Hello
I am trying to help and "coach" a friend through SSLP, but we seem to keep hitting roadblocks related to anthropometry. We tried starting with the Low Bar squat, but my friend has extremely inflexible shoulders and pecs, to the point where getting the bar low on his back was painful and nearly impossible. His natural comfort/tendency is to hold the bar wide, pretty much out to the sleeve collars. He is 5"9 or 5"10, 275lbs.
I've told him to stretch and work on getting everything loosened up, we've tried some of the tips that SS and Barbell Logic have put in videos/articles, as well as door stretches, band pull aparts, and elevated push ups (hands on chairs) with holds at the bottom. To continue, we moved to a high bar squat, but even then he had trouble getting a decent grip on the bar and started to complain of elbow pain regardless of hand position, he has a hard time getting his wrists to straighten out with the bar behind him, and if he brings his hands in too close the bar comes off his back and becomes more supported in his hands than on his back.
A front rack position is even more difficult to attain, he can't get his elbows up, and in a natural press position the bar is sitting almost in front of his mouth. When deadlifting with as narrow a grip and stance as possible, the bar comes up to the bottom of his belly - I'm thinking he maybe just has freakishly short arms...
Has anyone ever encountered anything similar? I'm not a coach (though may like to be some day when I grow up). Should we keep trying high bar and stretch until low bar is possible (if possible), would you recommend moving to an SSB?
Any advice appreciated.