High-bar squat vs. Low-bar squat vs. Anthropometry

[Ghost Ape]

Would it benefit someone who has long legs and a short torso to do low-bar squats over high bar squats assuming depth is similar? I was thinking that since the person with longs and short torso is built to deadlift, and the low-bar squat is similar to the deadlift in the way the glutes and hamstrings are used, that that person is also built to low-bar squat.

Just wondering what your guys' opinion on this is.

 

[KILL KILL]

just put weights on the bar and move it. don't think too much into it.

 

[Ghost Ape]

just put weights on the bar and move it. don't think too much into it.

I just never got high-bar down and I'm thinking that it may make more sense to use low-bar. I plan on trying it out anyway, just wondering if you guys think this makes any sense.

 

[Tosa]

You have it backwards. It's short legs (specifically femurs) that benefit the squat and deadlift. Regardless, my answer is learn how to do both correctly, and if possible train both.

 

[betamin]

He said longs lol, I think he meant long arms + long legs.

I have loooong femurs and need to stretch a lot more to do high bar squat, is so much easier to lean foward when you have long legs (I think Rippetoe actually advices long legged people to not do front squats for this reason). In my experiencie low bar squats are easier for me (I also have a stance that is a little bit wider than most people)

 

[VoodooPlata]

With that kind of build you need to do isotonic quarter box split squats on a bosu ball.

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Overthinking. Try low bar, if you like it better stick with it.

 

[milano]

I just never got high-bar down and I'm thinking that it may make more sense to use low-bar. I plan on trying it out anyway, just wondering if you guys think this makes any sense.

Well you kind of answered your own question there. If low bar feels more comfortable then pick that and do it.

 

[ExtremeStandard]

With that kind of build you need to do isotonic quarter box split squats on a bosu ball.

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Overthinking. Try low bar, if you like it better stick with it.

Yes. Try it like it or dislike it. Continue if you do if you don't continue with what works better.

 

[Ghost Ape]

He said longs lol, I think he meant long arms + long legs.

I have loooong femurs and need to stretch a lot more to do high bar squat, is so much easier to lean foward when you have long legs (I think Rippetoe actually advices long legged people to not do front squats for this reason). In my experiencie low bar squats are easier for me (I also have a stance that is a little bit wider than most people)

Yea this is what I was looking for. I put a lot of effort into not leaning forward at the bottom when ascending, but I feel like I'm not always successful.

You have it backwards. It's short legs (specifically femurs) that benefit the squat and deadlift. Regardless, my answer is learn how to do both correctly, and if possible train both.

It depends on how you deadlift, people with short legs + long torso are usually more upright and people with long legs + short torso are more bent over when deadlifting. That's what I've noticed at least.

With that kind of build you need to do isotonic quarter box split squats on a bosu ball.
...
Overthinking. Try low bar, if you like it better stick with it.

Yea I tend to over-think things, I'm just frustrated that my squat isn't moving too much.

 

[PWR1982]

I don't know, I like to do high bar squats and I've got long legs. The problem I had with low bar was that I just had a hard time not doing a squat morning - do with high bar, the bar starts going on your neck etc., so you just don't good morning the weight up.

I also think that high bar squats are just better for me, because they workout legs/hips/back evenly, low bar was too much of a hip and back dominant exercise for me.

If you can do low bar properly, and it feels better, then just keep doing it.

 

[Tosa]

It depends on how you deadlift, people with short legs + long torso are usually more upright and people with long legs + short torso are more bent over when deadlifting. That's what I've noticed at least.

Well you're right about the positions. But regardless, shorter femurs are better for deadlifting. That's because they allow someone to be more upright, without having the hips too low, and reduce ROM.

 

[Ghost Ape]

Well you're right about the positions. But regardless, shorter femurs are better for deadlifting. That's because they allow someone to be more upright, without having the hips too low, and reduce ROM.

Yea I forgot about the shorter ROM with short femurs.

I don't know, I like to do high bar squats and I've got long legs. The problem I had with low bar was that I just had a hard time not doing a squat morning - do with high bar, the bar starts going on your neck etc., so you just don't good morning the weight up.

I also think that high bar squats are just better for me, because they workout legs/hips/back evenly, low bar was too much of a hip and back dominant exercise for me.

If you can do low bar properly, and it feels better, then just keep doing it.

I learned how to low-bar first and then high-bar afterward because I preferred the more upright position. In all honesty, I probably didn't learn low-bar properly the first time around. I'm only squatting around what I weigh right now (200-ish lbs), so it shouldn't be too hard to "get" the low-bar movement down.

One indication that there is a problem is that my deadlift is 75-85lbs more than my squat. My form is pretty good for deadlifts, so there shouldn't be such a difference especially at the relatively low weights I'm moving.

 

[Searcher]

I started high bar because I didn't know about low bar, then I did low bar, and now I'm doing high bar again because I like it. Thats about it. It doesn't matter as long as you get stronger. Do high bar until you stall, then do low bar until you stall, then repeat and set PRs.

 

[VoodooPlata]

Yea I tend to over-think things, I'm just frustrated that my squat isn't moving too much.

You haven't told us anything about your routine, so can't help you there. Also, most any problem with strength training can be solved by eating shitloads more than you want to in a day.

 

[cXs808]

Which variation is more like the deadlift? I'm much better at DL than i am at squat....

 

[Ghost Ape]

You haven't told us anything about your routine, so can't help you there. Also, most any problem with strength training can be solved by eating shitloads more than you want to in a day.

I eat a decent amount and my other lifts are moving fairly steadily (apart from bench, but that's due to unusually bad wrist pain). The rest of my routine involves chin ups, rows, deadlifts/RDL, overhead press, bench press, and accessory stuff like curls whenever I'm in the mood. I can tell when I'm not feeling a lift due to rest issues, but squats don't seem to move regardless of how much I eat or sleep.

Which variation is more like the deadlift? I'm much better at DL than i am at squat....

low bar is more similar to deadlifts

 

[Tosa]

Low bar is more similar to deadlifts, in that they both have more PC emphasis than high bar...but high bar is better for improving strength off the ground.

 

[cXs808]

Low bar is more similar to deadlifts, in that they both have more PC emphasis than high bar...but high bar is better for improving strength off the ground.

high bar it is. anything i can get up to knee level i can lock

 

[PWR1982]

Low bar is more similar to deadlifts, in that they both have more PC emphasis than high bar...but high bar is better for improving strength off the ground.

Really? I always thought speed off the ground in the deadlift is all hamstrings (which should mean that theoretically a wide stance low bar should be good for this), in what way does a high bar olympic squat help more in speed off the ground?

 

[zeel]

I've always squatted high bar. Just feels good man. :icon_chee