JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?&>&s۽@\?Z\G)ќ I#j`DTM)ǯ4<ޔwu&t3<54 ghYXqԢPXi> Cz7zn4FH(p9Ց æCt#h|q@ })OSQ[q8o#v@qn=*#FR8# laS.MFqJH':銑W8ZN~}(S#qOΌ<{PG#q!#rzi'-/x֭ZG#۴݅g_Eڲ٫e [{QM!P~:o̡GƢH&#;SJ Q9 ;S8QL'4r9BJwc$$xoZہJDbWLHsj^36IJGD84 '0O"+ME0!uj@s@ s()Q~^j;j8fK(ڷUwv=kBƮI[ClpÂ:g{Ѐ5+2G$TVd&Ҥimq&Olht``Jv ;im1I#fdmO nI#–IL-߮D[wzlRc }s%2?@Cy4Gx]y L`H4#fR 9kM[/ŽyǨuבr0sژ1=F:~t΁]GZ(D8/}CJN:@ҦT"pEUԎLq`ZUp94>`nn)?p"d$=^ uI -HS :qǭ1W+'ߥ? >[&IV1ϗMQߧJu%G|yM(hRF c +sS̀~KpICPƌ H2A AgkR@pəpqށBW<{b+g9<<:s%lNN1ps&v@+T 1{n)׉?M1A^:Ԡ(U'y55KYʧچ03#u^h{`޼“+x'-qw!Hc'֩l'j/Z(ϰjwirHϽrW_cY#+?,Fq~5%%F{cҚbhٞ@Gz[-9JQp=les9$ifkIgz/ K9[K61/+[i-31d0͜t?nBvaWtC.8=Nqϭ&5+6瞇3SDϥo3 A;tQڷM ^HzbJS=q֘QS#$q@w{Ӟ1$esMR$4`A@|1h֞&D`H {YmdE(94٨! ׊#;32)2-+$8֦2;ҴN=02u~#Ԗh[=vZza'/pGo ہ5dj6@IzmEuH >{ɷ1Zw!T:V\I9^v#:mbZC*Æ@.@QVs1MxV+u*Ē{8j: 0{ ՜sp{S H{h]Z(86:wt,IcO#(Pq^=AzSъ0 *MF"p4jBEP Z -R zVΡD3jiơC.kPɐ};Vec!Hgܩm$lfìJǎ:b) yϩ5A8ڠceƀ 皶$d тMys<ER,Z(( zp@PO\==iJg╘ {OSU;I!- [o8@BVQH⧒Ua$f]ܙdi_%ުnt5$ˑԃ'iΠXgq=jD[Pc#j%y BF:SdNlszPoE8=RP6:ocb:P>Rj`H fsM)@ϵIc-Os;Rܒb(cL4ӄv>!ECy;U; pv8$M~Rݜ# <P>Figure 6 shows the perfect low power position.&nbsp; The athlete has his feet&nbsp;close to the Squatting Stand. His feet and heels are firmly planted on the floor.&nbsp; His knees are back and not extended past the toes.&nbsp; The athlete is 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; N