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I know that what I am about to write will piss some people off, but I’m an old man, 66, and don’t have anything to lose.
I also know that many people will disagree with what I am about to say and it is certainly their right to disagree.
What I have to say is only one man’s opinion, but it’s the opinion of a man who’s been around the block a few times with this iron game.
Lately, from several sources, I have noticed that the so called ‘low bar’ squat is being taught as a legitimate way to perform an exercise
that many people (myself included) consider to be the best and most productive exercise that can be performed with a barbell.
This ‘low bar’ squat style seems to be particularly prevalent in some CrossFit circles.
I have also had people show up at my gym performing squats in this style after reading about it in a certain book.

I will start my argument by stating that after well over 50 years as a competitive lifter, coach, and gym owner, I have never seen a top-ranked bodybuilder, Olympic lifter, or serious track or football athlete doing low bar squats.
The squat movement, whether it be high bar full back squats, front squats, half or quarter squats, or Hatfield bar squats, to my mind, should be about developing and strengthening the quadriceps, as well as the glutes.
The high bar squat, when done properly, should not involve the hamstrings much at all.
These muscles should be developed with straight legged deadlifts and Good Mornings (always with the knees slightly unlocked)
as well as the various leg curling and glute ham gastroc movements.
The hamstrings are also strongly involved in Olympic lifting movements such as snatches, cleans, and pulls.

I can remember the first powerlifting meet held in Georgia at the old Butler Street YMCA in Atlanta in December 1965.
It drew a diverse crew of bodybuilders, Olympic lifters, and men who already considered themselves powerlifters.
As one can imagine, all kinds of squat styles were used.
A few years later virtually everyone at powerlifting meets were setting up with the bar half way down their deltoids, using a relatively wide foot stance and barely breaking parallel; and this is as it should have been.
Squatting in this style allows one to lift the most weight while staying within the parameters of the rules for the squat movement in competition.
In the old days at Coffee’s Gym in the 1980′s, the powerlifters would do high bar squats until about a month out from the competition, at which time they would put on their super suits, widen their foot stance, and set up with the bar half way down their shoulders.
Immediately they would squat 100-200 pounds more than they’d been doing on the high bar squat.
After the competition they’d go back to their high bar squat routine.

Not only did these men become very strong in the squat movement, they also possessed very good quadricep development.
In closing, I would like to say that most trainers should stick to high bar squats, front squats,
or squats with the Hatfield bar if it’s strong legs and good quadricep development you seek.
If it’s the posterior chain you want to strengthen and develop, stick with Romanian deadlifts, Good Mornings, Olympic lift movements, as well as hyperextensions and various leg curls.

The low bar squat is not an exercise for leg development; it’s a way of doing a strength feat that allows a man or woman to lift the most weight while staying within the rules for the lift, but it’s not a movement that those who wish to develop leg strength for sports or to improve the shape and appearance of their legs has any business doing.
If one wishes to develop real leg strength, every effort should be made to keep the torso upright when squatting.
When the torso is inclined forward, much of the effort is transferred to the butt, lower back, and hamstrings. This is not what we want.
I would also like to add that all squatting and pulling movements should be performed with the back strongly and rigidly arched.
In my opinion the very best test and developer of real leg strength is the full front squat with the back strongly arched.
The full high bar squat is not far behind. The low bar back squat is not even on the list.

John B. Coffee
USA Weightlifting Senior International Coach
 
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Nice.

A while back I was doing the low bar squat because of that certain book mentioned. Never like it. Hurt my knees and shoulders and just never felt right or like it was that beneficial. Back doing high bar squat for a couple years now and will never go back. The only way I see low bar squat being beneficial is on the platform at a powerlifting comp.
 
I am with you Darkoz

Apart from powerlifting, see no use at all for low bar squats.

for may training now, cleans (muscle), high bar squats, one arm kettlebell swings, stepups and lunges for me to condition my thighs.

And sprints
 
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It's strange, at Westside (well, at least the people I've met in the states that have trained at Westside) they teach that the only reason you would squat low bar is because you don't have the hip mobility to squat high bar and maintain an almost upright torso.
They point to the Chinese weightlifters as text book raw squatters, with knees out and torso upright
 
It's strange, at Westside (well, at least the people I've met in the states that have trained at Westside) they teach that the only reason you would squat low bar is because you don't have the hip mobility to squat high bar and maintain an almost upright torso.
They point to the Chinese weightlifters as text book raw squatters, with knees out and torso upright

I don't understand, what excactly are you referring to "as strange" G?
 
It's strange, at Westside (well, at least the people I've met in the states that have trained at Westside) they teach that the only reason you would squat low bar is because you don't have the hip mobility to squat high bar and maintain an almost upright torso.
They point to the Chinese weightlifters as text book raw squatters, with knees out and torso upright

It's strange that they think anyone squats with an upright torso, even doing wide ass house squats in 9 ply worth of gear. Stranger still that hip flexibility has anything to do with bar position.
 
High volume low bar squatting makes my deadlift skyrocket
You need to low bar squat, high bar squat and front squat ideally and be good at all of them. Leaving an exercise out of your arsenal is stupid
 
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