Get Fit with Weekly Fitness Tips from The Sporting Club La Jolla: Squats

This past week San Diego Living revisited The Sporting Club at the Aventine in La Jolla, CA for a new tip of the week for their segment “Get Fit Wednesday.” The show airs on The CW Network channel 6 in San Diego. This week, Kris Machain, one of the Sporting club’s expert personal trainers detailed the overhead squat progression that is meant to prepare your body for the perfect squat.

The overhead squat progression is performed in three parts and slowly escalates in difficulty to challenge your body to become leaner, stronger, more balanced and more stable. Within the segment Kris Machain and his assistant demonstrate the techniques that can be practiced at home or in a Gym setting.

Overhead Squat Progression

Part 1 Kris instructed his assistant to hold a 4 lbs medicine ball out in front of herself with her legs shoulder length apart. She then performed a proper squat, with her feet flat against the ground and her butt dropping lower than knees, using the medicine ball as a counter weight.

Part 2 The second part of the progression started in the same way. This time when she reached the bottom of her squat she would drop the medicine ball into Kris’s hand before continuing through the squat. He discussed that the use of the medicine ball allowed for his assistant to learn proper positioning, but the removal of the medicine ball in the second part forces her to take more of the workout on herself instead of the counter weight.

Part 3 Like the second step the assistant would squat down and hand the weight to Kris, but in order to change the dynamic of the squat and really make it a challenge she would move her arms above her head on her way up through the squat.

By practicing the moves that you see on Get Fit Wednesdays you are that much closer to your summer beach body goals or just your general health goals. So shake off your winter mentality and get to the gym! For answers to all your questions visit The Sporting Club at www.thesportingclub.com or call them at 1 (858) 552-8000