult a professional if pain persists.

• Use a mirror or video for early practice so you can check chest position and bar path.

Quick Cue Summary(For Coaching)

• Foot distance: found before you start.

• Active shoulders, elbows locked.

• Chest tall, ribs down.

• Knees out, heels down.

• Breathe and brace.