I never squat true low bar, it feels unstable. I have long femurs, and always use lifting shoes. Whilst it does allow more weight to be used (sometimes) it doesn't give the best growth result. You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. If low bar is the better option , like in my case, is there any reason to switch back? 300:330 … Low bar is much better for my build. Leg to height ratio to determine low/high bar squat I'm pretty sure I've got long legs. You can't really put a universal carry over number on it. Sign up for a new account in our community. If I had to guess based on what you just said, I’d say to get the most out of low-bar if you improved your shoulder/thoracic mobility for your chest caving, got your hips and groins real limber and possibly some hip abduction activation for getting depth, and probably more ham and low-back strength and muscle. In general, however, low bar will allow you to push more weight than high bar since you recruit more of the posterior chain muscles in a low bar squat: hamstrings, glutes, and abductors more (3 muscle groups) vs. just the quadriceps (1 muscle group). I squat low bar because a few people reviewed my form early on and said try low bar just to address issues and i did and preferred it straight away and now high feels weird. That’s why we can lift much heavier when compared to the high-bar style. If your goal is general lower body strength and hypertrophy, I recommend choosing whatever variation you feel more comfortable and stronger with . Glassbrook, DJ, Helms, ER, Brown, SR, and Storey, AG. When I first tried high bar (nearly two months ago) even 315 was a struggle. Raw powerlifting is a recent phenomenon and everyone used to compete equipped. The feet are shoulder-width apart with toes pointed slightly outward. Gotta start with wraps to. I doubt I got more than 10-20lbs from just getting my body stronger so I’m thinking that 30-40 of those lbs were from the transition. Nobody has received reputation this week. My best low bar without wraps was 425. Deciding Between Low-Bar vs. High-Bar Squats in Your Workout Although many of you may be keen to skip leg day all together , some avid gym goers do actually train legs. I look low bar as similar to the exaggerated arch guys use in bench. If you have a long torso and short femurs then high bar is better for you. To perform a “high bar” squat, you squeeze your shoulder blades together and set the barbell on the “shelf” created by your traps. This is the concept you need to understand in relation to high bar vs. low bar squatting. Low-Bar Back Squat -> High-Bar Back Squat -> Front Squat A few months ago, I came across a phenomenal explanation of the different squats in a 2008 publication written by Mark Rippetoe. High bar equals more quad growth imo and strength comes. Dan Green squats upright (and does front squat) for most of his training, only doing the low-bar style when preparing for a meet. If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to the Garage Gym Athlete podcast either on Stitcher, iTunes, or Google Play by using the link below: He said it was picked up Monday 13 days ago and then when we emailed last week on Wednesday asking for tracking number he said sorry about this we have switched courier companies and he would have a tracking number for me soon but either way it would be delivered last week. Actually i’m switching to low bar the last two months and haven’t maxed yet but curious to know your ratios. As far as your OP, that’s hard to say since the last time I max high barred was so many months ago, but it was 405, and 8 weeks later I got a 455 low bar. Across your traps, It can also sit on the back of your delts, which puts the bar a few centimeters lower than if it were sitting on top of the traps. However they are getting better. In the high bar squat, the athlete places the bar on top of the shoulder blades, where the neck and shoulders meet and maintain a much more upright posture when squatting.. Low Bar Squat Position. The difference between high bar and low bar squats. So I would assume it’s going to depend on whether the person primarily is a high bar or low bar squatter. A review of the biomechanical differences between the high-bar and low-bar back-squat. Glassbrook, DJ, Brown, SR, Helms, ER, Duncan, S, and Storey, AG. Man I wish I could low bar to test this I have less mobility than a car with no wheels. I wasnt sure if i should keep doing the high bar position but I need my quads to grow and they are a more stubborn muscle for me. Or what should the average difference be? Does the high bar squat refer to the Olympic squat? All you need to do is get comfortable with the low bar form. I feel more explosive coming up from the hole but i’m leaning forward sometimes and i’m working on keeping my chest up more and i can’t hit depth easily like high bar. 3SchnitzelsAday. 