Low Bar Squats

wiigelec

Two really big and really strong fellas demonstrate and discuss the low bar squat:

https://youtu.be/8EyfgOpAilM

mreichard

I could never really get anywhere with high bar squats. I see people pushing big weights high bar and I admire it, but it just doesn’t compute for me. Low bar, I feel so much more balanced and stronger. I like the point about how you get up out of a chair - makes total sense to me.

Chieflrg

I agree with Stan. Either high bar or low bar squat is fine. Just gotta find what works best for you.

Building hopefully a optimal squat and/or deadlift should be based on individual antomical proportions and ability to produce force on a long term basis.

There is no clear cut "have to one style" as there is plenty examples of strength of both including hybrids in between.

Low bar doesn't recruited any more muscle motors than high bar and vise versa, just a slightly different ratio. It comes down to many variables and as long as you keep the bar over midfoot and practice adequate volume, frequency, and load management...there is success to be had.

wiigelec

It seems that the low bar uses the posterior chain muscles more in proportion to their relative size ie the glutes, hamstrings and adductors are larger than the quadriceps...

wiigelec

And of course there is the “vanity factor” where a lot of folks think big quads = strong legs and they don’t care about the glutes, hammies and adductors which are actually much stronger muscle groups...

Chieflrg

wiigelec wrote: »

It seems that the low bar uses the posterior chain muscles more in proportion to their relative size ie the glutes, hamstrings and adductors are larger than the quadriceps...

Yep. Low bar uses a different ratio of muscles but recruiters the same amount of muscle motors as a high bar.

So depending on a person's anatomical body proportions there "may" be a more advantagess style for that person based on that. Then again movement involving load should be customized to the individual for best results according to their goal.. Also generally it comes down to what they train more they will be better at.

I personally train high bar, low bar, and a hybrid. I train the hybrid 85% of the time for strength, so I'm stronger in relation to my 1RM with the hybrid. The low bar and high bar I program for hypertrophy or variations portions of my block so they are stronger in high reps because I train them in high reps more often.

People that are primarily focused on size of any muscle aren't focused on strength. I think we all experienced people who have huge muscles but aren't strong.

I've yet to encounter one person who had amazing quads and yet stated they didn't care about glutes, hammies, or abductors.
I've seen and trained people that had a goal that more quad development was a result of their training/goal and primary focus wasn't on strength of a full ROM squat.

wiigelec

A more horizontal back is the primary component of a low bar squat.

Anybody ever been training low bar and had a well meaning but ignorant individual say you were doing it wrong (bent over too far) and going to hurt yourself?

mreichard

wiigelec wrote: »

A more horizontal back is the primary component of a low bar squat.

Anybody ever been training low bar and had a well meaning but ignorant individual say you were doing it wrong (bent over too far) and going to hurt yourself?

Yes. I had a guy step into the rack behind me and try to start spotting me, then tell me I was doing it wrong. I asked if he’d heard of low bar squats, and he admitted he hadn’t. I very rarely work squats near failure, but If I do fail it’s never been an issue to set the bar down on the pins, so I kinda don’t get the whole spotting on squats thing - not something I’ve ever wanted or needed (especially since I’m not pushing big weights). Having a stranger jump in behind me was weird.