A Personal Trainer Shares The Squat Tip That Helped Him Perfect The Overhead Squat

TL;DR

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Certified personal trainer Francesco Zen told Fit&Well that shifting weight toward the outer edges of the feet and pressing the knees outward helped him engage his glutes during the overhead squat. He recommends building up with mobility work and a dowel or pipe before trying the advanced movement with a barbell.

Certified personal trainer Francesco Zen says shifting weight toward the outer edges of the feet and pushing the knees outward helped him improve his overhead squat, an advanced movement that requires a weight or training stick to stay overhead while squatting. In a report for Fit&Well, Zen advised learners to build mobility and stability first, and to practice with an exercise stick or plastic pipe before attempting the movement with a barbell.

Zen, founder of ZLIFE, described the overhead squat as a full-body movement that calls for mobility, flexibility and core activation. He said the glutes play a central role in maintaining support throughout the squat. His practical cue is to direct weight toward the outer parts of the feet as the knees press outward during the descent. Zen said that a small change in stance and pressure can alter how the movement feels.

The Fit&Well report presents this as a tip that helped Zen improve his own form, not as a guarantee that the cue will work identically for every person. Zen also said that regular practice is needed to develop the mobility and stability the lift demands. The report recommends beginning with the movement using bodyweight and raised arms, then practicing with a dowel or plastic pipe to work on shoulder and spine alignment.

For a less demanding progression, Zen suggests a Frankenstein squat, in which the arms extend forward at shoulder height rather than overhead. He said that position is easier to stabilize while still training similar core, glute and mobility foundations. The report advises people who are ready to try an overhead squat to seek help from an exercise professional or spotter where possible.

Building Toward an Overhead Squat

The advice matters to readers interested in strength training because the overhead squat combines a squat with the added challenge of keeping an implement stable above the body. Zen’s cue offers a simple point of focus—foot pressure and knee direction—while his progression emphasizes that technique is not only about getting under a bar. Mobility in the ankles, hips, spine and shoulders, as well as trunk control, can affect whether someone can maintain the position.

The report also provides a practical alternative for people who are not ready to hold a load overhead. Starting with bodyweight, then using a dowel or pipe, lets learners practice alignment without beginning with a loaded barbell. That is a training suggestion from Zen and Fit&Well, rather than evidence that a specific progression is suitable for everyone. Individual mobility and comfort vary, and anyone experiencing pain or unsure about technique can seek guidance from a qualified trainer.

The Report’s Suggested Progression

Fit&Well’s report asked certified trainers to share movements they had once struggled with and the tips that helped them improve. Zen identified the overhead squat and highlighted glute engagement as a key part of his experience. The article describes the movement as an advanced squat variation performed with a pipe or bar held overhead, and says learners should master it with a lighter training implement before progressing to a barbell.

The sequence outlined in the report starts with bodyweight squats with arms raised. It suggests wall-based squat-and-reach drills and wall-facing squats as ways to work on spinal and shoulder mobility. Learners can then use a dowel, plastic pipe or broomstick to practice positioning. Zen’s Frankenstein squat shifts the arms to shoulder height; the full overhead version comes later, with the bar held over the shoulders and elbows locked as the lifter lowers and rises.

“The glutes support the whole movement, top to bottom.”

— Francesco Zen, speaking to Fit&Well

Limits of the Training Advice

The source is a trainer’s account of a cue that helped him; it does not provide research findings comparing this technique with other cues or establish that it improves performance for every lifter. Fit&Well does not report how Zen tested the cue, how long he practiced, or whether the tip was evaluated with a specific training plan.

The report also does not set out criteria for deciding when a person is ready to progress, or discuss how the movement should be modified for individual injuries or limitations. It recommends working with an exercise professional or spotter for the advanced version, but gives no further safety protocol. Readers should treat the described steps as general training guidance rather than an individualized assessment.

Practice Before Adding Load

Zen’s advice, as reported by Fit&Well, points learners toward a gradual sequence: work on the relevant mobility, practice the squat with bodyweight and raised arms, then use a dowel or pipe to rehearse overhead alignment. A Frankenstein squat is another suggested step before attempting the full movement. The report does not announce a new program or a follow-up test; it offers the cue and progression as training guidance.

Anyone choosing to try the movement can focus first on steady positioning and controlled repetitions rather than adding weight quickly. For a barbell overhead squat, the article recommends help from an exercise professional or spotter where available. Further details about Zen’s training history or the results of applying the cue beyond his own experience were not provided.

Key Questions

What squat tip did Francesco Zen share?

Zen told Fit&Well to shift weight toward the outer parts of the feet and press the knees outward while lowering. He said this helped him engage his glutes during the overhead squat.

What is an overhead squat?

It is a squat performed while holding a barbell, pipe or similar implement overhead. The movement combines squatting with the challenge of keeping the implement stable above the shoulders.

How does Zen suggest beginners prepare?

The report recommends starting with bodyweight squats and arms raised, then practicing alignment with a dowel or plastic pipe. Zen also suggests a Frankenstein squat, with the arms held forward at shoulder height, as a progression.

Should beginners start with a barbell?

No. The Fit&Well report advises mastering the movement with an exercise stick or plastic pipe before trying it with a barbell. It also suggests working with an exercise professional or spotter for the advanced version where possible.

Source: rss