RE: my posts regarding bar position for low bar squats!
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irridia
Posts: 527 Member
So I'm a PhysioTard. The idea of holding the bar at just above bra strap level is impossible, unless maybe you are a yoga maven and even then I wouldn't recommend it for anything involving weights, let alone heavy weights! This is what happens when you try to picture stuff in your head.
To be fair, the position for me is right about where my racerback bra strap starts to make the U.
DOH!
To be fair, the position for me is right about where my racerback bra strap starts to make the U.
DOH!
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Replies
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Have you tried changing your grip to thumbs on top of the bar, instead of gripping the bar between? That seemed to help me.0
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Like someone else said, our guy friends are reading this and really want to help. But this is a group for girls. I received the following comment from JDMPWR.She talks about low bar position. IMO the racerback location she speaks of should be fine. Too low and it defeats the purpose and put all the weight on the wrists which can be very bad if you lose gripstrength on the bar.
to achieve a lower bar location, which some have issues with do to shoulder/ medial Rotator flexibility it is good to do some of these stretches beforehand to gain the lower bar location that is needed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scBJWKbUGX0
This will help stretch out the shoulder and upper lats and will allow to bring the bar back and get a lower bar placement.
Hope this helps her.0 -
I am using thumbless, reasonably if I were not so restricted in the shoulders, i.e. had full proper/normal ROM, I should be able to get the bar to about mid shoulder blades, my bra strap hits under my shoulder blades (pretty much right on t12) and I don't think that is even physically possible for someone not bound up in the shoulders... I could be wrong on that but I don't think so.
Shoulders are starting to get a little less crunchity, but I need to be more dilligent about my shoulder exercises (for ROM, no weights involved)0 -
I definitely don't hold the bar as low as my bra strap. It’s painful enough where it’s at! I’m still figuring out how to not bend my wrists back with the thumbless grip though. *kitten* is heavy.0
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I just switched to low bar (and tried to convince my lifting partner to do the same but he's not having it). I find if I lean forward a little even at the top of the lift this helps, so that my hands aren't supporting anything.0
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i am using a low bar form, but not nearly as low as a bra strap would sit - that seems too low.
i find that the bar sits quite comfortably across the back of my shoulder blades, just above the scapula. i tend to rest the bar on the base of my palms vs. gripping it with my hand. my fingers are all free - in fact, as i push upward at a heavy weight apparently i outstretch all my fingers (this freaked my husband out the first time, he thought i was asking for help, haha!)
prior to squatting i find dynamic stretching (vs. static) to be most helpful for me - yeah, i may look kinda silly, but honestly, my squat form is better than 90% of the guys in the gym so i really don't care.
good luck!0 -
I initially had no idea about bar position, after some trial and error I have found the low bar position to be better for me. Here are some pictures of bar position that I found helpful.
Low bar position:
High bar position:
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Helpful photos, thanks! I didn't realize there was a choice in SL5x5 -- I was getting high and low mixed up with front and back. I now see that i am doing low bar squats too.0
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very nice pics indeed. Would love to hear more about dynamic stretching, and yea I'm definately and idiot normal bra strap level is , I'm certain physically impossible, or at the very least gonna cause problems. :blushing:0
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Ugh...I still can't squat because of the pain in my hip flexor area. I'm thinking I might have to come back to this program at a later date when I can actually do the squats. I don't want to keep doing them and injure myself even more.0
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Ugh...I still can't squat because of the pain in my hip flexor area. I'm thinking I might have to come back to this program at a later date when I can actually do the squats. I don't want to keep doing them and injure myself even more.
if you can afford to, check with a doc or even a massage thereapist, you might have the same issue I do which is overdeveloped piriformis muscle and over tightened Quadratus lumborum ( one of the hip flexors). Weak Psoas and transverse abdominus are often the cause. Psoas by a bellydancing workshop instructor I had was also referred to as the "Usher" mucle. Think sexy man abs.
Mine are currently killing me, mostly from sitting which I did a lot of extra over the last two weeks due to traveling more than normal.
A good test is to stand in your normal posture. Now flex your abs like you are trying to bring your crotch up to your belly button and hold it and evaluate: Do your hips feel better? If you maintain this position and walk does it feel like your movement is looser? Look up all the stretches you can find for the Quadratus and the Piriformis respectively if the answer to the above questions are yes.
I'm kind of wondering if I need to stretch between my warmup squats and my working ones and then again after and one more time after I'm done for the day. Oh and get an exercise band and wrap it around your knees as you are sitting, hold your lower abs in and then try to pull the band apart. My left hip has actually come out of the socket before. This movement should strengthen the muscles that hold it in place as well as push them in and I think it counters what squats do, If anyone knows different please advise!0
