Squat rack too high?
IsaackGMOON
Posts: 3,358 Member
I'm following 5x5 Stronglifts so squatting is involved in every workout. At my gym there is 1 squat rack, it's got fixed safety bars and fixed pins, I'm pretty sure its this one:
I use the 2nd highest pins on the rack, it was all good until now. When I stand up to the bar on the 2nd highest pins, the bar is somewhere near my collar bone and my chin, I actually can't remember what its closest too.
I understand that the bar has to be somewhere near the shoulders, its a real pain to get the bar out because I'm too short for the rack. I either have to struggle and tip toe out which just seems scary, or put the bar in an awkward spot on my shoulders which throws my form off.
Any ways to combat this? there are only 2 other gyms where I live, both are £60 a month.. which I'm not prepared to pay at all. I tried using plates to step out with, but they put me too high above the bar.
-Struggles of being in between sizes
I use the 2nd highest pins on the rack, it was all good until now. When I stand up to the bar on the 2nd highest pins, the bar is somewhere near my collar bone and my chin, I actually can't remember what its closest too.
I understand that the bar has to be somewhere near the shoulders, its a real pain to get the bar out because I'm too short for the rack. I either have to struggle and tip toe out which just seems scary, or put the bar in an awkward spot on my shoulders which throws my form off.
Any ways to combat this? there are only 2 other gyms where I live, both are £60 a month.. which I'm not prepared to pay at all. I tried using plates to step out with, but they put me too high above the bar.
-Struggles of being in between sizes
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Replies
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Go for the lower one and just get used to unracking from a slightly shorter stance.
Never go for the higher one.0 -
Are there any shallow boxes or platforms you could use to stand on while using the rack?0
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Go for the lower one and just get used to unracking from a slightly shorter stance.
Never go for the higher one.
Duh I'm such a dweeb. I'll definitely go for this, thank you!Are there any shallow boxes or platforms you could use to stand on while using the rack?
Nope, there are these reebok platforms, but they elevate you a lot.Mycophilia wrote: »
Thank you again
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Are there any shallow boxes or platforms you could use to stand on while using the rack?
That's probably a bad idea- the last thing you want with heavy weight on your back is to be standing on a potentially unstable surface. Especially since you're going to be walking the weight back out of the rack in order to give yourself adequate room to squat without hitting the rack.
As to the original question, never, ever, rack the bar in a position where you need to essentially do a standing calf raise in order to un-rack or re-rack the bar. This is incredibly dangerous and should be avoided at all costs.0 -
Mayor_West wrote: »Are there any shallow boxes or platforms you could use to stand on while using the rack?
That's probably a bad idea- the last thing you want with heavy weight on your back is to be standing on a potentially unstable surface. Especially since you're going to be walking the weight back out of the rack in order to give yourself adequate room to squat without hitting the rack.
As to the original question, never, ever, rack the bar in a position where you need to essentially do a standing calf raise in order to un-rack or re-rack the bar. This is incredibly dangerous and should be avoided at all costs.
Yeah, I envisioned someone trying to tip toe the bar out and just falling backwards.0 -
it's not fun trying to tip toe out your body weight or more on the bar in squats. 0 -
This is a bad idea.Are there any shallow boxes or platforms you could use to stand on while using the rack?
You can probably *ish* get away with it for unracking- although the odds of being pulled backward by the weight are obviously high.
But if you watch any video of anyone with any weight- you can watch them stagger forward to drop the weight- you miss the box you're going to launch yourself face first into the mirror and the bar probably won't catch and will bounce on the safety rails- worst case either snapping the bar- or bouncing off with some force and rolling into someone else.
Nope nope nope nope nope nope.
Just un-rack from the shorter height.
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Definitely do it from the lower. I'm the same. I'm short (5'2), and the racks at my gym aren't quite perfect for me either. I use the lower rack, and squat a bit when racking/un-racking the bar.0
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yopeeps025 wrote: » it's not fun trying to tip toe out your body weight or more on the bar in squats.
Ha, I can see why
I'm getting near that bodyweight squat, it's all that I neeeeeeed
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This is a bad idea.Are there any shallow boxes or platforms you could use to stand on while using the rack?
You can probably *ish* get away with it for unracking- although the odds of being pulled backward by the weight are obviously high.
But if you watch any video of anyone with any weight- you can watch them stagger forward to drop the weight- you miss the box you're going to launch yourself face first into the mirror and the bar probably won't catch and will bounce on the safety rails- worst case either snapping the bar- or bouncing off with some force and rolling into someone else.
Nope nope nope nope nope nope.
Just un-rack from the shorter height.
I will definitely do this0 -
IsaackGMOON wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: » it's not fun trying to tip toe out your body weight or more on the bar in squats.
Ha, I can see why I'm getting near that bodyweight squat, it's all that I neeeeeeed
Are you able to reach depth on that squat rack? Sometimes I can't which I hate because I have to lower the weight since I will be stepping out beyond that safety level.
