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squat bar path

S

shiftyex

New member
i've noticed that as i descend, the bar moves forward and is not vertical (probably why my quad tendon has been hurting!!). my hips bend first as i try sit back more and it looks like that is moving the bar forward straight away.

squatting low bar and i use the nike romaleos 2 shoes as well.

sorry dont' have the video uploaded. any suggestions on how to fix?
 
shiftyex said:
i've noticed that as i descend, the bar moves forward and is not vertical (probably why my quad tendon has been hurting!!). my hips bend first as i try sit back more and it looks like that is moving the bar forward straight away.

squatting low bar and i use the nike romaleos 2 shoes as well.

sorry dont' have the video uploaded. any suggestions on how to fix?
Click to expand...

low bar will make you bend more at the hips due to gravity mate, not loads more but it still does. When i have been doing low bar i use a flat shoe like a converse all star and if i do high bar i use a healed shoe like a lifting shoe.

When you sit back on a low bar squat it reduces ankle dorsi-flexion and it has to counteract that some how so it happens at the waist. try and get the video uploaded so we can take a look.
 
How much weight on the bar?
How many sets?
How many rep's per set?
How long between sets?
How old are you?
How long have you been squatting?
 
Silverback said:
How much weight on the bar?
How many sets?
How many rep's per set?
How long between sets?
How old are you?
How long have you been squatting?
Click to expand...

Are you suggesting that any of these parameters would affect the bar path's trajectory?

Squat trajectory should always be vertical like a plumb drop or mimic the graceful fall of a shit squeezed from a two storey balcony on a calm windless sunday morning.

If it isn't then take a plate off, check that the ankle and hip mobility isn't a limiting factor, try again.
 
Jungman said:
Are you suggesting that any of these parameters would affect the bar path's trajectory?

Squat trajectory should always be vertical like a plumb drop or mimic the graceful fall of a shit squeezed from a two storey balcony on a calm windless sunday morning.

If it isn't then take a plate off, check that the ankle and hip mobility isn't a limiting factor, try again.
Click to expand...
Jungman, can you suggest to me how it's physically possible to keep the bar path vertical while doing low bar squats and breaking at the hip?
 
Ok if you're not keen to provide answers....

Rather than worrying about which way the bar is traveling and where your hip is, concern yourself with where all the action is, this is the spot where the bar rests.
 
Darkoz said:
Jungman, can you suggest to me how it's physically possible to keep the bar path vertical while doing low bar squats and breaking at the hip?
Click to expand...

Short answer - unlock the knees when you break at the hip.

If we want to venture beyond the layman then I would say that the bar will never travel in a perfectly straight line but its path should still be centered over your feet. If the bar is out over your toes then there is too much forward lean. However, keep the torso overly upright you'd lose balance since the bar would be too far behind midfoot.

I got the plumb analogy from Dave Tates Free Squat Manual. I think it is a good read.
 
Squat_Bar_Placement1[1].jpg

You say the bar moves forward. Do you mean to say that your chest drops forward instead, because the bar doesn't move anywhere, it's we moving with the bar fixed in a particular position on our body.

The second aspect to squatting I'd like people to make note of is the following. Do not be alarmed if you see someone's chest dropping forward compared to you or others you see squatting with more of a chest up position. I'm referring to the back squat here. That person in comparison to you could have the following: long legs/long femur, short torso, and that causes more tilting forward with more cantilever. You on the other hand squatting with more of what looks more right to everyone watching you with your chest in less of tilt forward position, you would have a short femur with short legs and a long torso, opposite to our earlier friend.

So in short, go ahead and tilt forward if your physical differences allow you to do so, as long as you keep two things in mind: 1) keeping your lower back straight as opposed to rounding it, and 2) make sure that the bar is lined up with the centre of your foot from start to finish whilst squatting as you see in that image above.
 
Jungman said:
Short answer - unlock the knees when you break at the hip.

If we want to venture beyond the layman then I would say that the bar will never travel in a perfectly straight line but its path should still be centered over your feet. If the bar is out over your toes then there is too much forward lean. However, keep the torso overly upright you'd lose balance since the bar would be too far behind midfoot.

I got the plumb analogy from Dave Tates Free Squat Manual. I think it is a good read.
Click to expand...
Three things here
firstly the very act of having the bar low on your back will cause you to lean forward more than high bar squats
Secondly, low bar will make you stick your bum out more and that will also force you to lean forward more
Thirdly, repeatedly doing low bar over a period of time is a good way to fuck up your shoulders.
 
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Obviously if you compare the low bar to other squat variations than those 3 points are totally valid. That's why I like to mix it up and do front squats as well, and dare I say it - overhead squats.

I am not convinced that the shoulders are guarranteed to be fucked up from doing low bar repeatedly for a long time. If one's upper body mobility is on point and the back/neck angle is kept in a neutral position throughout the movement then excessive IR of the shoulders shouldn't be an aggravating factor.
 
Squat 101;

follow the red line to reduce power leaks.

A. long torso
B. short torso

Short torso; you are more inclined, well, you are required to lean more forward, so a person with short torso would do better to place the bar higher not lower on the back.

IMO high back is the safest position for all squatoholics
 
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I truly vertical bar path is wizard-level squatting
It will come forwards and then go backwards on the way back up for most people.
 
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