Eye gaze; looking up at the last moment produces better squat mechanics?

[Músculo-Tonto]

Senor Tom. . .

Since you hosted the latest video on eye-gaze for the squat, I thought appropriate to ask you the follow-up question, rather than post it in Mark's Q&A. The demos (and the book) show the eye gaze staring at a focal point on the floor (4-5' in front) for the whole rep.

My situation:
If my eyes keep staring down at the floor for the whole descent, the result is an ATG squat with no hip-drive.
If my eyes look straight ahead on the descent, the result is an ATG squat with no hip drive; and a high-bar back position on the way down & up (expected).

However. . .
As long as I look down for almost the whole descent, but 'bounce my eyes' to look forward just as I'm hitting 'the hole', the result is a strong hip-drive with the correct back angle. I have to look straight ahead at the last second; and the entire concentric of the squat is completed looking straight forward.

Additional information:
Head and neck are still neutral with the spine, even after the eyes raise.
My experience with this phenomenon does not change, regardless of weight used, or if a mirror is/is not present in front of me.

Just curious how often (if ever) you've come across this.

-Jeremy

[Tom Campitelli]

I have not seen this before, although I have seen looking down solve a lot of problems. It would be interesting to actually see you squat. Many people are convinced that they cannot do something when, in fact, they either are doing it, or can be cued into moving the way we want them to. If we separate eye gaze direction from head position, I think head position is probably more important with respect to driving up with the hips. Where you are looking does help with balance and proprioception, however. I suspect there are other things at play here if looking down results in you going ATG on a low bar squat. Feel free to post a video (after reading the sticky, of course).