Squat high bar or low bar?

I've always rested the bar high on my traps because that's what felt comfortable for me. However, this week I've read that resting the bar lower down helps in lifting more weight. I just tried this with the empty bar. It's more awkward for me but I can straighten my wrists if I hold the bar at the widest points. As I'm almost up to lifting my bodyweight I'm thinking it's not a good idea to do low bar at this weight if I'm not used to it but then again I don't want to go back to the empty bar. So what should I do? Do you guys lift high bar or low?

I go lower as it seems to slip easier on the shoulders and not dig into the traps that way.......Also feels as if the weight is spread better giving me a bigger powerbase..

won't start a set until I'm 100% comfortable..

The more comfortable you are the more you can focus 100%on the exercise...

low bar for me.

Likewise, low bar. Around the traps exerts a bit too much pressure both on them and the top of the spine.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:

won't start a set until I'm 100% comfortable..

The more comfortable you are the more you can focus 100%on the exercise...

You could put that on the 'advice to rookies' thread, Trussman : )

Solerina

Hi A.V,
Getting the bar to sit nice and low will help you alot as it will be more stable, there will be less likelihood of the bar pushing your head down and thus comprimising your form as your head should be facing forward and it is also less likely to cause your back to perhaps bend over at the lowest point of the squat which could be dangerous. Also having heavy weights resting on the lower neck/high traps is not what you want.

It's not the easiest thing to do as it does feel a little strange at first but here are some tips to help:

1. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, do this before you take the bar off the rack as this gives a solid base on which to rest the bar.

2. Use a thunbless grip ie have your thumbs on top of the bar, this will help keep your wrists straight and stronger in the lift helping take the bar lower.

3. Keep your elbows back this again helps with providing a solid base for the bar at a lower position and helps with preventing elbow injuries.

4. Don't try and take the bar halfway down your back on the first attempt try and take it a little lower using the above form everytime you squat until you have it resting below your traps altogether and resting on the tops of your shoulder blades or even lower.

5. If you want to really tighten your upper back then you should be looking at a narrow grip on the bar.

6. Persevere, you're doing one of the trickiest excercises in the Gym to master and with everything in life you'll get out what you put in, this excercise just happens to be the best and most powerful movement available to you with free weigths and is one exercise that many people avoid at all costs, I don't know whether you aim to go really heavy but if you are then it will pay dividends to iron out all you problems with form before you go much further as when you get really heavy you'll want to have this movement as something that you can do without worrying about the form, knowing that you've got everything just so means you can concentrate on really driving your hips forward and blasting out from the bottom of this movement. Here's a link for further info:

http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-with-proper-technique-fix-common-problems/

Nice one lightsout, some good tips there. I'll try those out. It seems the jury's out on which is more effective for building strength but I suppose it's not a bad idea to have both in the repertoire.

Haven't got any goals in terms of massive weight but the plan is to keep progressing to the heavier weights. Training for strength is definitely the priority though. Like I say, nearly lifting bodyweight now and the next goal will be 1.5 times bodyweight.

Stronglifts is the workout I'm following. It was an "a-ha" moment after doing isolation excercises for about ten months prior, constantly switching things around and doing different workouts all the time. I like the consistency of it.

Thanks A.V, keep going with the compound movements, you're already approaching a big milestone in squatting your bodyweight but taking it to the next level with a good target of 1.5x body weight will really see your alround strength improve, keep the deadlifts going as well as these two compounds both compliment each other.

I agree with lighouts, all you need to know about low bar is in his post.

Great advice.