Squat check 50kg

[Jacob R]

I previously progressed up to 80kg but did something that caused knee pain while walking for a few weeks (severe for a few days, and then after that still enough that it prevented walking properly, my doctor didn't seem to think i'd done any harm, not sure how qualified he is to determine that though, might need to see a physio).

Working my way back into it now. 40kg last week, 50kg this week. I realise the angle is not great, the space for my rack is quite limited.


20160517 50kg Squats on Vimeo

Note that its high bar squat, Mobility issues were causing significant discomfort in my shoulders doing low bar.

I felt I was hitting parallel, however looking at this video, I think I need to bring the safeties down one or two inches.

[Dan Flanick]

I previously progressed up to 80kg but did something that caused knee pain while walking for a few weeks (severe for a few days, and then after that still enough that it prevented walking properly, my doctor didn't seem to think i'd done any harm, not sure how qualified he is to determine that though, might need to see a physio).

Working my way back into it now. 40kg last week, 50kg this week. I realise the angle is not great, the space for my rack is quite limited.


20160517 50kg Squats on Vimeo

Note that its high bar squat, Mobility issues were causing significant discomfort in my shoulders doing low bar.

I felt I was hitting parallel, however looking at this video, I think I need to bring the safeties down one or two inches.

Hey Jacob,

Have you been high bar squatting the whole time? Have you read the book? Perhaps the high bar squat could have caused knee pain?

And can you get into the low bar position with "significant discomfort"? Have you tried it before? For how long?


Thanks Jacob

[Jacob R]

Regarding the low bar / high bar issue. Right from the start of my progression, I was able to push/force myself into the low bar position but it would create the sort of pain that you have when you stretch your arm further than it can naturally go. It would linger and start to create problems with other movements. (I am referring to a stretching feeling/pain in the shoulder area, not the one you elbow by allowing weight to transfer into your arms)

I am sure it's something I could improve on over time with some sort of stretching excercise I guess – but in the mean time I would like to keep squatting

[Dan Flanick]

Regarding the low bar / high bar issue. Right from the start of my progression, I was able to push/force myself into the low bar position but it would create the sort of pain that you have when you stretch your arm further than it can naturally go. It would linger and start to create problems with other movements. (I am referring to a stretching feeling/pain in the shoulder area, not the one you elbow by allowing weight to transfer into your arms)

I am sure it's something I could improve on over time with some sort of stretching excercise I guess – but in the mean time I would like to keep squatting

why not address the issue and receive more benefit from your lifts by doing the squat as prescribed in the book? If you started high bar squatting right away you didn't even give your body a chance to adapt to the low bar position by forcing you to improve your shoulder mobility.

[Greg Ruhl]

Regarding the low bar / high bar issue. Right from the start of my progression, I was able to push/force myself into the low bar position but it would create the sort of pain that you have when you stretch your arm further than it can naturally go. It would linger and start to create problems with other movements. (I am referring to a stretching feeling/pain in the shoulder area, not the one you elbow by allowing weight to transfer into your arms)

I am sure it's something I could improve on over time with some sort of stretching excercise I guess – but in the mean time I would like to keep squatting

If you can do that thumbs-around grip for high bar then you should be able to widen your grip and drop the bar down into the low position (same level of shoulder strain). What am I missing?

[Jacob R]

If you can do that thumbs-around grip for high bar then you should be able to widen your grip and drop the bar down into the low position (same level of shoulder strain). What am I missing?

I did about a month of low-bar, and then about a month of high-bar. My shoulders and knees for now at least seem quite happy, makes me a little hesitant to switch back to low-bar again. I'll give low-bar a go again in a few days and post another video.

[Royce Nichols]

Try some shoulder dislocations to improve shoulder flexibility. There are also countless others on YouTube. You really should try the low bar. That doesn't mean you need to have your grip narrow. Build up to that. Do what your flexibility will allow. Right now you're not making that shelf with your upper back and your back muscles are loose. Watch rips video on bar position

[latinlifter]

I had shoulder surgery on October, couldn't low bar only high bar, so I did that. During my warmups I would try to get the bar in the low bar position and see if I could tolerate it. Seven months passed until I was able to low bar, somewhat uncomfortably, but tolerable. If I try to low bar squat right away I find it hard to get the bar into position, so I need a few very light sets to loosen up my shoulder.

I believe the best stretching you can do is low bar squatting, or at least unrack the bar and hold it on your back for a few seconds, then repeat as you can tolerate. Try to add some weight too. Do this between your warm ups of the high bar squat. Some day you'll realize that you are finally able to low bar. That's what I did and it worked.

[Jacquejet]

Jacob...I'm only going to respond to the shoulder mobility issue. I'm 64 and have the same problem. It takes me 4 or 5 sets of using just the bar to gradually get the bar lower and lower until I get my shoulders loose enough to get the bar in the proper position. it sucks and it hurts. So what. I get the bar there and I go to work. Once I'm loose enough it doesn't bother me. Dude, your way younger than me. No complaining.