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Thread: Poor shoulder mobility and low bar squat

  1. #1
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    Default Poor shoulder mobility and low bar squat

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    I’m a beginner with poor shoulder mobility and I cannot get the bar to the low bar position while maintaining a neutral grip. What should I do to develop the flexibility I need to set up the squat correctly? I tried widening my grip and that didn’t work. I have rounded shoulders, they’re just not flexible enough to get into that position. Is there any exercise I can do to develop the flexibility I need to do this? Frustrated because I really want to start doing to program ASAP but this has got me dead on arrival.

  2. #2
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  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by zewski View Post
    I’m a beginner with poor shoulder mobility and I cannot get the bar to the low bar position while maintaining a neutral grip. What should I do to develop the flexibility I need to set up the squat correctly? I tried widening my grip and that didn’t work. I have rounded shoulders, they’re just not flexible enough to get into that position. Is there any exercise I can do to develop the flexibility I need to do this? Frustrated because I really want to start doing to program ASAP but this has got me dead on arrival.
    I had good mobility until I got some sort of tendonitis (biceps, supraspinatus, not sure which). Tried the Horn stretch, but it wasn't working or me. What helped was to do the bench or press first, widening my grip and moving in, and getting under the bar and squeezing my elbows to my sides. All of these are adaptations I started incorporating until I found the right combo for me.

  4. #4
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    Oct 2012
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    I was in the same boat. I had to use the 'Manta Ray' to position the bar but it really ended up too high. What did it for me was stretching my shoulders on the pull down machine. Use about 60 lbs and grab the bar palms forward and let the weight pull your arms up. Do that before and after each set. You should be able to reach the low bar position within a few weeks.

    Paul Horn's method also works but the pull down stretch worked faster for me.

  5. #5
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    Aug 2018
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    Quote Originally Posted by zewski View Post
    Frustrated because I really want to start doing to program ASAP but this has got me dead on arrival.
    Why can't you start the problem from where you are? Can you get the bar to a high bar position?

    I'm considered old at 58. No I don't always get the bar into the full low bar location. But I run the program with a best as I can and I get results!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
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    I also have limited shoulder flexibility and have dealt with elbow tendonitis.

    In addition to Paul Horn's Low Bar Position Stretch, I found Pete Troupos' article and video very helpful for me:

    Yet Another Squat Grip Article | Pete Troupos

    Common Squat Errors and Fixes | Pete Troupos (the entire video is excellent, the grip discussion begins at 4:56).

    Also, I think you will find your flexibility will improve the more you squat.

    Keep with the program! Don't let it go DOA on you!

  7. #7
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    Nov 2019
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    Quote Originally Posted by Oso Rojo View Post
    Why can't you start the problem from where you are? Can you get the bar to a high bar position?

    I'm considered old at 58. No I don't always get the bar into the full low bar location. But I run the program with a best as I can and I get results!
    Amen brother.
    I would love to have perfect bar position on the squat at 68yo but I don't.
    This has helped: Yet Another Squat Grip Article | Pete Troupos

    I work out at home with no coach and I'm 155 miles from Wichita Falls so no one yells at me.
    I continue to get stronger following LP/Barbell Prescription and while my squat potential is probably limited due to my bar position, it is what it is and I enjoy it.

    I keep saying one of these days I'm going to make the drive to WFAC and hire a coach for a session to see if they can fix my bar position but it hasn't bothered me enough yet.

    To the OP: remember what they say about the baby and the bathwater.

  8. #8
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    Jun 2019
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    Quote Originally Posted by mbdonner View Post
    I had good mobility until I got some sort of tendonitis (biceps, supraspinatus, not sure which). Tried the Horn stretch, but it wasn't working or me. What helped was to do the bench or press first, widening my grip and moving in, and getting under the bar and squeezing my elbows to my sides. All of these are adaptations I started incorporating until I found the right combo for me.
    Thanks for posting this idea. We've been struggling with my wife's positioning, including the Horn stretch and other stretches. She just didn't feel like she was getting there and wasn't comfortable with adding any weight to the bar. So yesterday we did her bench press first. Once those were done, she got under the bar to warm up her squats and her offending shoulder "popped" (her word). After a smooth warmup, she wanted weight on the bar. She comfortably finished her very first work set with weight on the bar and is looking forward to more. We'll just make sure we do her bench first.

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