Hand placement

[davie]

Hey guys, iv found that sometimes i feel myself leaning foreward on regular back squats. Im about 6'2 so its a long way for me to go down wen i squat to parrallel.
Im wandering does it matter how wide i have my hands on teh abr, i placed them wider today, and it may have been a bit easier.

I kow it wont really effect the squat o my legs, but does having hands wider out (near ther thicker part of olympic bar that you place the discs against) put pressure on shoulders more??

davie

[AVBG]

Hey guys, iv found that sometimes i feel myself leaning foreward on regular back squats. Im about 6'2 so its a long way for me to go down wen i squat to parrallel.
Im wandering does it matter how wide i have my hands on teh abr, i placed them wider today, and it may have been a bit easier.

I kow it wont really effect the squat o my legs, but does having hands wider out (near ther thicker part of olympic bar that you place the discs against) put pressure on shoulders more??

davie

You'll have better balance when you extend your arms, bit like a trapeze tightrope walker.

[davie]

You'll have better balance when you extend your arms, bit like a trapeze tightrope walker.

Yeh i guess thats true. I mean i have to have legs a a bit wider because of my heaight, so i guess having arms wider makes sense.

davie

[AVBG]

Yeh i guess thats true. I mean i have to have legs a a bit wider because of my heaight, so i guess having arms wider makes sense.

davie

Hey davieyou and I are of similar height. Do you get much knee pain when squatting (next day both knees)? It happens to me regardless of the weight and the reps..

[davie]

Hey davieyou and I are of similar height. Do you get much knee pain when squatting (next day both knees)? It happens to me regardless of the weight and the reps..

Not really mate. I hurt my medial about 1 1/2 to 2 months ago, and i took it easy for a while, but now that im back lifting heavy and playing rugby. But before i do either i spend time warming up knee joints, lying on back and kinda cycling i the air forewards and backwards, i think it helps to warm up knees+i do couple light sets squats and leg raise b4 i lift heavy aswell, then i do heavy leg raises and heavy squats and heavy leg press.

My knees have got to be warmed up as im using a more HIT style approach.

davie

[davie]

How much volume are u doing?? Maybe ur doing too many sets, or reps r too low. Worth thinking about.

I was also wandering if i should have my heals raised. I do this on front squats but have never really done it on back squats?!

davie

[GoneAway]

I agree that you get better balance with hands farther apart, as that's just natural. Be carefrul where your arms are hanging when you squat, as if the elbow is too far forward then you'll probably feel it in your rotator cuff and could cause wrist problems.

[davie]

I agree that you get better balance with hands farther apart, as that's just natural. Be carefrul where your arms are hanging when you squat, as if the elbow is too far forward then you'll probably feel it in your rotator cuff and could cause wrist problems.

So hands wide, elbows at a natural/comfortble position?!

davie

[GoneAway]

Yes. Keep your shoulders back and rest the bar on your traps, not your neck.

[AVBG]

How much volume are u doing?? Maybe ur doing too many sets, or reps r too low. Worth thinking about.

I was also wandering if i should have my heals raised. I do this on front squats but have never really done it on back squats?!

davie

I usually do about 8 sets of squats reps between 8-20 reps, but besides those I only do leg extensions about 8 sets (8-20 reps too) for quads ( & stiff leg deads for hamstrings). Admitedly besides some stretches I havent been spending much time warming up. I trained legs last (on wed) and spent 5 mins on the exercise bike.

I think I might be going too low?

[The Squadfather]

You'll have better balance when you extend your arms, bit like a trapeze tightrope walker.

i've found the opposite to be true, i feel i have more control over the bar with my hands narrower, not real narrow but when i tried the collar to collar thing i felt like i had no control of the bar.

[pobrecito]

i've found the opposite to be true, i feel i have more control over the bar with my hands narrower, not real narrow but when i tried the collar to collar thing i felt like i had no control of the bar.

agreed. I prefer to hand my middle find on the ring.

[AVBG]

i've found the opposite to be true, i feel i have more control over the bar with my hands narrower, not real narrow but when i tried the collar to collar thing i felt like i had no control of the bar.

I personally dont go as far as the collar, that feels too wide. Just wide enough not to be unconfortable.

I liken it to ..the narrower the grip (for want of a better word), the narrower your centre of gravity.

[triple_pickle]

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/strengthtraining/a/howtosquat.htm

[...] There are two common positions for bar placement. One is referred to as the 'high bar', which it actually is when compared to its alternative the 'low bar'.

The high bar: The bar rests on the top of the posterior deltoids at the base of the neck; hands just wider than shoulder width.

The low bar: The bar rests at the lower portion of the junction of the trapezius and posterior deltoid region; hands a little wider than shoulder width. This position takes longer to learn but is well worth it in the end as it provides an excellent 'shelf' to hold the bar and it shortens the moment arm of the lift. Both help contribute to a higher load on the bar. [...]

whichever you prefer, you never spread your hands too wide....

[davie]

Thanks guys, good to see conflicting opinions, always interesting.

As i have fairly long arms im gonna use wider grip i think. not as far as colllars, but about 1 or 2 inches inside it.

Il experiment.

Like i said iv done front squats with heals raised before, but do u think regular back squats would benifit from having my heals rasied??

davie

[triple_pickle]

....do u think regular back squats would benifit from having my heals rasied??

yes, go for it.  note that most weightlifting shoes have an elevated heel, e.g. http://www.weightliftingshoes.ca/.  just put a plank or two plates side-by-side on the floor and rep away....