Benefits of the Overhead Squat

[thatmoos3guy]

I was wondering what benefits does overhead squatting have? Should it be used in workouts to replace squatting or to compliment it? Are there any risks involved?

[Mikael92]

it involves a lot of core stability. teaches you to really keep a tight arch at the bottom.

it's risky if you use too heavy of a weight...and drop it it's a very unforgiving movement...most people start off with a broomstick.

[lanolar]

Use it to compliment your squat routine. Its a bit like front squat in that it works the hell out of your core. My gym does nto have bumper plates so I can't risk doing them. I do zerkers and front squats to compliment my squats. I WISH I could do overheads.

[Essexlad]

as said above they work your core very well, unless you are specifically training olympic lifts I see them as a supplement to normal back or front squats. Not to say they aren't brutal in their own right if you get some serious weight on them.

The risks are if you are don't know how to ditch the bar. At some point if you are pushing on overhead squats, you will need to drop the bar. If you don't know how or get scared, you can end up hurting yourself. Bumpers are very advisable, or you can do them in a power rack if it's tall enough.

Also you need fairly good shoulder mobility to hold the bar up in that position, and good hip/hamstring flexibility to hit a decent depth. So streching is quite important to get this exercise down without injury.