Your neck should stay inline with the rest of your torso during Squats. This same rule apply to all other exercises of StrongLifts 5x5, like the Deadlift and Barbell Row. Looking up or aside will mess with your technique and tweak your neck.
Where You Should NOT Look During Squats. After coaching several thousands of guys I've observed the same 3 head positioning mistakes time and time again when it comes down to the Squat.
- NOT at Your Feet. Your body follows your head. If you bend your neck to look down, your upper & lower back will also want to bend. Rounding your lower back during Squats increases risks of spinal discs injuries.
- Also NOT at The Ceiling. Hyper-extending your cervical spine increases risks of spinal discs injuries. It also shifts the weight to your heels which can make you lose balance, and it will make you lose hip power.
- And Definitely NOT Aside. Never look aside during Squats or any other exercise to look in a side mirror or whatever. Looking aside is a guaranteed way to tweak your neck and you'll feel it for a few days.
Where to Look During Squats. Your head should stay inline with the rest of your spine during the Squat if you want maximal hip power and neck safety. This means you have to fix a point on the floor in front of you.
Where? Depends on how tall you are. In my case it's about 5'. If you're taller than me (+5'8") it will be slightly further. Just focus on keeping your head inline with the rest of your spine, especially if you're facing a wall right in front of you.
As I said in the leading: you must also keep your head inline with your torso during Deadlifts and Barbell Rows on StrongLifts 5x5. Neglecting to do so can lead to neck injuries. Proper form over heavy weights.
