Straight back: the stick check
Ready when: Best foot position (b2) done.
What you are learning
Keeping a long, straight back while squatting. A broom handle held along the back should touch the head, the upper back and the bottom the whole time. A straight back protects the spine when bars come later.
Words on this card Barbell, Stick, Squat, Straight back
- Barbell
- The long metal bar, the weights put on its ends, and the clips that hold them on.
- Stick
- A light pole used to learn technique with no weight.
- Squat
- Bending the knees and hips to sit down low and standing up again; with a bar on the back of the shoulders, on the front, or held overhead.
- Straight back
- Keeping the back flat from the head to the bottom, never rounded.
Show it first for the one teaching
- Hold the broom handle along the child's back so it touches the back of the head, the upper back and the bottom.
- Squat slowly while all three stay touching.
- Sit-to-stand from the bench, arms forward, just touching the bench lightly.
Your part while they practise
Hold the stick along the child's back.
Step by step
- Stick along the back: head, upper back and bottom touching.
- 6 slow squats keeping all three touching.
- Then sit-to-stand from the bench, arms forward, 6, touching the bench lightly.
How much: 12 squats 8 min a session 2 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Low and long
Squat as low as you can while the stick stays on all three points; you mark the depth.
Who plays: the child against their own best; you hold the stick and mark.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- Hold the stick along the back
- The child squats slowly as low as they can
- If a point comes off the stick, they stop; mark the depth with a hand
- 5 tries
- Fair play
- A grown-up goes down for 4 slow seconds.
- Points
- 1 point for each try with all three points touching to the bottom; 1 more point for going lower than the last.
- Fouls
- No points
- The back rounds and the stick comes off
- Dropping onto the bench
- The heels lift
- Winning
- Beat your best from 5 tries.
- 3 points for 1 star
- 6 points for 2 stars
- 9 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
A higher bench.
Slow: 4 seconds down.
What you will see, and what to say
- the back rounds
Long back, chest proud
Chest up. - drops onto the bench
Touch, don't sit
Light touch.
Self-check
6 squats with the stick touching head, back and bottom.
Stop and get a coach when
Back pain.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains back position, trunk tension.
awiseathlete.com/sports/weightlifting/weightlifting-b3