Movement Faults and Corrections Flashcards

An athlete performing an overhead squat consistently allows the barbell to move forward of the frontal plane, causing them to lose balance. Which verbal cue is MOST effective for correcting this specific fault?

Answer: "Press the bar up and pull it back."

The primary issue is the bar's position relative to the body's midline. The cue "Press the bar up and pull it back" directly addresses the inactive overhead position and encourages the athlete to actively engage their shoulders and upper back to keep the bar over the midfoot, which is the correct position.

During a deadlift, a coach observes that an athlete's hips are rising significantly faster than their shoulders at the beginning of the lift. This fault places undue stress on the lower back. What is the most likely cause of this error?

Answer: The athlete's shoulders are set up behind the bar.

When the shoulders start behind the bar, the athlete's body must compensate to move the bar vertically. This often results in the hips shooting up first to shift the shoulders forward over the bar, turning the initial part of the lift into a movement resembling a stiff-legged deadlift. The shoulders should be slightly in front of the bar in the setup.

A coach is teaching the medicine-ball clean and notices an athlete is not reaching full hip extension before pulling themselves under the ball. Which of the following is the BEST corrective action?

Answer: Use a tactile cue at the top of the head to encourage the athlete to stand up completely.

Failing to reach full hip extension is a common and significant fault in the medicine-ball clean, as it mutes power production. A tactile cue, such as placing a hand at the top of the athlete's head and instructing them to touch it before squatting, provides clear physical feedback to complete the powerful hip and leg drive.

In the push press, an athlete demonstrates a muted hip function, characterized by the chest dipping forward and knees jutting forward excessively during the dip and drive. What is the most effective verbal cue to correct this fault?

Answer: "Keep your chest up and dip straight down."

A forward inclination of the chest indicates a loss of torso stability and muted hip function. The cue "Keep your chest up and dip straight down" directly addresses this by reminding the athlete to maintain an upright torso, ensuring the dip is controlled and vertical, which allows for a more powerful and efficient drive from the legs and hips.

Which of the following describes a common fault in the sumo deadlift high pull that violates the principle of core-to-extremity movement?

Answer: The arms bend before the hips have fully extended.

The core-to-extremity principle dictates that power is generated in the core (hips and trunk) and then transferred to the extremities (arms). Bending the arms early in the sumo deadlift high pull uses the smaller, weaker arm muscles to lift the bar, rather than transferring the powerful momentum generated by hip extension. The correct sequence is full hip extension, followed by a shrug, and then the arm pull.

An athlete's squat is characterized by their weight shifting forward onto their toes and their heels lifting off the ground at the bottom. This is often referred to as an 'immature squat.' Which of the following is the MOST direct correction for this fault?

Answer: Have the athlete perform 'squat therapy' facing a wall.

The 'immature squat', where an athlete cantilevers forward, is often due to poor motor control and balance. 'Squat therapy', which involves squatting while facing a wall, forces the athlete to keep their chest up and weight back on their heels to avoid hitting the wall. This drill helps to retrain the proper motor pattern of initiating the squat by sending the hips back and down.