How to Perform Overhead Broomstick Squats
As you stand in your living room, broomstick in hand, you have no idea of the full potential about to be unleashed. You may ask yourself, “How can I use a broomstick to improve my athletic performance?” The answer is as simple as it is powerful – by mastering overhead broomstick squats.
Instructions:
1. As you steadily rise from your squat, imagine yourself as a phoenix escaping the ashes of the gym floor, rising with newfound strength and vigor.
2. Feel your glutes and quads come alive as you ascend with poise and grace, your muscles singing in harmony like an orchestra in full crescendo.
3. As you reach the apex of your movement, be mindful to keep your lower back flat and proud, for it is the foundation upon which all strength rests.
4. Like a warrior emerging from an epic battle, stand tall with chin up and chest out – for today you have conquered a routine victory!
The overhead broomstick squat (OBS) serves two primary purposes: strengthening key muscles that support proper human movement and improving mobility and stability throughout the body. It combines many aspects of weightlifting, CrossFit, bodyweight strength training and Olympic lifting into one potent exercise. It isn't easy; there's a steep learning curve associated with this movement pattern that requires patience and focus to master properly.
But once you have learned how to perform an OBS correctly, its benefits are extraordinary for athletes across all disciplines: improved posture, increased power output in all planes of motion, greater control over your center of gravity during dynamic movements like sprinting or jumping and a heightened capacity for multi-directional movements such as those seen in sports or martial arts applications. Plus, by performing this seemingly simple exercise regularly with proper form you will experience enhanced shoulder flexibility while simultaneously building core strength – both essential elements for any athlete who wants to perform at their highest level.
The OBS begins with setting yourself up in the same starting position as a barbell or dumbbell overhead press – feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, arms extended, elbows locked and hands griping the broomstick firmly. From there, you will inhale deeply to activate your core muscles, keeping your torso upright. Then, using your legs and glutes as the primary drivers, begin to squat down until your hips are just below parallel with the ground.
Once at this bottom position, pause for a couple of breaths before driving back up to the starting position – making sure that you keep your shoulder blades retracted and core engaged during the entire movement. If mobility is an issue, you can also perform a reverse overhead lunge instead of the full squat. Doing so will reduce flexibility demands while still allowing you to reap many of the same benefits as a full squat.
If you want to take your broomstick squats to the next level, try adding weight – either by using a loaded barbell or adding resistance bands around the broomstick itself. However, if you are new to overhead squatting with a heavy load, make sure that you follow the same precautions as any other weightlifting exercise; it is essential to master proper form before increasing the intensity or difficulty of this exercise.
The first person who popularized this exercise was Coach Horton of the University of Tennessee, who is well-known for his work in strength and conditioning. Since then, it has become a staple among athletes looking to improve their performance and mobility while developing core strength.
So if you want an exercise that will help you build total body strength, increase flexibility and power output and develop greater control of your center of gravity, look no further than the broomstick squats overhead. This exercise is a must for any athlete looking to reach their full potential. Give it a try and see for yourself!