Article Rundown

• Small T-spine restrictions can quietly wreck your squat setup and unrack
• Better positions often feel worse before they feel stronger
• PNF works only if you actually relax and let tension go
• Mobility matters only if it immediately improves bar position and control

Using T-Spine PNF to Clean Up Your Squat Setup and Unrack

When someone struggles with their squat setup or unrack, most people immediately look at their hips, ankles, or stance. Those things matter, but a lot of setup issues actually start higher up the chain. If your thoracic spine stays locked down or rounded, you’re going to fight the bar before you ever take a step back.

What I want is simple. I want you tall, stacked, and strong under the bar. To do that, we sometimes need to open up just enough T-spine motion to let the position happen without forcing it.

Short-Term Discomfort for Long-Term Strength

One thing I always warn lifters about is that positional changes rarely feel amazing right away. You might feel like you took a step backward. That’s normal. It can take a couple of weeks for these changes to start feeling natural.

I see this all the time with the big lifts. A deadlifter who always misses at lockout often has to relearn how to squeeze the bar off the floor. They’ll be slower initially, but once the weight gets heavy, they’re in a far better position to finish the lift. The squat works the same way.

Better positions don’t always feel better immediately. They perform better when it matters, and changes take time to work and master. Sometimes you might go a step back or two. While this can be frustrating, this can be analogous to many other sports as well. Changing ones golf or baseball swing, though necessary, might feel worse for weeks, even months. But it can be worth it if you play the long game.

Why the Thoracic Spine Matters in the Squat

If your upper back stays slightly rounded, even just a little, it pushes your torso forward. That affects bar placement, balance, and how efficiently you can unrack the weight.

I’m not trying to turn you into a contortionist. I just want enough thoracic extension that you can stay tall, your lats dropped down into the back pocket, keep the rib cage stacked, and support the bar without fighting it.

That’s where simple breathing-based movement and targeted PNF work come in, not static, dated and archaic stretching.

Simple Daily T-Spine Opening

The first drill I like doesn’t require any equipment. Raise your hands overhead, grab air, pull it down, then reach back a little further each time. Breathe, move, and gradually explore more range.

This is something you can do throughout the day. Get up from your desk. Walk for a few minutes. I’m a big believer in short walks around meals or after long periods of sitting. You don’t need to do much. Just stop being sedentary and let your spine move.

Fine-Tuning With PNF

Once we’ve done the basic work, I like to fine-tune things with a PNF-style thoracic stretch. This is best done with a coach because they can feel what’s happening and cue you properly.

The idea is simple. You push gently into me, or a bench about ten pounds of force, and then you completely relax. When you let that tension go, I guide you into a little more thoracic extension. Then we repeat.

The key here is relaxation. Most lifters are great at pushing. They’re terrible at letting go. If you don’t consciously release the tension, the stretch doesn’t work. That’s why having someone there to cue you makes a huge difference.

Bringing It Back to the Bar

Once we open up the T-spine just enough, we immediately go back to the squat. That’s critical. Mobility only matters if it transfers to a position.

With the spine opened up, bar position cleans up, the torso stays taller, and the unrack feels more controlled. You’re no longer fighting the bar out of the rack. You’re supporting it. Better bar position, better leverage, and your shoulders might even thank you! 

That’s the goal. Small changes. Better positions. Stronger lifts.

You don’t need much. You just need the right amount, applied at the right time, for the right reason.

BRIAN DOES ONLINE AND IN-PERSON COACHING!

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