Squat grip

[Man.with.gout]

Hi guys,

Whenever I squat I try to get the grip right as outlined in SS. I can sort of do it but I'm not sure whether it's completely correct. I manage to get straight wrists with the thumb over the bar and I can stick my elbows out. The only issue I seem to be having is getting my hands close enough so that it allows the proper position for low bar squats. I have forced it a few times but it hurts my shoulders and arms quite a lot. Strangely it hurts more with an empty bar and eases slightly when it gets heavier.

Is this just a flexibility issue? If so shall I just continue doing it until it stops hurting? Or are there ways of building up to that flexibility without feeling like my arms are being ripped off from behind?

Or am I just doing something wrong?

Thanks in advance,
Nathan

[dhalli]

From everything I've heard and been told it's likely a flexibility issue unless you've got some previous injury or something along those lines.

I'm 42, prior injuries, I grip the bar pretty wide. Much wider than I see some others doing, wider than SS suggests... and not as wide as yet some others do it. And by "grip" I mean the bar is at the very bottom of my palm, little & ring finger kinda around the bar. I definitely get better upper back tightness with my grip closer, but also get shoulder pain that's significant enough to keep me from sleeping, elbow pain, both of which then impair other lifts. I found it easier to get used to a wide grip.

[Scott Hanson]

Try gripping wider for first warmup and then bring your hands in as you build toward your work sets. I generally start an inch wider than my work set grip. Just getting into the position is a pretty good stretch for your pecs and anterior delts, which may allow you to bring it in as you warm up.

[kfreeman85]

Hi guys,
Is this just a flexibility issue? If so shall I just continue doing it until it stops hurting? Or are there ways of building up to that flexibility without feeling like my arms are being ripped off from behind?

I went to Home Depot and bought a thick dowel rod for ~$5 which I use for shoulder dislocates. During my warmup sets I move my hands progressively closer as I load the bar. Between these two I've been pretty successful, as have those with tight shoulders who have lifted with me in the past.

[Man.with.gout]

Thanks for the replies guys. I really appreciate your help and advice. I am squatting again tomorrow so I'll give these things a try. It's good to know I can keep squatting without pain.

[SeanThornton]

It can also depend on your arthopometry(sp?). If your forearms are long relative to your upper arms, you may have to widen your grip a bit. That was the case for me. I could easily get my grip to the width suggested in the book, but by the end of a set, I was basically holding the bar with the heel of my hand. Widening the grip a bit kept my fingers around the bar, and made the whole lift more "secure", giving me the confidence to keep increasing the weight as I got stronger.

[Man.with.gout]

Thanks Sean and thanks to everyone else. I tried all of your tips and I managed to get a good grip position during the squat. I couldn't get super close like it says in the book but close enough to keep the bar secure and without pain. You've all been a great help. I appreciate your help enormously. So thanks again.