Low Bar Position for Squats

The bar position during Squats influences your torso position. Bad positioning can not only mess with your Squat technique, it can also feel uncomfortable. Shoulder, wrist & neck pain are common during Squats.

Some solve neck pain by wrapping a towel around the bar or using a bar pad. This post will show you a better approach: putting the bar correctly on your back, and what to do if you struggle with that position.

High Bar vs. Low Bar Squats. Olympic weightlifters Squat high bar: it simulates the upright torso position during their competition lifts. You can, however, Squat more weight low bar, like Powerlifters do.

• High Bar Position. The bar rests on top of your traps. This increases the distance from bar to hips. Your torso ends more upright to keep the bar above the center of your feet. Quads & hips work equally.
• Low Bar Position. Bar on top of your scapular spine. The distance bar to hips decreases, forcing you to lean forward to keep balance. You can sit back more, thereby emphasizing your posterior chain.

Should You Squat Low or High Bar? High bar is easier on your shoulders and allows for more depth. High bar could also feel friendlier on your lower back if you have long legs/short torso like me (less forward lean).

If you are, however, like most people, you lack hip mobility. Your back will round when Squatting deep, increasing risks of injury. Unless you can Squat high bar correctly and it feels more comfortable, stick with low bar Squats.

Common Pains using The Low Bar Position. Lack of flexibility often prevents correct technique. Some things that tend to go wrong:

• Shoulder Pain. You lack shoulder mobility. The low bar position feels uncomfortable on your front shoulders/chest/upper-back.
• Wrist Pain. Your hands support the bar instead of your upper-back. Your wrists hurt when squatting with heavier weights.
• Neck Pain. The bar rests on your spine instead of on your upper-back muscles. Biceps might even go numb during heavy Squats.

Correct Low Bar Squat Position. Don’t wrap a towel around the bar or use a bar pad because it hurts. Both add inches to the bar, messing up with your technique. Start light so your skin toughens up and learn correct technique.

• Bar on Scapular Spine. The bone on top of your shoulder-blades. Put the bar just above your scapular spine for low bar Squats.
• Tight Upper-back. Imagine I put a pen between your shoulder-blades and you try to squeeze it. Chest up and shoulder-blades back.
• Narrow Grip. Makes it easier to tighten your upper-back. Grip the bar as narrow as you can and pull your elbows back.
• Straight Wrists. They shouldn’t be perfectly straight, but also not bent under the bar. Your back supports the weight, not your wrists.
• Shrug Your Lower Traps. Gives the bar extra support. Don’t pull your shoulders against your ears, shrug your upper-back.

Tight upper-back, lower traps shrugged.

Mobility Exercises. Widen your grip if your wrists keep bending under the bar or if it feels uncomfortable. Work on mobility 3-4x/week. Narrow your grip as your upper-body flexibility improves.

• Shoulder Dislocations. Improve upper-body flexibility. If you can’t do them right, you can’t Squat. Focus on proper technique.
• Soft Tissue Work. Get a foam roller and work your pecs, upper-back, lats. Work through the pain, it means you need it.
• Thoracic Mobility. Helps getting rid of the slouching shoulders/round upper-back. Spend a lot of time on thoracic extension.
• Hip Mobility. Lack of thoracic mobility is linked with lack of hip mobility. Check the hip mobility post and magnificent mobility for more.
• Strengthen Your Upper-back. External rotations, scapular wall slides, scap push-ups, … will teach you to keep your shoulders-blades tight.

Last tip: keep Squatting. The low bar Squat position works as an upper-body stretch. Squat a lot & often, and you’ll improve.