Troubleshooting the “Squat Morning”

If your chest drops and your hips shoot up as you come out of the bottom position in the squat, you’re not alone. This movement pattern, often called the "squat-morning," is a common issue for lifters. While frustrating, it can often be resolved with a few key adjustments to technique and positioning.

Here are the top three reasons this happens and how to fix them:

You’re Too Toe-Heavy

Placing too much of your center of mass on your toes can tip you forward, causing you to lose balance and position as you ascend from the hole. When this happens, your hips shoot up as a compensation mechanism to bring you back over your midfoot.

The Fix:

Shift your weight back so your center of mass is balanced over your midfoot. As you push into the floor, think about driving through your entire foot—not just your toes. This adjustment helps you maintain better control and stability throughout the lift.

You’re Forcing an Overly Upright Position

Many lifters try to stay overly upright during the squat, thinking it’s the "correct" form. However, this can undermine your ability to brace and stack effectively under load. It also places too much emphasis on the quads, leaving the posterior chain underutilized. Your body compensates by tipping forward to recruit the back muscles, causing the chest to drop and hips to rise.

The Fix:

Focus on maintaining a braced and stacked position. Think about "pinning your chest down" to keep your torso engaged and aligned. This allows you to distribute the workload evenly between your quads and posterior chain, keeping you in a strong, stable position throughout the lift.

You’re Pushing Directly Upwards

When you push directly upward out of the hole, you’re more likely to lose position. To avoid this, you need to push not just upward but also back into the barbell. This adjustment allows you to use both your legs and your posterior chain effectively, keeping you balanced and strong as you ascend.

The Fix:

Cue yourself to push “up and back” into the barbell during the ascent. This subtle change helps you stay in a better position and reduces the likelihood of your chest dropping forward.

What If You’re Still Struggling?

If you’ve nailed these positional adjustments but still experience the issue, it could be a strength imbalance. Weak quads might be shifting the demand onto your posterior chain, forcing your body to compensate. In this case, increasing quad strength with movements like hack squats, leg presses, or other quad-dominant exercises can help.

Final Thoughts

Fixing these common squat issues comes down to improving your positioning, bracing effectively, and ensuring your movement patterns allow for balanced force distribution. With these adjustments, you’ll be able to stay in a strong, stable position throughout your lift.