Ever feel your chest collapsing forward in the bottom of a front squat? I put together a quick self-exam so you can test your ankles, hips, thoracic spine, wrists, elbows, and shoulders to find what’s holding you back. Even better, I’ve added simple treatment ideas for each area so you can start fixing it today and keep your chest tall through every lift. Perfect for getting competition ready!
Front Squat Chest Drop Fix: Competition-Ready Guide
Ankles Self-Exam: Kneeling lunge
Can your knee move past your toes without the heel lifting?
Examination: Try the Knee-to-Wall Test to quickly assess your ankle mobility. Simply measure how far your knee can travel over your toes without your heel lifting. Three to four finger width is considered good.
Treatment: A simple yet effective technique to improve ankle dorsiflexion, especially helpful for squats and running. Loop a resistance band around the back of your ankle and step onto it with your other foot Step forward to create tension, then gently bend your knee over your toes, allowing the band to glide the talus posteriorly. Perform for 1–2 minutes per ankle to help reduce stiffness, improve mobility, and enhance movement patterns.
Hips Self-Exam: Deep squat hold
Can you hit depth without rounding your back?
Examination: Target hip and knee mobility right from the floor! Lie on your back and bring one knee toward your chest, focusing on hip and knee flexion. Combine this with deep squat holds to gently open your hips, stretch your calves, and reinforce stability. Just a few minutes can help your squats feel deeper and more controlled.
Treatment: Improve hip joint mobility and reduce stiffness with a simple band-assisted hip distraction. Loop a resistance band around your hip and anchor it to a stable object, then scoot back to create gentle traction. This helps open the joint, relieve tightness, and improve your range of motion.
Thoracic Spine Self-Exam: Quadruped Twist
Can you point your elbow towards the ceiling?
Examination: This assessment evaluates thoracic spine rotation in a hands-and-knees (quadruped) position. From all fours, rotate your upper body by lifting one elbow toward the ceiling while keeping your hips stable. Measure the rotation to identify limitations or asymmetries, with an optimal goal of approximately 50° of thoracic rotation.
Treatment: This is a simple and effective way to treat a stiff thoracic spine. Lie on a foam roller across your mid-back, interlace your hands behind your head, and gently extend over the roller. It helps relieve stiffness, improve thoracic mobility, and restore better posture and movement for squats, overhead lifts, and daily activities.
Wrists & Elbows Self-Exam: Front rack position
Can elbows stay high without discomfort?
Can you get your shoulders over your wrist?
Examination: Can your elbows stay high without discomfort? Can your shoulders move over your wrists? This simple self-exam highlights limitations that may affect lifting, squats, and overhead movements, helping guide targeted mobility work.
Treatment: This simple technique targets elbow stiffness by using a resistance band to create gentle traction at the elbow joint. By anchoring the band above the elbow and applying a slight pull, you can improve joint mobility, reduce discomfort, and enhance range of motion. Ideal for addressing limitations in elbow flexion and extension, this method is particularly beneficial for athletes and individuals experiencing tightness in the elbow area.
Shoulder Self Exam: Shoulder External Rotation At 90 Degrees
Can you for a letter “W” with your arms in a front rack position?
Examination: Assess your shoulder external rotation by raising the arm to 90° of flexion and actively rotating the shoulder outward. This simple test helps identify restrictions in shoulder ER and highlights mobility limitations that can impact the front rack, overhead lifts, and other functional movements.
Treatment: This simple band-assisted shoulder traction technique helps relieve stiffness and improve mobility in the shoulder joint. Anchor a resistance band above shoulder height and let it gently pull your arm, creating space in the joint. It’s an effective way to reduce tension, improve range of motion, and support better performance in overhead lifts, front rack positions, and daily activities.
How To Use This Guide:
- Do the self-exam before or after training.
- Identify your weakest link.
- Spend 2-3 minutes on the matching mobility drill at least 3 days a week.
- Retest your squat position regularly.
Ready To Move Better?
Don’t let a collapsing chest hold you back from a new personal record. Our clinicians specialize in helping competitive athletes like you solve complex movement issues, addressing the root cause so you can lift with confidence and power.
Book a session with us today to perfect your front squat and dominate your next competition. Our clinicians at MEND Boulder and Lafayette specialize in diagnosing and treating injuries using natural, evidence-based approaches without relying on injections, medications, or unnecessary interventions. We’re here to help you move better and live pain-free.