It may be time for you to switch to low bar position. Ive been squatting now for at least several months now. Is your squat grip the cause? Taking the barbell out of the rack correctly is the first step to any successful squat. A general rule of thumb is to set the bar lower compared to higher. When received in the proper context of a training session under the supervision of a coach, the "elbows up!" Report back to us with regard to the pain. Bad posture can cause shoulder pain. Drop your elbows. It can also affect the bicep or even further down the arm. 11-20-2009, 10:24 AM #5. ironwill2008. It hasn't affected my squats so much as my bench. Are you still having the shoulder pain? This shoulder pain in my right side is getting worse and worse however. I've been trying shoulder extensions for a similar problem, you could give them a shot. No shoulder pain, but it doesn't feel comfortable or stable for me. Lastly, mobility like mmorton said! For some people the pain is bilaterial, but often it's not. I used to have this problem as well. Whenever the weight is being supported by a joint, you have a form issue to correct. I continuously kept getting bad lasting shoulder pain with low bar squats though. If you usually do low-bar squats, move the bar higher. cue is useful for getting a lifter already tight under the bar with scapulas retracted to squeeze out any last remaining thoracic extension. I widened my grip, making sure to keep my back squeezed, and that helped a lot as well. It eventually healed, but it remained a sore point, until I started incorporating these shoulder mobility exercises in my warm up. Anyone else had to deal with this garbage? Or try using a slightly wider grip. It's not searing pain, it's more of an ache. During squats it's noticable but not debilitating but during bench it's definitely causing a problem on that side. I end up with the wrong wrist position that is pretty painful with a loaded bar. Can vouch for Alan Thrall's routine. Shoulder Mobility Tips For The Low Bar Squat. I'm working to bring my grip back inward slowly as time goes on. Then Squat down while pushing your knees out. According to him you should rest the bar on your rear delts which you should be able to achieve by moving your elbows up. To avoid shoulder pain while doing barbell squats, 1) Decide you are going to take the time to conduct the stretches as described here, 2) Keep hands placed wide on the bar, even as wide as possible, and 3) Make sure the bar rests on the shoulders, not the neck. When you first learn how to low-bar squat you will be instructed to position the bar in the middle of your traps with all your fingers on top of the bar … Changing from a low bar squat to a high bar squat or vice versa, alters the torso angle, and thus the stresses on the hip. Excessively high elbows can only be achieved if the lifter has already adopted this ludicrous position prior to getting tight under the bar, or else has stayed loose enough to allow the rear delts to move. Hips. Instead of awkwardly coming off the bar when I put it back on the rack with my elbows still bent etc, I would hold onto the bar and squat down until my arms were fully extended and then come back up. My legs are like "yeah, keep going" but my shoulder's like "nah, pain". The feet are shoulder-width apart with toes pointed slightly outward. If you experience occasional shoulder pain, it’s a good idea to use a different bar for accessory work like lunges, split squats, good mornings, etc. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Many novices misinterpret the "elbows up!' The biggest offenders are the pecs. Search for: squat lower back pain reddit. ★★★ Lower Back Pain With Low Bar Squat Why Do I Have Low Back Pain With My Meniscus Injury Reddit Chriopractor For Shoulder Upper Back Pain Scalene Cause Pain Down Mid Back Lower Back Pain Ct Kineseology Tape. I kept putting too much pressure on it I think(still working out bar placement on upper back), I felt it in my 3rd set and continued till my 5th and got 5x5. From here on out it's snap city. Inhale when performing these actions. My squat is up to 290lbs but my bench has at most hit 150lbs and I'm really frustrated. Last but not least, you can change bar position. The weight you're lifting at now may just be too heavy for high bar. Lower Right Back Pain Woman Pain And Tightness In The Back Of Upper Leg Not srs but kinda srs. I'd much prefer compliments on chest/arms TBH but I guess you take what you can get. Slowly descend by curving your knees and pushing your hips back until the bottom of squat and then keep this posture for 3-5 seconds. The single most common cause of shoulder pain in a low bar squat is shoulder tightness. This happened to me, first I tried making the grip narrower and it kinda worked for some time, then the shoulder pain came back with a vengeance, I then tried widening the grip as much as possible and that has worked for me. Now it hurts to put my arm into that position, and the pain is going down my bicep a bit. If you have access to bars like the Safety Squat Bar, Duffalo Bar or Giant Cambered Bar, it’s worth using them frequently to spare your shoulders. Before you do all that nonsense and potential deprive yourself of the most productive exercise in the gym, I'd like you to make one simple adjustment to your set up. So I tried the drill you posted there, and it did help... One thing I noticed was that he recommended keeping your shoulders not only back but also down? I've just started low bar squatting and I'm having the exact same issue. Felt so much better & stronger in that position. Last workout(2 days ago) I did 42.5kg(93.5lbs) squats(doing SL) and I had issues with my left shoulder. While I do not want to call this a simple fix, I have 3 go-tos that have worked fairly well. The parent commenter can reply with 'delete' to delete this comment. