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Overview

An overhead squat is an advanced compound exercise that involves performing a squat while holding one’s arms (or a weight) directly overhead. It builds upon the fundamental bodyweight squat by significantly increasing the demand on stability, mobility, and core strength. The exercise requires excellent flexibility in the ankles, hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders, as the lifter must maintain an upright torso and the weight directly over the midfoot throughout the entire movement. Muscles worked include the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes in the lower body, along with substantial engagement of the core (abdominals, obliques, spinal erectors), deltoids, and triceps to stabilize the overhead load. Due to the elevated center of gravity, the overhead squat is a highly challenging exercise that not only strengthens the muscles but also significantly improves balance, coordination, and functional mobility. It is often used as a diagnostic tool to assess movement limitations and as an accessory exercise for Olympic lifts like the snatch.

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Dimensions

Required inputs for processing:
  • None

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Events

MetricDescriptionColumn Name
Initiationthe start of the squatsquat_initiation_frame
Bottom1the first instance of maximum squat depth
Bottomthe instant of maximum squat depthsquat_bottom_frame
Ascent Startthe start of upward movement
Endthe end of the movementsquat_end_frame

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Discrete Metrics

MetricUnitsDescriptionColumn Name
Right Valgus BottommetersRight knee valgus at bottom positionright_knee_valgus_at_bottom
Left Valgus BottommetersLeft knee valgus at bottom positionleft_knee_valgus_at_bottom
Right Valgus Eccentric FullmetersMaximum right knee valgus during eccentric phaseright_valgus_distance_eccentric
Left Valgus Eccentric FullmetersMaximum left knee valgus during eccentric phaseleft_valgus_distance_eccentric
Right Valgus Concentric FullmetersMaximum right knee valgus during concentric phaseright_valgus_distance_concentric
Left Valgus Concentric FullmetersMaximum left knee valgus during concentric phaseleft_valgus_distance_concentric
Eccentric Hip-Knee DominanceratioHip-knee dominance during eccentric phase (0=hip dominant, 1=knee dominant)eccentric_hip_knee_dominance
Concentric Hip-Knee DominanceratioHip-knee dominance during concentric phase (0=hip dominant, 1=knee dominant)concentric_hip_knee_dominance
DepthmetersVertical displacement of pelvis from start to bottomsquat_depth
Wrist Past FeetN/AWhether wrists move beyond feet (1) or not (0)wrist_past_feet
Bottom TimesecondsTime spent at bottom positiontime_while_at_bottom
ContinuousN/AWhether squat is continuous (1) or has pause (0)continuous_motion
Eccentric Velocitym/sMax velocity during eccentric phasemax_eccentric_velocity
Concentric Velocitym/sMax velocity during concentric phasemax_concentric_velocity
Vertical Hip Lower Than Vertical KneeN/AWhether hips go below knees (1) or not (0)hip_below_knee
Vertical Hip Lower Than Vertical Knee DistancemetersDistance between hip and knee at bottomhip_below_knee_distance
Trunk Tibia ParallelN/AWhether trunk and tibia are parallel (1) or not (0)trunk_tibia_parallel
Trunk Tibia AngledegreesAngle between trunk and tibiatrunk_tibia_angle
Hips Feet StationaryN/AWhether hips and feet remain stationary (1) or not (0)hips_feet_stationary
Knees TrackN/AWhether knees track properly (1) or not (0)knees_track
Left Peak Hip FlexiondegreesMaximum left hip flexion anglepeak_left_hip_flexion_angle
Right Peak Hip FlexiondegreesMaximum right hip flexion anglepeak_right_hip_flexion_angle
Left Peak Knee FlexiondegreesMaximum left knee flexion anglepeak_left_knee_flexion_angle
Right Peak Knee FlexiondegreesMaximum right knee flexion anglepeak_right_knee_flexion_angle
Left Peak Ankle FlexiondegreesMaximum left ankle flexion anglepeak_left_ankle_flexion_angle
Right Peak Ankle FlexiondegreesMaximum right ankle flexion anglepeak_right_ankle_flexion_angle

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Notes

  • Kinematic data typically captured at 120Hz for Squatting