Need help with bar placement for squats

[sk*]

My wrists hurt really badly to put the bar low, I believe it is a flexibility issue. I can't get my elbows underneath the bar and get very bad pains in wrists, I feel like the wrist pain is the limiting factor in my squats and GMs. I have tried every possible grip I could, and still get very bad pains. I know if I continue like this, I will end up hurting myself.

What do you guys believe is the reason for this? We came to the conclusion that it was my shoulder flexibility. If this is the case, any idea how I can become more flexible?

Thanks for any help in advance.

-sk

 

[spatts]

Jon Bott gave me a GREAT tip and I just started using it with much success. He squats without his pinkies on the bar. They are kinda rotated of the bar. This allows me to bring my hands in closer, get my elbows under further, and keep my upper back tighter. I feel a lot more put together, more secure with the weight, and I never have any wrist/shoulder/forearm achiness anymore when I squat.

That doesn't really answer your question, but shoulder flexibilty is one of many reasons the old hand postition was harder for me.

 

[sk*]

Thanks for the reply.

I'll try to get a pic of how my wrists get the next time I squat. It looks riddiculous, almost like my wrists are completely twisted to their sides. Sorta like my elbows are way too long, but I am sure there are people with longer elbows who squat ... so the conclusion was flexibility.

I feel that I may have to place the bar higher like I used to before (until I can figure out how to get more flexible), this makes it very tough during gm's though.

I'll try squatting without my pinkies on the bar next time, hopefully I will feel more comfortable.

-sk

 

[Nonerz]

what about moving your hands out wider? would that help?

 

[sk*]

what about moving your hands out wider? would that help?

I tried it. It does help a little to hold the bar at the very ends of the bar (kinda like mule does in his squat video in the pl forum), but still painful. Also, when I grab it that wide, it is harder to keep tight.

----

Is it really that bad to keep the bar higher? Like on my shoulders?

-sk

 

[Liftbig]

Is it really that bad to keep the bar higher? Like on my shoulders?

-sk

that depends on your goals. and the bar should be on your shoulders. if you carry too low, it will affect your bench. too high and your going to be pulled forward alot.

 

[bignate73]

i cant set the bar anywhere else but high. feels like the bar is going to drop clean off my back.

 

[slobberknocker]

I put it high too. That's just where it's comfortable on my body. Didn't Captain Kirk what'shisface squat highbar? I know John Kuc did.

 

[BigWh1tey]

i keep the bar pretty low, my rear delt holds it in place nicely. I would say place the bar as low as you can w/o hurting yourself. The only draw backs to the high bar squat are mechanical, generally the higher the bar the closer in your hands are.

Are you using a squat bar ?

 

[sk*]

Are you using a squat bar ?

Just a regular bar. Not sure what you mean by a squat bar?

My wrists handled it much better when I used the cambered bar.

-sk