JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?8.>NyA#Tst>)D~OjQ(N pC@x=OR,y?:zǃ7)J2@6@;v =J~P:Tw6uw$6.] Nå''}5'`w_z~.@_%l .vWAJ觑Қzt➠02)>)C;?o:S=ia v+:/ҋ1QžçOΣ-K iSNCHI=+,i[Z&O3ӵ;~H=ˋn@;NY"Sq4&˩yDmu; }Z^ YHI8ʢ vXI $RT r#7$ q'=T T>Ltn'~TJ8W0Ӵv\9p?tFz:񆌻 Q:ѥnbBU:u-m$ԉG%;2Eҹƞ^ƒ@y &e݇g.ʸ9œ1{VШ.Ynl^p-k,K6b8eVo<d2mN:2"\:o0A=5 -+Ggd*3jҶA?c[H\}zҟ50@XR&Uwg9?ӠzԉYcs`ƹ#IF0+>uc4gղ=W9V?ɜJKҜeurgV)=zt.O1=1LT/Ob}6$"6J .N{Qq8t=("'ڞ^nhI3NQSRIUP9$ b&SqTM#76÷Ր{cYV<7ҠR1ڟz hd(UKyDB 0Lrסxc>AQko&";|!q\ؕc)7f]A %A=j @ q?օHȡ@Qb&>=>R}<*$9\V$0|(cinJH, 0dLr n:*^UERݺ\i(-3G\ss1)v7e#]ʾCÏƹ?xP#8GzםAMlz\ek_2# ˂=3k|Ҹr;Vc} =:*䀟0)zSH$ !xQ1exCX$mDpN*KbUl.7#E41GsO 1XMU#j{2Ush9uխ{} LF),0HzױI*y%;o^8#Vv6{ Teiu2ʥ~`3MUF5ɕ>FT.FGOeCӕ5{ IGA9~ ꉽp7՟}26O\8ǡ߁O[4or5؞WWܝq93]rw: Ұi6l<7 +#Y[*\Bkd`y*Ev1k#={zh#B=PHpV6)ݪ'-=kkhIңc֫\.bL#GRf?\#fcJ)KwWxP˧J\5ɪB@W97G^kS~|ڜ?kW?ڒ='1bݸ_B^=vo"<,%eP\r^kNmf* 9rz&[)"'k>SAD<}꧰k*"iz8g_-k1=J}+mfSӖ95M6[`AظpOq"ZՋiJMϽT{Wa^="ڠ*Unn\9AuHӬ=Zѱ.UJx b|ג4uQ].wаOR͑wЌe QWf/59Ak~}y/,y$g:$ml쁊`t?f=rȻ0FzF.u 򒷡4]^D]"[3yFOl1\3R,&k:$"Ȓ>!>;&.7Q?lnqҹ+ۙ|GiZvYAQߓku+q0+t%?hpi;y~T6Ơv7QҞ\jx͜v9|}H? gj!ozJ?O$IQ>Fm0qnOLW٤ uKmkm~1'cqqR''_2=2Q?*z*;\hǖ 2WCM1$X$a}]$Hȑ}=aZtuM{q/\p񍖝4[K@N? /}oӥ'A}m>ONeM3#:qY~$LJ,@(=Xr+ȧ#Ob1S'OQ(Sgȟg\9QJϰrݤƤ/8HԎi#?jNK8-ޑrHT1Aq׽RQmHT{ n[@J fp1~S!H.drI@Vn4B17LSo^ `8H%SI gqZ:[.Ք EdA?zwW9$KYrCk8Yw`= r1E_/[~nƦnF0rpx]*2-G+ d:f p9Jq+CϮ1U 3)(ĊC4޴Q]0]4؀TEҗi $M=hQ!9B1LYlG QEJcP-wc0%4QV!I8I`CcEA drJ(& Qpl&) 3頑ʐG\TEQJ6$q:QEjfuz{]F ̇穢t_:t*@uldn'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 more effectively with more comfort when the bar is placed lower on the shoulders as shown in figure 9.&nbsp; Only a very, very small percentage of athletes will be able to squat&nbsp; more effectively with a high bar placement and this is because of structural differences in bone length and tendon-muscle attachments.</P> <P align=left>Some power lifters will place the bar extremely low on the shoulders.&nbsp; Sometim