Squatting Technique

Expert Discussion Strength Training
1

Ever since my junior year of high school I have been squatting with a relatively low bar position. I have been able to get very strong doing it in this manner (over 500 on the squat). Recently though, I have been contemplating shifting to more of a high bar “olympic” squat. Depth hasn’t been the issue, I go past parallel with the low bar as well. I see a few advantages and a few disadvantages with shifting to an Olympic style squat.

Advantages:

  1. More ROM involved
  2. Works the entire leg musculature to a greater degree
  3. Safer for the short term (I cannot lift as much Olympic style as I can low-bar)
  4. More room for improvement
  5. Safer for lower back

Disadvantages:

  1. The load lifted is less than that of low bar
  2. Places more emphasis on quad development, which can become an issue over time

Thoughts?

2

high bar position is better athletes.

3

All things in time and place my friend. Use them both! Your pros and cons are essentially all pros in my estimation.

4

I recently switched to a high bar olympic stance from a low bar wide stance and I am running like crap. I’m sure there are other factors but it’s not very reassuring. I prefer low bar because of the improved posterior chain activity.

Also, I don’t know if it’s safer for the low back. Alot of people’s backs round when they go deep olympic squat.

5

trust me something soo simple is not the reason u r running slow right now.

6

I would just do both and switch it up every now and then. Weights are a general training means so a manta ray here, a low bar there, a safety squat bar here, etc…all these variations are only one piece of the puzzle. A very small piece at that, of the already general weights component.

You’re a beast anyways so you seem to be doing something right.

7

Does BigJohn reccomend any of these?

8

He teaches the high bar position but has no problem with the low bar position. After all, he did spend some time with Louie in the past