Bar position for squats

[Ben]

High bar - Across top of shoulders
Low Bar - Sitting behind shoulder blade ala Mark Rippetoe
Mid Bar - Somewhere in between

I use the high bar position with the bar sitting on top of my first vertebrae, find the others uncomfortable.

 

[TGM]

You don't support the bar with your hands at all in the low bar position, especially if you're following Rippetoe's form.

 

[Dancelot]

I started squatting high bar with no instruction. It came natural to me.

Tried low bar last year following Rippetoe's guide but I didn't like it.

 

[CaT_SPeW]

I started squatting high bar with no instruction. It came natural to me.

same here.

 

[Jman_898]

i honestly hope u dont sit the bar on your first vertebre lol... i think u mean u sit it across the top of your traps? ( well moreso mid traps considering where they insert) i think that u sit the bar around the 3rd or 4th vertebre. sorry just clarifying

 

[Ben]

i honestly hope u dont sit the bar on your first vertebre lol... i think u mean u sit it across the top of your traps? ( well moreso mid traps considering where they insert) i think that u sit the bar around the 3rd or 4th vertebre. sorry just clarifying

You're right - the bar does sit across my traps.

However, I notice that the bone between the base of my neck and top of my back is tender to touch after squats. I assumed this was the top vertebrae?

 

[Fadi]

Looking at the image above, my instinct based purely on the visual aspect here, tells me that by placing the bar high on my trapezius would cause more involvement of my quadriceps muscles. In comparison, by placing the bar in a low-bar position would indicate to me a somewhat more involvement of my gluteal muscles. Now you know why powerlifters prefer the low-bar positioning since the gluteus maximus is the largest and most powerful muscle in the human body.

Which is more natural and more functional and the one I use? The high bar positioning.


Fadi.

 

[CaT_SPeW]

i honestly hope u dont sit the bar on your first vertebre lol... i think u mean u sit it across the top of your traps? ( well moreso mid traps considering where they insert) i think that u sit the bar around the 3rd or 4th vertebre. sorry just clarifying

on the traps of course

 

[PowerBuilder]

I go for a high bar squat position, based on what fadi was saying, how it makes sense from a mechanical point of view, as well as it feels more natural.

I've squatted with a low bar approach before. I moved more weight, but i felt my arse was doing far too much work

 

[apiewithhoboliftingaroma]

I go for a high bar squat position, based on what fadi was saying, how it makes sense from a mechanical point of view, as well as it feels more natural.

I've squatted with a low bar approach before. I moved more weight, but i felt my arse was doing far too much work

But isn't it meant to?

I use the high bar too, but I keep going back to trying the low bar to see if I can get used to it so I use the glutes more.

 

[Dancelot]

Slightly OT, but where do you hold the bar in a good morning? When I first started, I used high bar position, but it put a lot stress on my neck and in return made my lower back rounded too much, so I switched to low bar position.

 

[Fadi]

But isn't it meant to?

I use the high bar too, but I keep going back to trying the low bar to see if I can get used to it so I use the glutes more.

I like your comment Api because it reminds me of something my former doctor asked me about. He wanted to specifically build his glutes maximus and I advised him to do squats. I was half right in my advice since we do have a squat variation (low-bar squat) which places the emphasis more directly on what the doctor was after...a big and round derriere!

Fadi.

 

[trofius]

I usually start with a high/mid bar, I can see half the bar over my delts in a mirror.

During a set of squats I find the sweat on my back allows the bar to slide down, a tad, well maybe an inch or two, which really alters my squating style, getting towards teh end of the set and fatigue doesnt help much either.

Any suggestions to help stop this.

 

[Fadi]

I usually start with a high/mid bar, I can see half the bar over my delts in a mirror.

During a set of squats I find the sweat on my back allows the bar to slide down, a tad, well maybe an inch or two, which really alters my squating style, getting towards teh end of the set and fatigue doesnt help much either.

Any suggestions to help stop this.

Wear a T-Shirt and not a singlet; I'm presuming...


Fadi.

 

[Goosey]

I like your comment Api because it reminds me of something my former doctor asked me about. He wanted to specifically build his glutes maximus and I advised him to do squats. I was half right in my advice since we do have a squat variation (low-bar squat) which places the emphasis more directly on what the doctor was after...a big and round derriere!

Fadi.

Nice arse.
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[Goosey]

I think there are some things to consider.

The more forward lean the less emphasis there is on the quad, the squat in this case becomes more of a whole body movement.

It's not really how much you can squat - more importantly it the act of squatting.

Interestingly enough is, although a man with a short torso and longer legs struggles - pound for pound his back, hip and glutes are stronger than a man with long torso and shorter legs.

If you look at that person *side on while in the hole you can see there is less forward lean, the person has less distance to travel

*placing the bar higher or lower changes the angle of the hip, placing it lower slightly increases the angle which inturn shifts the emphasis onto the glute, lumber, hamstrings and so-on.
If you plan to use a low bar posistion proceed with caution.
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[Goosey]

Some teaching points to think about before you squat.

More forward lean is better
squat between your legs, not on top off.
Use yours lats, pull the bar into you shoulder

run your hand down the back of your neck until you feel that bony bit on your spine - donot! Sit the bar on or above that point.

Donot use any padding on the bar without considering that it can change the leverage.

Maintain the natual curvature of the spine at all times.

Squat as low as you can safely go.

It's not how much you squat that's important it's the movement itself that is, this becomes obvious as you age.
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[PowerBuilder]

Well done Silver'!! Some very good teaching points there. In my new gym, there are Zero mirrors. OK, there are, but nobody looks into them when lifting since it's out of the way. Since then i've had to 'feel' my way into better lifting. My coach has been telling me that i'll feel if i'm leaning too far forward or far backwards, or if my arms are too far back or behind. I'll know because i'll be faling over!!!

For people like me, who has a shorter torso, but decent length of legs, squatting comes quite natural. Stand up with the bar across my shoulers, hands at a decent length, sit between my legs (onto my ankles), then rise up.

Fadi, one question...one of my coaches was talkign to the senior lifters (i was over-hearing), he said that squatting should involve fast twitch fibers, in terms of an explosion upwards. This was obviously to the senior weightlifters. what do you think



by the way...that's the first time i've heard of somebody activly seeking for a bigger butt!!

 

[Ben]

run your hand down the back of your neck until you feel that bony bit on your spine - donot! Sit the bar on or above that point.

What is the reason behind that?

 

[Fadi]

Fadi, one question...one of my coaches was talkign to the senior lifters (i was over-hearing), he said that squatting should involve fast twitch fibers, in terms of an explosion upwards. This was obviously to the senior weightlifters. what do you think

Both senior and not so senior weightlifters and all in between should have one thing on ther mind whilst sqautting and that is a balst off from the bottom position...period! Unfortunately the juniors seem to blast off downward whilst struggling upwards...not the best for the knees I must say. It's control down and blast upward.

by the way...that's the first time i've heard of somebody activly seeking for a bigger butt!!

He was a small man with a very small back side and probably a female friend to impress!


Fadi.