2018-01-13T09:02:36-06:00 By Dr. John Rusin | The Theoretical Advantages of High vs. Low Bar Squats. In the first post, I compared the positioning, mechanics, and utility of the high bar and low bar squats. Personally for me I'm not too sure mate Havnt really thought about testing it. The high-bar and low-bar back-squats: a biomechanical analysis. I'll do my working sets low bar, but my low bar is probably more like a mid bar cause I have mobility issues. Glassbrook, DJ, Brown, SR, Helms, ER, Duncan, S, and Storey, AG. When I first tried high bar (nearly two months ago) even 315 was a struggle. In the high-bar squat, the bar rests on your traps. This video actually helped me out a lot. Us guys who started low bar and have always done that could potentially be 100lbs down going high bar. If you stick with low, be sure to build up your core/lower back. He asked for pros and cons on high-bar vs. low-bar back squat. When I first tried high bar (nearly two months ago) even 315 was a struggle. The best way to do that is with a low bar squat. On a plus note high bar will help develope quads a lot better over time. Jerred and Joe go over their own opinions and then dive into two studies in order to give some concrete evidence on both of the squats! The best way to do that is with a low bar squat. High-Bar and Low-Bar Squats There tends to be an age-old argument about the high-bar and low-bar squat in regard to which is better. I re-read the post and felt the need to update some of the information. Whether it’s your quads, hamstrings, glutes, or calves, the cornerstone of any leg workout starts in the squat rack. You can use squats to build lower body muscle size, strength, or endurance, and they’re useful for burning fat too. - High – the bar is placed on the trapezius muscles. Everyone just tells me if I want to squat more I need to switch . Blasphemy! For me anyway. Someone like you who has always done high bar I would think you could at least get 25lbs out of it with a little practice. Pull yourself under the bar and trap it tight against your tops of your shoulders and back of your neck. Lets say not using wraps for arguments sake. Yeah god knows where the safety bar is . I am not sure what that would be for a low bar power squat. In short, the more muscle you’re using, the more muscle you’re developing.Additionally, the low-bar squat puts a great amount of stress on your posterior chain. No one cares what their high bar to low bar ratio is. Meanwhile, the low bar squat places the bar approximately three to four inches lower so that the bar sits right above the spine of the scapula. I will do any back off sets programmed into my workout high bar. Skeletor, June 13, 2015 in Powerlifting & strength. Low Bar Squat Photo: IU’s Hannah Altman . NZ's bodybuilding, strength and fitness community, Training ligaments to be prepared for high volume, Study: High Testosterone Makes Men More Honest. The number may not be much higher depending on the lifter’s core strength. It is widely regarded as a … Lon drew this series of squat styles to show the difference in the front squat, high bar squat, and low bar squat. Mine is 450 : ?? Then there's fronts and pauses to round it all off. The bar should be set around chest height. It's easy! A lot of times you’ll hear people cue high-bar squat placement by saying, “Use your traps to create a shelf for the bar.”The low-bar squat places the bar further down on the back across the spine of the scapula. While yes, anecdotally, most people can low bar squat 1RM about 10% more than their high bar squat, this really only matters if you are planning on competing in a powerlifting competition. J Strength Cond Res 33(7S): S1-S18, 2019-No previous study has compared the joint angle and ground reaction force (vertical force [Fv]) differences between the high-bar back-squat (HBBS) and low-bar back-squat (LBBS) above 90% 1 repetition maximum (1RM). I figure if you're long legged that the high bar squat is a better version to choose and vice versa. I only do a little over 300 full depth high bar squats for about 3 reps. Squatting in a high bar fashion with the torso upright and knee travel doesn't get as much out of a suit. Since you are supposedly able to squat a greater weight in low bar I was wondering what people's high to low difference is. J Strength Cond Res 31(9): 2618-2634, 2017-The back-squat is a common exercise in strength and conditioning for a variety of sports. Mine would vary wildly because I focus on high bar. This is why, for powerlifting, the low-bar squat is a platform favourite for most coaches and lifters. I've tried both and just don't like low bar. The Benefits of High-Bar Squat … High-bar squats are the most basic form of squatting and resemble a position stance used in general day to day living. 