Correction for an improper line of action in a squat.

Correction for an improper line of action in a squat.

• A. Block the knees' forward travel with the hand at the initiation of the descent to encourage movement of the hips
• B. Give a tactile cue to push the hips back and down
• C. Arch the back
• D. Look up

Answer: (A)

When a squat isn’t moving with a hip-first line of action, the body tends to rely on the knees to drive the movement, which shifts the load forward and can compromise depth and spine alignment. The most effective correction in this situation is a brief tactile cue that blocks the knees’ forward travel at the start of the descent. This forces you to initiate the movement by pushing the hips back and down, reining in knee excursion and reestablishing a hip-driven pattern. By limiting knee drift, you maintain a more consistent spine position and a stable bar path, making depth achievable with the hips doing the work rather than the knees. The other cues don’t directly fix the knee-forward issue. Pushing the hips back and down without addressing knee travel can let the knees creep forward anyway. Arching the back can disrupt neutral spine and load the lower back. Looking up tends to throw off balance and spine position, which can worsen form. The knee-block cue targets the exact faulty line of action and trains the hips to lead the descent.

When a squat isn’t moving with a hip-first line of action, the body tends to rely on the knees to drive the movement, which shifts the load forward and can compromise depth and spine alignment. The most effective correction in this situation is a brief tactile cue that blocks the knees’ forward travel at the start of the descent. This forces you to initiate the movement by pushing the hips back and down, reining in knee excursion and reestablishing a hip-driven pattern. By limiting knee drift, you maintain a more consistent spine position and a stable bar path, making depth achievable with the hips doing the work rather than the knees.

The other cues don’t directly fix the knee-forward issue. Pushing the hips back and down without addressing knee travel can let the knees creep forward anyway. Arching the back can disrupt neutral spine and load the lower back. Looking up tends to throw off balance and spine position, which can worsen form. The knee-block cue targets the exact faulty line of action and trains the hips to lead the descent.