The concept of neutral comes in to play often with major joints such as the shoulders, knees, and hips, but let’s talk about the head position for the snatch and/or overhead squat!
In this scenario with one of our Remote Athletes, we see a small misalignment with the orientation of the head and neck. A neutral head position in this instance would mimic the resting position of the head when standing up straight and at attention. This will create:
✅A sturdy overhead position
✅An engaged upper back
✅A neutral spine (no over-extension)
We always say that the lift will follow what the head is doing. Looking up can potentially cause the barbell to be settled in front of the lifter’s base and conversely, looking down can cause the body to push forward. Looking up or down can cause:
🚫Overhead instability
🚫Catch to be off balance (walking forward)
🚫Support shifted away from the upper back