08-16-2017, 08:25 AM #5. By With the low-bar squat, the bar rests a few inches lower on your posterior deltoids or your mid-shoulder. Ed Coan squatted very upright compared to most powerlifters. My low to high is about 50kg difference favoring low. Looking forward to using it though hard out. What is your high bar : low bar squat ratio? Differs for everyone bro. Rippetoe is a regular author of the Strength and Conditioning Journal , the CrossFit Journal , and also the author of four books on strength. Just be sure to listen to your hips and shoulders if you start low-bar squatting frequently and respond appropriately. I just purchased the starting strength 3rd edition and have been practicing the low bar squat. I can and should work more high bar to decrease that gap but I just don't or cbf when I only have 30-60mins to train, just want to load up and go for it then gtfo. They are really good. The high bar vs. low bar squat: which one is best for you? It is obvious that the low-bar squat recruits more muscles than the other. Jumping in with a dumb question here .... Can someone please explain what the hell you're all talking about? Whatever you are training for, squats are one of the best exercises you can do. Having always been a high bar squatter ive just started to bring in low bar squats to my training with the goal of eventually switching to it permanently once I become fluid in the movement . Everyone has different leverages and they need to do what best suits them. As the names suggest, in the high bar squat, the bar sits higher up the back on the upper trapezius muscle. Athletes that are interested in improving their sprint performance and jump performance might benefit more from a High Bar Squat, than a Low Bar Squat. This may be negated with the momentum coming out of a full depth squat. That'll be the first thing to fail you with the placement of the weight. J Strength Cond Res 33(7S): S1–S18, 2019—No previous study has compared the joint angle and ground reaction force (vertical force [Fv]) differences between the high-bar back-squat (HBBS) and low-bar back-squat (LBBS) above 90% 1 repetition maximum (1RM). A couple of years ago I wrote “Low Bar vs High Bar Squat” and it is still one of the most visited, and argued, posts on this site. Yep, as big of a deal as people like to make about high bar versus low bar squats, the previous sentence sums up the one single difference that has spawned so much vitriol. 10kg? Look at the oly lifters. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled. Either way I like the variation, it keeps things fun. Note: I say "powerlifting squat" but a lot of the best powerlifters don't use this low-bar style. A cue often used for low-bar squat placement … Setting the bar too high or too low can force a lifter to put themselves in a dangerous position in order to un-rack and re-rack the weighted barbell. Once I switched, I felt like low bar was made for my body type lol. The myth of dogmatically squatting high bar or low bar based on solely on your goals or training type needs to be debunked. The high bar back squat and low bar back squat are very similar exercises, but there are a few key differences. - Low – the bar is placed 4-6 cm lower, on the level of the rear deltoid and shoulder joint center. I’ve done 385 Olympic style, no belt, no wraps, and 425 hybrid for a triple with wraps, no belt. All my squats are high bar and at the lowest maybe "high-mid" I am trying to work on it too as I believe the added leg drive low bar will give me will add more kegs to my max lift if I ever get to squat in a comp again haha! In the low bar squat (pictured right in the above image), the bar is moved down … Squatting in a high bar fashion with the torso upright and knee travel doesn't get as much out of a suit. In my training i have a glute specific day and another day for quads and hamstrings. There's only one place the bar goes when you squat as far as I know. Actually i’m switching to low bar the last two months and haven’t maxed yet but curious to know your ratios. [quote]csulli wrote: By pulling your shoulde… Short torso and long femurs then low bar is best. The high-bar squat has the bar lay on top of the shoulder, just below the C-7 vertebrate. With a raw squat, that doesn't come into play but it's still ingrained into the mind of powerlifters that you have to squat low bar if you're a powerlifter. 