Holding squat bar?

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3AAnn3
3AAnn3 Posts: 3,055 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I probably have the most narrow shoulders of any adult woman. I have been using the bar to squat with at the gym and I really have no idea what I'm doing. I've watched a few youtube videos on how to do it and think I'm mirroring it properly, but it causes a bit of pain and popping in my collar bone afterwards. Any advice on how to properly hold the bar when squatting?

Replies

  • starakamala
    starakamala Posts: 1 Member
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    a physio is probably best person to help you there. pain is not good!
  • Leslierussell4134
    Leslierussell4134 Posts: 376 Member
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    I use the shoulder attachment that clips onto the bar and rests across my traps. It makes a huge different, the bar alone always hurt my bone. The place I work out at has one and I just wipe it down before and after. You could alternatively use a thick towel across your back before resting the bar.
  • Walter__
    Walter__ Posts: 518 Member
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    You're feeling pain on your collar bone? Are you front squatting?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    walterc7 wrote: »
    You're feeling pain on your collar bone? Are you front squatting?

  • 3AAnn3
    3AAnn3 Posts: 3,055 Member
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    Not front squatting. Just traditional squats. I did have a collar bone injury about 5 years ago and it'll pop and hurt from time to time.
  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
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    Are you keeping your forearms as close to vertical (up and down) as possible? I kept angling my arms at the beginning. I could maybe see that putting weird pressure on my chest/collarbone area. The other thing is if you are maybe leaning forward too much, especially as you come up?

    @Leslierussell4134 - I had the same issue with the bar across bone in the beginning, to the point where it had scraped the skin and was drawing blood! I just worked through it, did a lot of sets of 3 because that was as much as I could tolerate at one time, and it's gotten a lot better in just three weeks. (I don't feel safe using anything more than my T-shirt between me and the bar.)
  • Leslierussell4134
    Leslierussell4134 Posts: 376 Member
    edited June 2015
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    cheshirecatastrophe wrote: »
    Are you keeping your forearms as close to vertical (up and down) as possible? I kept angling my arms at the beginning. I could maybe see that putting weird pressure on my chest/collarbone area. The other thing is if you are maybe leaning forward too much, especially as you come up?

    @Leslierussell4134 - I had the same issue with the bar across bone in the beginning, to the point where it had scraped the skin and was drawing blood! I just worked through it, did a lot of sets of 3 because that was as much as I could tolerate at one time, and it's gotten a lot better in just three weeks. (I don't feel safe using anything more than my T-shirt between me and the bar.)

    You're tough, I definitely don't want to scab ouchy lol. I totally understand not wanting anything between you and the bar, safety reasons. I typically don't lift heavy weights anymore (usually no more than I weigh) and if I do its on an assisted rack. I've had 2 knee surgeries the assisted just feels safer.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    edited June 2015
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    I may be mistaken, but it kind of sounds like a shoulder mobility issue.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iiKibqIQ20
  • Tortitudekitty
    Tortitudekitty Posts: 67 Member
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    LolBroScience wrote: »
    I may be mistaken, but it kind of sounds like a shoulder mobility issue.
    Oh, that's me.....it really does my head in because the barbell squat I cannot do due to limited shoulder flexibility and I have to make do with goblet squats.
    Front barbell just doesn't appeal.
    Rubbish joint flexibility ever since I had adhesive capsulitis ("frozen shoulder") in both shoulders around 3 years ago. Horrible. Took nearly 10 months before I could even pull on a t-shirt properly or even brush my hair :s . Hubby had to help me dress like as if I was a small kid, lol!

    One of the trainers has me doing exercises that look like a cross between canoeing and kendo moves to try and get some flex back again.

    In time in time. :)

  • 3AAnn3
    3AAnn3 Posts: 3,055 Member
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    So sorry to hear that tortitudekitty! Bleh! I think I probably should hire a trainer too. But I seriously can't commit to a time. I just do it whenever the kids aren't nutso and I have a free moment.
    I used to be "hypermobile" but a lot of areas to seem really tight, shoulders included.

    LolBroScience wrote: »
    I may be mistaken, but it kind of sounds like a shoulder mobility issue.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iiKibqIQ20

    Ya, I would venture to say that you're right. So I need to find some exercises that will increase shoulder mobility. Should I avoid using the bar till the area becomes more mobile and there's no more pain?

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