Squats: High Bar or Low Bar?

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Showcase_Brodown
Showcase_Brodown Posts: 919 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I started lifting back in spring, and of course I included squats in my routine. I went a long time not really knowing the difference between high bar and low bar placement. I have been doing high bar all along, which is fine, but last week I ran across both an article and a video from Mark Rippetoe explaining the low bar placement, and he has convinced me it is superior to high bar.

Supposedly you can recruit more hams and because of the leverage, you're able to lift more.

I tried the low bar placement out with a rod at home. The bar sits right below the "spine of the scapula" right on top of the posterior deltoid as your elbows are up. I found this little shelf to be more comfortable and natural than if the bar were sitting on my traps.

Tonight is squat night for me, so I'm going to give this a try. I was wondering how many of you are doing high/low bar and what the reasons are for your preference.

Replies

  • Showcase_Brodown
    Showcase_Brodown Posts: 919 Member
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    Bumpity bump.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    I don't think either is superior to the other. There are many factors such as height, flexibility, trap development, etc that affect how you squat. The combination of factors is different for everyone and you'll eventually gravitate to the style that suits you best.

    But kudos to you for experimenting with it. You may find that after a run with low bar, you'll decide high bar was for you after all, but you'll learn something from the attempt whatever you end up doing.

    ETA I'm a low-bar squatter, btw. But I think it suits my short-and-stout build.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    they are just two ways of doing it- I don't like either- I pick kind of a mid/high back- low bar squats actually gave me weird compression in my spine and my back hurt- form was on- had it reviewed by some squat experts- so I stopped doing it- no bad compression issues.

    Ultimately you have to experiment and figure out what works with your body. Mark Rippletoe is great- but he doesn't know your body- he cant' tell you what you are feeling and if it's right or wrong.
  • michaelmadonna
    michaelmadonna Posts: 105 Member
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    When I first started lifting with a trainer a couple of years ago I was shown the high bar placement, it was very uncomfortable for me, before I became more educated and before MFP I did the squats this way and even resorted to using a pad. It was still very uncomfortable. Now with the help of this site and research on form I found the low bar placement and I find it to be so much more comfortable, I've made a lot more strength gains with this placement and enjoy the exercise a lot more. If I hadn't found this I may have given up on squats altogether.

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