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- Low bar squat is not an exercise -
Goosey
.
It's amazing, really.
Timeah
Captain Kunce
I agree with the OP.
If I was not interested in powerlifting, I dont think I would be low bar squatting.
My quads have always lagged behind doing nothing but low bar. In the past few months, adding millions of front squats, high bar and paused squats has seen good improvements in this area already...low bar has never done much for them. My hammies and glutes on the otherhand
Tim.
If I was not interested in powerlifting, I dont think I would be low bar squatting.
My quads have always lagged behind doing nothing but low bar. In the past few months, adding millions of front squats, high bar and paused squats has seen good improvements in this area already...low bar has never done much for them. My hammies and glutes on the otherhand
Tim.
Goosey
.
How dare you
I know, I don't know what I was thinking.....sorry...
taurus
Well-known member
lol
Given that I've actually gone to a meet, and seen actual powerlifters squatting, and I given that I'm an actual powerlifter, I always wonder what people, who inevitably aren't powerlifters, mean when they talk about a "powerlifting squat".
Even if you only watch videos online it's quite easy to see that not only does stance width and knee travel vary, but also bar position. Also, even if you only look at low bar squats, you can still see plenty of variation.
There is so much more that goes into a squat than bar position that talking about "low bar" and "high bar" squats like they're some sort of polar opposites is essentially useless.
A tip: If your leg development from squatting is terrible, you're probably not using enough weight. If you squat like a 60kg woman, that's the leg development you're going to get.
Even if you only watch videos online it's quite easy to see that not only does stance width and knee travel vary, but also bar position. Also, even if you only look at low bar squats, you can still see plenty of variation.
There is so much more that goes into a squat than bar position that talking about "low bar" and "high bar" squats like they're some sort of polar opposites is essentially useless.
A tip: If your leg development from squatting is terrible, you're probably not using enough weight. If you squat like a 60kg woman, that's the leg development you're going to get.
TrentZor
Member
Why not do both?
I wont go into why people should "choose one over the other"
The guys at the gym currently running cube for example do all variations of the squat.
i.e Close stance one day on dynamic effort then comp squat low bar another for triples.
Most add 15+ kg per full cycle raw to their squats. Quads look noticeably Bigger too.
Covers most weaknesses.
I wont go into why people should "choose one over the other"
The guys at the gym currently running cube for example do all variations of the squat.
i.e Close stance one day on dynamic effort then comp squat low bar another for triples.
Most add 15+ kg per full cycle raw to their squats. Quads look noticeably Bigger too.
Covers most weaknesses.
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Goosey
.
Over the years I've spoken to many of the old timers, whom I received most of my information from and guidance.
Most of these blokes used the squat as the key-stone to their strength biulding workouts, all used primarily as a lower body workout, most squatted two to three times a week.
The most common template used was the 10,8,6 rep set-up.
These bloke never argued where the bar should rest, they Just did the squat.
If a trainee has long legs and a short torso, and you place the bar on the "higher" traditional position, (if you are doing this exercise correctly) there will be a tendency to lean forward, the more forward lean the more the lower back gets involved, which means the lower back needs to work much harder to maintain stability, and fatigues rapidly, very quickly.
If one moves the bar down further, it quickly changes the mechanics of the squat.
If your aim is to further strengthen the legs and hip, then the front squat or leg-press and or leg extensions are a better option.
If you use the leg-press, your feet need to be placed in the right position and the foot plates and the foot plates really need to act independently to reduced the risk of complications to hip and lower back problems down the track.
Complicated.
My advice is to place the bar where it feels most comfortable, a position that enables you to squat, squat proggressively.
Workouts are for the purpose of building size and strength, not for the purpose of demonstrating strength
Most of these blokes used the squat as the key-stone to their strength biulding workouts, all used primarily as a lower body workout, most squatted two to three times a week.
The most common template used was the 10,8,6 rep set-up.
These bloke never argued where the bar should rest, they Just did the squat.
If a trainee has long legs and a short torso, and you place the bar on the "higher" traditional position, (if you are doing this exercise correctly) there will be a tendency to lean forward, the more forward lean the more the lower back gets involved, which means the lower back needs to work much harder to maintain stability, and fatigues rapidly, very quickly.
If one moves the bar down further, it quickly changes the mechanics of the squat.
If your aim is to further strengthen the legs and hip, then the front squat or leg-press and or leg extensions are a better option.
If you use the leg-press, your feet need to be placed in the right position and the foot plates and the foot plates really need to act independently to reduced the risk of complications to hip and lower back problems down the track.
Complicated.
My advice is to place the bar where it feels most comfortable, a position that enables you to squat, squat proggressively.
Workouts are for the purpose of building size and strength, not for the purpose of demonstrating strength
Does rip get taken out of context? Its a beg's prog, which I see as a guide and then you move on. Having said that he seems quite convinced that LB is the missing link for oly lifters.
For me its about using the right exercise to achieve ur goal. I think Dan Green (FREAK!) HB & FS as he recognised he needed quads to get out of the hole, which had been a sticking point.
I still haven't worked out the best way to squat,for me, I just try to be upright hit a depth that is comfortable and maintain a straight bar path.
For me its about using the right exercise to achieve ur goal. I think Dan Green (FREAK!) HB & FS as he recognised he needed quads to get out of the hole, which had been a sticking point.
I still haven't worked out the best way to squat,for me, I just try to be upright hit a depth that is comfortable and maintain a straight bar path.
spartacus
Well-known member
I don't think anyone is denying the importance of specificity or variation for powerlifters in terms of how they squat.
This logical: training variation may depends on skill, anatomy and weakness of each powerlifter, as it would for any sport.
Debate, for myself, more about general conditioning for non-powerlifting sports; whether best to high bar or low bar.
As I suggested, for say sprinting, I would do recommend high-bar, but it would be just one of many equally important leg exercises.
For example, I have been squatting for 30 years. apart from the fact I was never dedicated enough to get to right my bodyweight, my reasonable lifts were achieved mostly relied on lower back to get weight up. I am sure i would have got better results if I had squatted lighter, using legs more, and focused more on setups and lunges to develop my thighs rather than a strong lower back.
This logical: training variation may depends on skill, anatomy and weakness of each powerlifter, as it would for any sport.
Debate, for myself, more about general conditioning for non-powerlifting sports; whether best to high bar or low bar.
As I suggested, for say sprinting, I would do recommend high-bar, but it would be just one of many equally important leg exercises.
For example, I have been squatting for 30 years. apart from the fact I was never dedicated enough to get to right my bodyweight, my reasonable lifts were achieved mostly relied on lower back to get weight up. I am sure i would have got better results if I had squatted lighter, using legs more, and focused more on setups and lunges to develop my thighs rather than a strong lower back.
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Okay...
Yes, in particular by people who have never read his books, but still want to talk about them anyway. Rip argues that American lifters should low bar squat. Whenever someone posts a video of some European lifter high bar squatting +300kg he never says they should be low bar squatting. Because they don't need to.
The thing is, which a few posters in this thread seem to be getting at, is that it is more important that you squat heavy and to depth with good form than how you squat. But in particular, squat heavy. If you're not in the strength sports, having about twice your bodyweight on the bar is just about right.
Goosey
.
I reckon
DanielPhung
New member
Do whichever you like doing more. In the end, its what gets you under the bar to lift. As long as u increase the weight consistently, you will be fine!
0ni
Registered Rustler
I was that way as well until I started doing tonnes of front squats and now I feel it more in my legs while I am grinding the rep