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yopeeps025 wrote: »IsaackGMOON wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: » it's not fun trying to tip toe out your body weight or more on the bar in squats.
Ha, I can see why I'm getting near that bodyweight squat, it's all that I neeeeeeed
Are you able to reach depth on that squat rack? Sometimes I can't which I hate because I have to lower the weight since I will be stepping out beyond that safety level.
Luckily I can, I know there are some guys which are too tall for it and have to step out to get proper depth. Really does suck that the gym didn't invest in some power racks instead of a fixed squat rack.0 -
IsaackGMOON wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »IsaackGMOON wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: » it's not fun trying to tip toe out your body weight or more on the bar in squats.
Ha, I can see why I'm getting near that bodyweight squat, it's all that I neeeeeeed
Are you able to reach depth on that squat rack? Sometimes I can't which I hate because I have to lower the weight since I will be stepping out beyond that safety level.
Luckily I can, I know there are some guys which are too tall for it and have to step out to get proper depth. Really does suck that the gym didn't invest in some power racks instead of a fixed squat rack.
Well at that point I usually do slower + pause reps with the lower weight. That like the best option I have at that point.
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IsaackGMOON wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »IsaackGMOON wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: » it's not fun trying to tip toe out your body weight or more on the bar in squats.
Ha, I can see why I'm getting near that bodyweight squat, it's all that I neeeeeeed
Are you able to reach depth on that squat rack? Sometimes I can't which I hate because I have to lower the weight since I will be stepping out beyond that safety level.
Luckily I can, I know there are some guys which are too tall for it and have to step out to get proper depth. Really does suck that the gym didn't invest in some power racks instead of a fixed squat rack.
This is me; I have to squat behind the rack because the supports are too tall. We have one power rack, so I usually try to squat in that (but of course it's too short for OHP, so 5x5 was always a pain in the butt to run).
Also, using the lower support shouldn't put the bar in an awkward spot on your back. Bend your knees I put the bar into place, and then just stand up. 0 -
Sorry for that bad information. What I had envisioned didn't match up with what I typed. I was picturing a low, very wide and deep platform a couple of inches high, maybe a couple of sheets of plywood stacked. Definitely nothing unstable or limiting in the area you'd work.
I appreciate the feedback and definitely see where I wasn't nearly as clear as I could have been.
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My gym has just bought 2 of those same racks and hardly anyone uses them. These new racks nowadays suck. Must be cheaper in cost. I see a lot of people doing smith racks more often. You can consider leg press also. Just a suggestion. Dont use a platform. Very dangerous.0
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Platform shoes.0
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mattyc772014 wrote: »My gym has just bought 2 of those same racks and hardly anyone uses them. These new racks nowadays suck. Must be cheaper in cost. I see a lot of people doing smith racks more often. You can consider leg press also. Just a suggestion. Dont use a platform. Very dangerous.
Smith MACHINE and leg press aren't as beneficial. at all.
And that other person was suggesting like an aerobic step to stand on.
a full on, built out platform is perfectly safe.
rack with platform:
previous suggestion for "platform":
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lishie_rebooted wrote: »mattyc772014 wrote: »My gym has just bought 2 of those same racks and hardly anyone uses them. These new racks nowadays suck. Must be cheaper in cost. I see a lot of people doing smith racks more often. You can consider leg press also. Just a suggestion. Dont use a platform. Very dangerous.
Smith MACHINE and leg press aren't as beneficial. at all.
And that other person was suggesting like an aerobic step to stand on.
a full on, built out platform is perfectly safe.
rack with platform:
previous suggestion for "platform":
nods nods nods0 -
Riggghhttt, I tried trying the 3rd safety pin instead of the 2nd. It's a bit awkward, I'm having to squat down to about half way, and then raise slightly so I don't hit the 2nd safety pin, then do the squats, and then come back in for a smooth landing without smashing the bar on the 2nd safety pin.
Bit more complex but I guess it works.0 -
IsaackGMOON wrote: »Riggghhttt, I tried trying the 3rd safety pin instead of the 2nd. It's a bit awkward, I'm having to squat down to about half way, and then raise slightly so I don't hit the 2nd safety pin, then do the squats, and then come back in for a smooth landing without smashing the bar on the 2nd safety pin.
Bit more complex but I guess it works.
Better than tip toeing out?
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You'll get used to it. Consider it lazy agility training. Or something...0
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IsaackGMOON wrote: »Riggghhttt, I tried trying the 3rd safety pin instead of the 2nd. It's a bit awkward, I'm having to squat down to about half way, and then raise slightly so I don't hit the 2nd safety pin, then do the squats, and then come back in for a smooth landing without smashing the bar on the 2nd safety pin.
Bit more complex but I guess it works.
better than biffing it with a pin setting that's to high.
Welcome to the reality of squatting. Hundreds of people deal with the miss- matched height- you aren't the only one.0 -
I need to grow 2 more inches
(( 0
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