Global Cues Coaches Wish You Used More

• Own your setup: 90% of a good rep is built before it starts.
• Brace 360°: inhale into belly and sides; lock ribs down over pelvis.
• Create torque: screw feet/hands into the floor/bar to light up hips/lats.
• Bar path close: move around the bar; keep it over midfoot when possible.
• Control the eccentric, accelerate the concentric.
• Stop a rep if you lose position, then reset. Quality beats quantity.

1) Back Squat

Setup Checklist

1. Bar position: high-bar on traps or low-bar across rear delts—pick one and be consistent.
2. Hands narrow enough to create upper-back tension; elbows point down-ish (not winging back).
3. Feet shoulder-width (ish), toes out 10–30°; feel tripod foot: big toe, little toe, heel.
4. Big breath; brace 360°; ribs stacked over pelvis.

Top Cues

• Screw your feet into the floor; spread the floor as you descend.
• Hips between heels; knees track over 2nd–3rd toe.
• Keep midfoot pressure; chest and hips rise together out of the hole.
• Drive up by pushing the floor away.

Common Fixes

• Knees cave: think “push knees to pinky toes;” use a light band around knees in warm-ups.
• Heels lift/forward shift: shorten stance slightly and slow the bottom 2–3 reps of warm-ups.
• Butt wink (posterior pelvic tuck): reduce depth to your current control; add paused squats and hip/ankle mobility.
• Good-morning out of the hole: pause 1–2 seconds in the hole; front squats/goblet squats to groove torso position.

2) Deadlift (Conventional or Sumo)

Setup Checklist

1. Bar over midfoot; shins about 1 inch from bar.
2. Hinge down to grip; flatten the back by squeezing oranges in your armpits (lats on).
3. Pull the slack out of the bar—hear/feel the click—before you push.
4. Wedge hips until shins lightly touch bar; chest proud, eyes 5–10 ft ahead on floor.

Top Cues

• Push the floor away; don’t yank the bar.
• Keep the bar on your legs—zipper up the thighs.
• Stand tall; hips through without overextending ribs.
• On the way down: hips back first; keep bar close.

Common Fixes

• Bar drifts forward: lats off—”bend the bar to your shins;” think armpits to back pockets.
• Jerking from the floor: take slack, then push; use 1–2-second paused deadlifts at mid-shin.
• Hips too low/high at start: find your natural wedge (shins touch, shoulders slightly over bar).
• Rounded upper back: reduce load, brace harder, consider blocks or RDLs to re-groove.

3) Bench Press

Setup Checklist

1. 5 points of contact: head, shoulders, glutes, left foot, right foot.
2. Set your upper back: pinch shoulder blades together and slightly down.
3. Grip just outside shoulders; wrists stacked over forearms—knuckles to ceiling.
4. Eyes under the bar; slight natural arch; feet planted to use leg drive.

Top Cues

• Bend the bar toward your feet (external rotation) to lock lats and shoulders.
• Row the bar to your lower chest/upper sternum.
• Leg drive before the press: press your footprints forward and down.
• Press back and up—slight “J” path, not straight up from the chest.

Common Fixes

• Elbows flare too wide: tuck to ~45–70°; adjust grip width.
• Shoulders shrug: re-pack scapulae; think “sternum up, shoulders down.”
• Wrist bent back: tighten grip and stack; use wrist wraps if needed.
• Bouncing off chest: pause 1 second; lighter load and controlled tempo.

Tip: Use a spotter or safety arms when pressing heavy.

4) Overhead Press

Setup Checklist

1. Feet under hips, glutes squeezed, quads on; ribs down.
2. Bar resting at upper chest/clavicle; elbows slightly forward of bar.
3. Grip just outside shoulders; forearms vertical from the front view.

Top Cues

• Get stacked: ankles, hips, ribs, and head in one column.
• Press up, then head through the window as the bar clears your forehead.
• Keep your butt tight and abs braced—no low-back lean.
• Lower under control; end with bar over midfoot, biceps by ears.

Common Fixes

• Overextending low back: squeeze glutes, exhale slightly to set ribs down, reduce load.
• Bar looping forward: press close to face; move your head, not the bar.
• Early shrug: wait to shrug until lockout; keep scapulae depressed while pressing.
• Tight shoulders: half-kneeling presses, wall slides, and thoracic mobility drills help positioning.

5) Barbell Row (Bent-Over)

Setup Checklist

1. Hinge to an RDL position: hips back, torso about 15–45° above parallel.
2. Bar over midfoot; shins vertical; spine neutral; neck long.
3. Grip just outside shoulders; lats engaged before you pull.

Top Cues

• Chest long, ribs down—no rounding.
• Pull with elbows; row to lower ribs/upper abdomen.
• Pause briefly on contact, then lower under control.
• Keep your torso angle; don’t stand up between reps.

Common Fixes

• Hip-snapping the weight: lighten load; 2–3-second eccentrics.
• Upper trap takeover: think “elbows back and down;” feel lats, not neck.
• Rounded back: hinge shallower, brace harder, elevate bar on blocks if needed.
• Inconsistent target: always touch the same spot on your torso.

How to Use These Cues in Training

• Pick 1–2 cues per lift and stick with them for a training block.
• Put cues into warm-up sets: slower eccentrics, paused positions, and lighter loads help you feel them.
• Film from the side and front on top sets; check bar path and joint stacking.
• Progress load only while you can keep positions and tempo consistent.
• If a rep causes sharp pain, stop, deload, and troubleshoot technique.

Coach’s Short Cue Cards

• Squat: Screw feet—Brace—Sit between hips—Knees over toes—Push floor.
• Deadlift: Midfoot—Lats on—Slack out—Push floor—Bar on legs—Stand tall.
• Bench: Set scap—Stack wrists—Row down—Leg drive—Press back and up.
• Overhead Press: Glutes tight—Ribs down—Press close—Head through—Stacked lockout.
• Row: Hips back—Chest long—Elbows back and down—Pause—Control down.

Print these or save to your phone. One or two sticky cues per lift beat a crowded mind.