Bar rolling up the neck

[std01108]

Hello Mr Rippetoe,

I try to set the bar correctly before I start to squat, like you show in the video about the subject. Thing is, it tends to go up the neck as I squat down. I can keep it in place with my hands but that should not be necessary, right? What mistake causes this? Is n't it a little strange, I mean if anything it should tend to slide down.

[Mark Rippetoe]

You're placing the bar a little too low, and you're probably dropping your elbows at the bottom of the squat.

[SBegetis]

I made a post about rolling the bar upward onto the traps before, in the thread for the Squat Bar Position video. The video helped me because I used to overdo the grip by putting the wrists into excessive flexion. As the video says, dropping elbows at the bottom of the squat is associated with too much wrist extension/thoracic flexion. But Coach, if I may disagree, I've failed sets by rolling the bar upward on the traps due to too much wrist flexion, my elbows were always up, and that's the problem, I think. Wouldn't it be fair to state that if your wrists are flexed, and your holding onto the bar with the heel of the palm, then the necessary shoulder hyperextension is going to jack the bar upward?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Could very well be. Neutral wrists are the key here.

[Brian Harlin]

I made a post about rolling the bar upward onto the traps before, in the thread for the Squat Bar Position video. The video helped me because I used to overdo the grip by putting the wrists into excessive flexion. As the video says, dropping elbows at the bottom of the squat is associated with too much wrist extension/thoracic flexion. But Coach, if I may disagree, I've failed sets by rolling the bar upward on the traps due to too much wrist flexion, my elbows were always up, and that's the problem, I think. Wouldn't it be fair to state that if your wrists are flexed, and your holding onto the bar with the heel of the palm, then the necessary shoulder hyperextension is going to jack the bar upward?

I'm trying to picture this, but I don't get it. You are placing the bar on the notch created by your traps and your delts, placing your palms on the bar, elbows up, then rolling your hand over the top of the bar so that the back of your hand is facing forward?

[mlentzner]

In my experience, the bar riding up is caused by some combination of GMing the squat and a loss of thoracic extension.

[SBegetis]

http://startingstrength.com/index.ph...t_bar_position

@rumblefish, the grip with the excessively flexed grip I was referring to is demonstrated by Bryan Fox at 11:26-11:36 the video.

[Dwayne_KONG_Wint]

In my experience, the bar riding up is caused by some combination of GMing the squat and a loss of thoracic extension.

For me, the heavier the bar gets, the more likely it is that I will jack my elbows up right after I come out of the hole. Its not something that I am completely aware of while squatting but I do see it reviewing the video. This causes the bar to start riding up on me. So I agree with the statement that shoulder hyperextension will push the bar upward.

So to the mlentzner statement...for me, GMing and loss of thoracic extension happens as a result of the bar moving upward and the increased moment arm from the bar to hip. A half an inch of roll will feel like a ton when there is a lot of weight on the bar.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I'd like to see that video. I'll have to be convinced that the bar rolled up because of your elbows and not your chest dropping.

[Dwayne_KONG_Wint]

Video from my last meet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSURPFScI4c#t=1m52s

I think things stayed together okay on the way down..but the breakdown happens after the bounce.

The order I see after the bounce is:
1. Elbows jut back.
2. Bar starts rolling forward.
3. My chest drops slightly.
4. Hip drive slows down because it starts to go backward, pulling my torso backward enough to get the bar back over midfoot to compensate for the change in bar position.
5. Just have to muscle it out to finish the lift.

Next meet is April 15th.