JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?[jwۚ“`|z]oQѼ4Zg00#7h;vEX%w%)q\^\~zϖ#Xe§?s+k'HiRf$eh$@ |~5Mf@aAI@fw>QyQ׵ Z%)q?g=eBAj[g3]S* Cah"L.x j۞MCjcj0sY=TvJxcb:!d:ikllt6,$?\%ť&%8VeMd(Br0hvͻhJ:.ֺT}qy#ri)9 -C+x(V(%JKAamusRKz#Dw ^wy%νy-?ڌfO- sI?隋H`Rq i争[; }+ͮa%]?rB]F۶OsjZY6:Edكz=tvvA!#4k}2XS@#'u+Z[YFce,~zt_ 1pW_HJu*]spoX&I-7r{<|m{>%r!*O#V֦t}.y``7K03AM",ǷaVfұԯm4 $77BAW_Ms<>9l(jXO$i jWS59/g'jɊqޙ#m\sWbI|qEtZՙan ;Z䑲U./eIavV@T.)JsqgjhQn A n  T'/ӭSW rǸ;tOqmm:ĉʁxEZADԾZNcv[v&3Gu:.6B .myUy灀Gq5薚[}U)9 g.6@}om7XDN<}[79b?e9u9`!c+4FLu 0[YIq"S)5x-ě,N?rϹ-YmLE. 8N?*ɾN9fr*ϋOjz@6A`}:uÉs8aұTjV*yһ?SͿ/:Ȯ#jƝY>x}?Z׼=Ҥ-,T?:9Nr =ē1SsR$ۗoi!J/"3O- W5{ SSy5ޝt)yfr#'>jUTY (l:_ xl-ny'ovp1Ќ:Wg9ogT;m4 9vg(CLOΡr>L`qY c'MP=@D:QLD W-i'2\1]~UUO8+lV:x##MZO۪~RG|ZUs8V}*ޣ㴚 Y[ٟRɯ3ig\KYWW#![!/B[N WCs{.XgI^6QB]cA=ϭij@Ƴt۱ 85ܽvzVi7-M%xzLe'' [ÑcluZ]K<h@|zsZmo,Lc_Aޞ MC`(n)9=9[o)2=+)wd $+0GJMGr84y= 줞1}~ Y̅2T)ȭS&4v+GB*KY$RSpEjC֜}XqLQJ;L@,"{.# _Qe쏘3w+4m3^&3+| ,yDw;#T 7_6p`;״dQ6ddH R;;e:o;7^,[ʊ10#p=y5ZE6mjlJkQ'7rUivބX73$O!h)ڨ=MRLj8N䎆c)D8=)){T%Qt8U`!Pay@~5[eBVu49ޔm AIy w./k9j#vMl6ǂJ1qJ3եm [:FnQQ xD ?:0ךR/QL jdmz\jW~XWAR+py3P/Ʀ_HxI8I_=huzE+4>lzT.p}q_@Hg=*vjz1܌Hz@at a perfect parallel position.&nbsp; His eyes are focused on a point which helps the lower back and upper body position.&nbsp; If you said one of the major problems in figure 2 and 3 was the head position, I wouldn't argue.&nbsp; Notice the difference in the chin position of figure 2 and figure 6.&nbsp; The athlete pictured is my son, Matt, while he was in the 8th grade.&nbsp; At this time, he weighed 125 and Parallel Squatted 225 pounds. </P> <P align=center><STRONG>PRE-SQUAT TECHNIQUE</STRONG></P> <P align=left><STRONG>A. Grip:</STRONG> There are two technique guidelines to consider when establishing a proper grip on the squat.&nbsp; First is thumb position.&nbsp; Should you have your thumb around the bar or in back of the bar as illustrated in figure 7?&nbsp; About 60% of power lifters have the thumb in back while 40% of power-lifters prefer their thumbs around the bar.&nbsp; Both styles are acceptable, but I prefer to coach my athletes with their thumbs in back of the bar.&nbsp; I feel this style is superior as it tends to prevent slippage of the bar.&nbsp; Sometimes athletes will have a problem in keeping the bar on the shoulders.&nbsp; Sometimes the bar will actually slip off the shoulders and slip down the back.&nbsp; The bar seems to be more secure with the thumbs in back; but if an athlete, after trying both styles, really prefers to have his thumbs around, I don't object.</P> <P align=left>The second grip guideline to consider is the width of the athlete's grip.&nbsp; This is another one of those secrets which can give you an edge.&nbsp; At clinics, I ask everyone to pretend they have a bar on their shoulders and to get a "very narrow grip".&nbsp; Then, I ask everyone to sit tall, spread their chest and lock-in their lower back.&nbsp; Next, they are asked to take a wide grip and lock-in their lower backs.&nbsp; Now I ask, "Which grip makes it easier to lock-in the lower back?"&nbsp; It's unanimous!&nbsp; It's the wide grip.&nbsp; Make sure you use the lines which are grooved into most Olympic bars about four inches from the inside collars.&nbsp; Use these lines as reference points.&nbsp; An athlete might put his first finger on each line with his thumb behind the bar.&nbsp; Now, he is properly balanced with a wide grip and has some assurance that the bar will remain secure on his shoulders.&nbsp; He is now ready to place the bar on the shoulders.&nbsp; </P> <P align=left><STRONG>B. Bar Position:</STRONG>&nbsp; A very common mistake for athletes who squat is placing the bar too high on the shoulders.&nbsp; In fact, many athletes place the bar right on the neck.&nbsp; This hurts, so they'll use a barbell pad.&nbsp; For most athletes, this also affects proper balance for heavy squatting.&nbsp; The vast majority of athletes will squat more and squat