Motivation and Torque

[phillipo]

Hi Mark,
Couple things:

1. For fun and some motivation for the forum:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv3FM...eature=related
For the hardcore black-ironers get past the first couple guys and I think you'll enjoy it.

2. In Starting Strength you talk about how the bar position in a low-bar squat decreases the stress on the lower back because it shortens the lever arm and thus reduces the torque. However you also talk about how the low-bar squat forces the lifter to have a more horizontal back angle in order to keep the bar over the center of the foot. This results in a greater proportion of the gravitational force of the bar to be perpendicular to the lever arm (the back) which increases the torque. Do these roughly cancel in the wash or is there still a combined net decrease in torque on the lower back due to the low-bar position?

Thanks Mark, I appreciate your responses as always.

[Mark Rippetoe]

1. Some interesting stuff in here.

2. I think that they are basically a wash. If you move the bar up to the top of the traps, the moment arm is potentially longer if you can't hold the back angle more vertical, a situation that will eventually occur. The lower back position makes for a more horizontal back angle, but this is compensated for by the shorter distance between bar and hip. If everything behaves itself, they are about equal since the moment arm is measured at 90 degrees. The problem is that novice lifters are less likely to be able to control their back angle, so the low bar position is probably safer for more novices, and that is one consideration in my decision to use it. The main reason, of course, is that the more horizontal back angle works more posterior chain musculature, and is more useful for getting strong.

[Tiburon]

For fun and some motivation for the forum:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv3FM...eature=related
For the hardcore black-ironers get past the first couple guys and I think you'll enjoy it.

Who is the 950 lb deadlift at the 5:05 mark?