Squat Canundrum

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

I have the same problem. It has taken me more than a year and I am still no there, but I'm close. I have a long ratan karate stick that I am using most days even on my off days. I start with a wide grip and use the corner of a wall to slide my grip in.

The first year was unbearable pain but I'm too stupid to stop. I took 3 month of the end of 2018, started again Jan 1 and am 85% there.

I have also tried ducking under my bar on the squat rack, it just does not work well for me.

Do you have access to a Lat Pull machine?

[David Sanders]

I do!

[Matthew Spicka]

I don't, but I have a squat rack with pull up bar.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Hanging from the bar is a good idea. Grip the bar with different widths and repeat a few sets of loaded stretching for the shoulders.

But also, I now have several guys who I warm up for the squat with a few sets of Lat Pulldowns for 10-15 reps. Mostly using an outside shoulder width overhand grip and really emphasizing the STRETCH at the top of the movement. Lean forward, relax, and let the weight pull your arms up. We might do about 3 sets with that grip and then 2-3 more sets with a V-Grip attachment (the little triangle one) and let that one stretch you out too. Seems that the stretch in combination with the blood flow all around the arms and shoulders is extremely helpful, more so than just a cold static stretch.

[Harlon Muncy]

Thanks coach Andy. That sounds like a good idea I hadn’t tried before. I hope it works cause I don’t particularly like highbar and don’t wanna drop the dough in a safety bar

[Harlon Muncy]

I am excited. I was able to do my first correct lowbar squat with my hands in the right position and it didn’t kill my soldiers. It took about 3 weeks of stretching under the bar. Doing some upper thoracic stretching, and using a hard rounded piece of onyx to poke into my back (the lacrosse ball did nothing for me) I don’t stretch anything else but it was beneficial to get my shoulders warmed up enough. I’m not saying it was comfortable. But it was secure, and my shoulders were not in agony from keeping it my hands too wide. I am 41, been on the program for 3 weeks and brought my squat up 55lbs, deadlift, press, and bench all have went up 30 lbs. Im no longer nervous to get under the bar and am ready to push these numbers up. Thanks to coach kaylee at the army wellness center here in Ft. Benning!