Low Bar Squats vs. High Bar Squats

So, I did 315 lbs x 2 reps x 2 sets High Bar Squats. This bloke said something about them on another board:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiknskreem Have you considered switching to low bar squats? Looks like you've got a little bit of sitting back and hip drive going on, but its kind of a fruitless pursuit with the high bar. As well, looks like your wrists are pretty extended.... start with that thumb up on top of the bar, get those elbows up and back, get them wrists straight.

I asked the other members of the site and Eric what he thought...

ERIC:

I think most people don't know SQUAT about squat. The bar position is just the bar position. People have gotten SO damned confused with all the different powerlifting groups and their "styles". All this sitting back versus "something else" is SO beside the point. The basic squat technique doesn't change, wherever you place the bar. The torso incline changes, the mechanics change as a result, etc...but the technique, in it's fundamentals is the same. People change their squatting styles to get the most out of their gear but that is SO beside the point. You can do low bar squats sometimes, you can do high bar...you can do something in between. That will change the angles. How low you can go, etc. Different stance widths will play into that as well.

What you are doing at this point and time, for this program is fine. People just want you to do what THEY do. It makes them feel more sercure. LOL, I personally don't tell you to do everything I do because a lot of what I do wouldn't be appropriate for you (although that has nothing to do with low bar versus high bar).

Getting the hands all wide and the elbows back is not the way most people will want to squat.

You notice how when you are ascending you start to lose that thoracic extension and the shoulders come down with the thoracic rounding? Making it that much harder to keep that lower back straight? Well, you put the shoulders BACK that's going to get worse. Put the shoulders back more you shove the chest and head forward.

Now, it aint so bad to get that thoracic rounding a bit with the heavy stuff. That's one of the reasons we work on our T-Spine flexibilty and beef up our mid and upper backs. But you want to endevour to avoid it when you can.

People really need to stop thinking that everything that powerlifters do applies to everybody. That's a new trend that has become exceptable. Yet if you think everything that applies to PRO bodybuilders applies to you you'll have forum people setting you straight, lol. You're dong what Max Strenght calls for. Hey, tell them to e-mail EC with their recommendations. He loves to own people.

No doubt, of course, that now we will see some youtube videos posted.

Just to be clear I am not saying there is something evil about low bar squats. I DO low bar squats. As well as high bar. There is just no sense, however, in people running around telling everyone they need to "switch" to low bar. It's just silly.




There your three basic basic postions. They are kept at the same height for illustration purpose but you imagine that is the same guy doing all three. All that has changed is what has to happen to get the bar in the center of gravity or whatever. The line down the middle tells you everything.

Anything else is done ON PURPOSE. It is an intentional alteration and it has nothing to do with "correct" or "optimal" or any of that. At least as for as "strength" is concerned. As far as numbers...powerlifters do what they need to do to get the biggest numbers. I know there is a lot of "marketing" out there saying otherwise.

BTW, we mentioned EC..the guy is a record setting powerlifter. He straddles both worlds. As a "performance enhancement coach" which is sort of the new term of strength and conditioning coach, lol AND as a powerlifter. He doesn't have all his people doing low bar squats. WTF? You mean just because he's a powerlifter doesn't mean he has everybody become his clone?! How can that be. Fact is the guy hardly uses back squats at all.

Bottom line to me:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anuj am I in the green or not?

You're ok. You're bring your shoulder blades together, etc...

Technically the heavy squat weight was a bit to high. Definitely get in those technique days.

Other than that...looking good.

VIDEOS:

Squat Set 1: 315 lbs x 2 reps

Squat Set 2: 315 lbs x 2 reps