Front and Zercher Squats = extreme pain

[Cyrus Manly]

When doing front squats or zercher squats my problem is not the weight, but the fact the bar digs into my bones. I'm not hugely muscled but not skinny either so is there a way around this other than using pads?

I've seen youtube vids of guy's doing many hundreds of lbs front and zercher squat with no pads, but they seem to have a decent layer of fat/muscle to rest the bar in.

 

[ssdd]

Build up some muscle and fat or tolerate the pain. Front squats used to really hurt but after doing them once a week for 4 weeks they dont bother me at all anymore. Trying using a weight you can clean to get used to them

 

[Searcher]

Use the pads. Don't get into the "you're a pussy if you don't sacrifice your life and tolerate pain". Use your warm-up to get used to the bar resting on your shoulders and elbows, and use pads for your work sets.

 

[J Turner]

It's a case of just getting used to it. Your skin hardens and adapts around the area where the pressure is being applied.

When I first started oly lifting I used to get light bruising around the clavicle area and that hurt like hell whenever I put decent weight on it, but you get used to it, like most things.

I wouldn't reccomend using pads by the way. Maybe for zerchers you could pad a little bit without much effect, but on things like front squats (even back squats) pads just mess around with your balance. Always better to just never use the things in my book. Stick at it buddy.

EDIT: Just in regards to pads again becuase I feel strongly about it; this is something stronglifts founder Mhedi wrote in regards to using 'sissy pads' for back squats, the same reasoning can be logically applied to other movements as well (and in the end, building a tolerance/immunity to something is better than simply avoiding it, thats how our bodys work):

1. You can’t position the bar correctly. This is even more true if you wrap a towel around the bar: the bar will end up higher on your back, and the higher the bar the worse your leverage. Granted, not that big of a deal with light weights, but it will be once you Squat heavier weights.
2. You can’t “feel” the bar – it’s like Squatting in running shoes: you have to Squat barefoot/with Chuck’s to feel the difference. The only way you’ll feel the bar using a pad is if the weight is heavy enough, but then…
3. … the bar pad will be useless when you get stronger. Here’s why: the weight will compress the pad and then you’ll lose the cushion ability. So any short-term benefit, you will lose.

Matt Wenning (fantastic PL'er) also advises against using pads in his "So you think you can Squat?" series, I wish I could quote exactly what he says, but if I recall correctly it's essentially "just don't". Like I said before, the same logic can be applied accross the board - I like to just imagine they don't exist. Pain for pleasure eh?

 

[flak]

Regarding Zerchers --

If your gym's air-conditioned, you can try doing them wearing a long-sleeved sweatshirt, that may help.

But like someone else said, if you gut it out you'll probably get used to it.

Also, how many times have you done Zercher squats?

 

[Ring Shark98]

Yeah, you will adapt quickly. I for the life of me couldn't imagine squatting without the pad when I first started doing squats, but then it was gone and I was forced to use it. Haven't used it in 6 months, and I feel no pain whatsoever.

You will get used to it FAST.

 

[belph]

Regarding Zerchers --

If your gym's air-conditioned, you can try doing them wearing a long-sleeved sweatshirt, that may help.

But like someone else said, if you gut it out you'll probably get used to it.

Also, how many times have you done Zercher squats?

it was more of mental thing for me with zercher squats i still got bruised but it didn't hurt anymore. i can't say if that's the same for everyone though/

 

[Cyrus Manly]

Build up some muscle and fat or tolerate the pain. Front squats used to really hurt but after doing them once a week for 4 weeks they dont bother me at all anymore. Trying using a weight you can clean to get used to them

Trying not to build muscle or fat if I can help it, I'm about 158lbs with not a lot of fat to lose looking to fight 145.

Use the pads. Don't get into the "you're a pussy if you don't sacrifice your life and tolerate pain". Use your warm-up to get used to the bar resting on your shoulders and elbows, and use pads for your work sets.

Oh I'm not one for working through pain when lifting weights unless its something like rough hand skin. I like the warmup idea though.

It's a case of just getting used to it. Your skin hardens and adapts around the area where the pressure is being applied.

When I first started oly lifting I used to get light bruising around the clavicle area and that hurt like hell whenever I put decent weight on it, but you get used to it, like most things.

I wouldn't reccomend using pads by the way. Maybe for zerchers you could pad a little bit without much effect, but on things like front squats (even back squats) pads just mess around with your balance. Always better to just never use the things in my book. Stick at it buddy.

EDIT: Just in regards to pads again becuase I feel strongly about it; this is something stronglifts founder Mhedi wrote in regards to using 'sissy pads' for back squats, the same reasoning can be logically applied to other movements as well (and in the end, building a tolerance/immunity to something is better than simply avoiding it, thats how our bodys work):

1. You can

 

[DrBdan]

When you front squat the bar should be on the meat of your deltoids (shoulders) not on your clavicle/collar bones. Try pushing your elbows up and making sure the bar isn't too close to your throat. No one would ever tell me I have a huge upper body or big shoulders and I can front squat without pain.

 

[Cyrus Manly]

it was more of mental thing for me with zercher squats i still got bruised but it didn't hurt anymore. i can't say if that's the same for everyone though/

That is kind of true with my thighs from leg kicks etc.

When you front squat the bar should be on the meat of your deltoids (shoulders) not on your clavicle/collar bones. Try pushing your elbows up and making sure the bar isn't too close to your throat. No one would ever tell me I have a huge upper body or big shoulders and I can front squat without pain.

I don't have a lot of meat on my shoulders but I'll give it a go thanks.

 

[belph]

That is kind of true with my thighs from leg kicks etc.



I don't have a lot of meat on my shoulders but I'll give it a go thanks.

i have small shoulders and i front squat and powerclean without problem. maybe check your form can you get us a video ?

 

[ozbrawler]

yeah ive been doing front squats for years and still get a lil discomfort from the bar digging in. i still havent found a solution eh

 

[jacketwrestler1]

yeah ive been doing front squats for years and still get a lil discomfort from the bar digging in. i still havent found a solution eh

sweatshirt???

 

[Dirty Holt]

I only do Zsquats. The trick is not folding your grip using a butterfly grip but to us a Gable grip. Seems unimportant but it is, as a butterfly lock raises one arm higher than the other and the bar's weight digs in much harder, and it is more difficult to get the bar balanced in the crook of your elbows.