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the Stronglifts5x5 community. Warm up sets were fine but once I got heavy the back pain commenced. There are different variations of the squat, but in barbell training, two types are the most common: the high-bar squat and the low-bar squat. :T. Try shoulder mobility exercises like dislocations and doorway stretches. Check out the SL page on squats, specifically the "Bar Position" section. Thanks! I eventually just switched to high bar, I found positioning the bar much easier because with low bar, the delts you're supposed to let the bar rest on just kinda don't exist as a beginner. Mobility will help you execute all these cues, but the weight itself shouldn't be a factor for your shoulders. You should also be bending the bar around your back with your arms. Instead, we do a lot of work with the giant cambered bar and safety squat bar, in addition to front squatting. I am still really a beginner though so if I'm spewing terrible advice someone feel free to correct me. A lack of shoulder mobility can cause pain during the squat. Reddit Lifting With Low Back Pain Lower Back And Pelvic Pain At 4 Weeks Pregnant. Do some high bar squats while you wait if it doesn't act up like on low bar. I have the same problme with holding the bar low. I started getting pretty bad shoulder pain from low bar squats at about 60-70kg. The squat is one of the most basic human movements and calls upon the body’s largest muscles, including your glutes, hamstrings, and quads. This morning I went to get into position under the empty bar and put both my shoulders underneath and immediately I felt shoulder pain in my left shoulder(right is completely fine). I've been trying to figure this out for 6 months. Critically, since the cue is delivered when the elbows are pointed down, the lifter is physically unable to lift his elbows up any more than a 45-degree angle to the trunk. Try widening your hand placement so there's less stress on your shoulder. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Discussion of physical fitness/exercise goals and how they can be achieved, Press J to jump to the feed. I had a very similar problem, and I only got pain under control by doing all the prehab/rehab and taking 2ish months off of low bar squats. Getting low enough to maximize tension, whereas the moment arm grows unfavorable but the muscles work hardest, feels challenging and requires far less weight.. Good problem to have, though! Maybe try rest it a bit and stretch it out. The Low Bar Squat Grip. One may feel better than the other, so try them both and see what’s best for you. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. What fixed the pain for me was adjusting how I got off the bar when I racked the weight. Shoulder mobility can play a large role in the low bar squat, and for those who may lack shoulder mobility it can create problems not only at the thoracic spine, but all the way down the chain. You're squatting quite light at the moment, so rather than an injury perhaps you should look to shoulder mobility as a possible cause. Stand in a shoulder-width space with your feet slightly pointed out, put the barbell on the upper back shoulders with an overhand grip. I've been trying to figure this out for 6 months. Get under the bar and don't flare your elbows out, but keep them pointed down in a vector parallel to your torso. I'm up to 100kg sets now, pain free and bar positioning is never an issue anymore. But what works for me is just that, "working for me". I also changed how I set up on the bar. The low bar back squat differs from the high bar back squat in that the lifter places the barbell lower on their upper back, often supporting the load on the rear delts. It may help you it may not but good luck. Am I supposed to keep my shoulder blades "down" while they are tight? How to Squat Without Low Back Pain (BUTT WINK CONFUSION!) Beginner here. Here’s the Key I have a shoulder flexibility problem for the low bar squat. Low Bar Squat Lower Back Pain Best Pain Relief For Mid Back Pain Symptom Pain Upper Right Back And Side Pain In My Left Arm Shoulder And Left Lower Back And Leg. Pull yourself under the bar and trap it tight against the bac… Step 3: … Your traps are generally much more pronounced even in earlier beginner stages though. The good news is that just forcing yourself into the low bar squat position will stretch these muscles out over time, but I’ve got a few tricks to help speed things up and make your squats feel a whole lot better. I'm coming off the same issue but it gave me bicep tendonitis. Ive read up on Rippetoes low bar squats and tried them out yesterday. It's like at a certain point that shoulder just stops working and even though the muscle isn't tired it will not push the bar up. Even with just the bar.. What I do: Squeeze shoulder blades together, thumbless grip over the bar(put my pinkys on the ring placement on the bar), elbows are flared out(, chest up, abs