Overhead Stick Squat: Screen and Fixes

The overhead stick squat is used as a full-body screen of ankle, hip, upper back and shoulder mobility and control. Each student uses video to find their weak link and applies two fixes to improve it in the same session.

How to play

1. Explain the screen: feet shoulder-width apart, stick held overhead with straight arms and a slow descent; watch heels, knees, torso and arms (3 min).
2. In pairs, record 3 reps from the front and 3 from the side (4 min).
3. Using the card, each student scores the four points from 1 to 3 and marks the lowest one as the weak link (4 min).
4. Fixes by weak link: knee-to-wall ankle mobility, upper-back opener with a stick on the floor, 90/90 hip rotation or wall arm slides; 2 drills of 2 sets (9 min).
5. Recorded retest and comparison with the first video (5 min).

Rules

• Lower slowly with no bouncing; the screen is not a strength exercise.
• Grip the stick firmly, and nobody stands within 6 feet in front of the lifter.
• Videos are only for the partner and the teacher and are deleted on request.
• If anything hurts, note it and do not push through.

Variations

Adaptations

• Shoulder injury: squat screen with arms crossed over the chest.
• Wheelchair users: seated stick raise screen with shoulder and upper-back fixes.
• Visual impairment: the partner describes the checkpoints and gives tactile cues.

Learning goals

• Spot mobility and control limitations with a full-body screen.
• Choose fixes based on the weak link.
• Check the immediate effect of the fixes with a retest.

Equipment for a class of 25

• sticks: 15
• tablets or phones: 15
• cards: 30
• mats: 15

Teacher tip

The screen is not about a grade: many teens cannot do it perfectly because of ankle mobility, and that is normal. Use it to steer individual work.

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