20kg? Oh good to know bro. csulli. December 14, 2015, 5:25pm #2. I struggle to choose which squat form I like the best – low-bar or ass to grass high-bar. But squats are still squats, and it does not matter where the bar is placed. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were approaching 5 plates very soon if you put a little time into low bar squatting. Those numbers are getting me more and more motivated! This is why most people are 5 – 10% stronger when they low bar squat. With any luck maybe more. Busting The High Bar vs Low Bar Squat Myth. 08-15-2017, 06:18 PM #4. k9pit. The high-bar and low-bar back-squats: a biomechanical analysis. The main differences between high and low bar squats High Bar Squat Position. The HIGH BAR SQUAT?!? One of the sources of the “internet-confusion” comes from the way Mark Riptoe teaches the squat — he teaches a ton of stuff that distinguishes the squat … One of the main differences between the low-bar and high-bar squat is bar placement on the back. As a movement pattern, the High Bar Back Squat can be classified as a squatting pattern, whilst the Low Bar Back Squat can be classified as a bending pattern or hinging pattern. The first part of successful barbell squats at the rack. With a raw squat, that doesn't come into play but it's still ingrained into the mind of powerlifters that you have to squat low bar if you're a powerlifter. If you opt for low-bar squats, then at first you’ll probably be able to move more weight than with high-bar squats—anywhere from 10 to 30 pounds, Collins says. It looks like most power lifters miss the rep when they lose their leverage in the mid point and start hunching over despite the legs still driving upward. For low bar squats, the bar is 2-3 inches farther down your back. What is your high bar : low bar squat ratio? Now that I’ve trained high bar a little bit I hit 385, but I haven’t tried low bar again since I started doing my squats high bar. Dr squat I think it was said that high bar was for building strength and low bar was for demonstrating it. But it wasn't . Illustration from Starting Strength, 2nd ed., reproduced with permission by The Aasgaard Company Front, High Bar, and Low Bar squats I pulled the above image from a CrossFit site, but it comes from Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore. Just kidding - learn how to high bar squat in this complete guide + get programming tips and helpful cues. A high bar squat is a back squat where the bar is placed high on the trapezius muscle across the top of the shoulders. The next step is to get the bar into the correct position on your back. When you wear a squat suit, the way to maximise carryover is to push your hips back while keeping your shins nearly vertical. My best low bar without wraps was 425. Now that I’ve trained high bar a little bit I hit 385, but I haven’t tried low bar again since I started doing my squats high bar. IE full depth below parallel? The great thing with high-bar, is the depth, and the way it carry over to, and reinforces a good receiving position in, the snatch and the C&J. I can hit depth much more easily, and feels much more comfortable. If you high bar, front squat to high bar is a better ratio to be concerned with. Therefore there are some details that athletes should take into consideration. In the high bar squat (pictured left in the above image), the bar is positioned to sit on the traps, the lifter is leaning forward slightly but remains vertical to keep the bar over the mid-foot. Or a high bar half depth squat akin to a bodybuilding style squat? When doing a low-bar squat, you have to shoot your hips back, thus, lengthening the hamstring. Building both if you can would make a more complete lifter. My best low bar without wraps was 425. In my experience and the experience of people I’ve trained around, low bar doesn’t build your high bar very well, but high bar will build your low bar. Because the barbell is 2 – 3 inches lower on your back during a low bar squat, the movement is more like having the 10lbs on your upper arm. Your Saftey squat bar you have coming will be like a super high bar squat. Also the preference for low bar in powerlifters comes from equipped lifting. There are just a few inches of difference, and it doesn’t change the movement that much — a squat is still a squat. Some of them have squats that would put the powerlifters to shame and they're all high bar.