Frankenstein Squat

Setup

1. 01Set an empty or light bar at upper chest height in the rack.
2. 02Step in so the bar rests across the front delts, close to the throat.
3. 03Extend both arms straight forward at shoulder height, hands free of the bar.
4. 04Lift the elbows and chest so the bar sits on the shoulder shelf, then step back.

Execution

1. 01Brace and squat down while keeping the arms pointing straight ahead.
2. 02Stay as upright as possible so the bar stays balanced on the shoulders.
3. 03Descend to full depth without the bar rolling forward.
4. 04Stand back up, driving the elbows and chest tall the entire way.

Checkpoints

• -The bar rests on the shoulders alone; the hands never touch it.
• -Arms stay parallel to the floor from start to finish.
• -The torso stays vertical enough that the bar never rolls.
• -Elbows and chest lift out of the bottom before the hips shoot up.

Common mistakes

• -Letting the chest drop, which dumps the bar off the shoulders.
• -Dropping the arms as fatigue sets in.
• -Loading too heavy for a drill that is about position, not tonnage.
• -Placing the bar too low on the delts where it cannot sit stable.