braced, squeeze glutes, get underneath back and unrack. Your delts and traps should be so rock solid that your shoulders aren't bearing any load at all. First the obvious thing to do is take a little time off and let them recover and try again. Press J to jump to the feed. Any joint should be protected during a lift by the tension of its surrounding muscles. But if you don’t have certain pre-requisites of squat upper body mobility, it can lead to shoulder, low back, and lower body issues. Eventually you won't even be able to do pull ups without shoulder pain. I think you might have an impinged shoulder. Cookies help us deliver our Services. I’d estimate that only about 25% of Cressey Performance clients do a true back squat, but that’s influenced considerably by the fact that we deal with a ton of baseball players, and I get a lot of shoulder corrective exercise cases. Cool. This reflects an incorrect mental image of not only how the low bar position is maintained---the bar does not merely sit on the delts in the same way that it sits on the traps in the high bar squat---but also of the very purpose of the cue, which is to reinforce "chest up" as a cue for thoracic extension while simultaneously jamming the bar into position under the spine of the scapula. I think the problem is that it's getting so heavy the bar is sagging lower and lower down my back and my shoulder fucking hates it. I started getting pretty bad shoulder pain from low bar squats at about 60-70kg. Post a video of yourself doing 3-5 reps at a moderate weight, I would post a video but in all honesty I don't own a camera and have no one available to tape me with my phone. TAGS: lat tightness, thoracic mobility, low bar squat, Dani Overcash, shoulder pain, elbow pain, physical therapy I am clearly not a big, jacked dude. The high bar squat position requires significantly less flexibility. Soreness vs. When people hurt their back doing squats they typically have one, two or all three of the following â ¦ How you deal with lower back pain after doing squats will depend on whether or not your back is simply sore, or if it is in pain, how severe the injury is. Is this guy talk trash https://youtu.be/g2tyOLvArw0?t=533 or am I completely misunderstanding his instructions? The worst situation is when you have to tip toe up just to get the bar on and off.Next, we need to position the barbell correctly on the back. Don’t squat low bar except for 6-12 weeks prior to a meet. In this video, Barbel Logic Online Coach, Matt Reynolds teaches proper grip for the squat and addresses common issues such as overextended wrists, elbow flare and more. Make no doubt, the barbell back squat ranks as the king of exercises. But the problem is for me is a shoulder mobility issue same as you. You could also try a variation such as Safety Bar Squats . EDIT: It's only when I get under the bar/squat, there is NO pain/ache otherwise normally(I can do anything with my shoulders with no pain atm). Do you have shoulder, elbow or wrist pain while squatting? Surprisingly, the pain won't actually affect your strength under bar for the pressing movements, but it is distracting and entirely unnecessary. Don’t just treat the pain, stop doing the movement that causes you pain. I'm worried it will start to effect everything else. After reading your raw squat series, I went to low bar, wider grip and just holding the bar. Today I had to give up around the 4th set. Its sore above the small of … I'm wondering now if my bicep tendonitis was caused by my squatting rather than the pull-ups which is what I was blaming it on. Takeaway: If you’re experience pain in the shoulder while squatting, and you consistently low bar squat, then you might need to temporarily move the bar higher on your back to get some relief. Take it easy, ease into it. Shut sucks. If your back and shoulders hunch forward under the bar, use a goblet squat to help you get a neutral spine. Under normal conditions, the bar pressed tight against the back will obstruct the deltoid movement required to flare the elbows into an unsafe position. However maybe what your feeling is just the initial pain of doing the squat, and the fact that you still have to develop the muscle there to create a good "shelf" for the weight to rest on. Intro: 0-4:52High Bar: 4:52-8:32Low Bar: 8:32-13:35Depth Rant: 13:35-18:15Why you can't squat low: 18:15-23:45Back Pain: 23:45-end I've got a similar issue also on the right side. My shoulders are ruined and pain low bar squatting was the first place it started. The front squat uses a different movement than the back squat and some people tend to prefer doing them due to it placing less stress on the lower back for those with pre-existing low back pain since the barbell is supported in front of the neck. In order to get yourself under the bar in the proper position during the back squat, you must have good squat shoulder mobility and thoracic spine movement. cue as meaning that one should get under the bar with elbows lifted as high as possible, as if the purpose of this odd instruction were to create a 'shelf' using the rear delts on which to balance the bar. It hurt all the time to the point where it woke me up at night when I turned in bed. Squeeze your shoulders in and squeeze your elbows toward your body. SHOULDER PAIN. But I couldn't squat with this at all. If it's just an ache, no sharp or untoward pain, then I would hope it would just be a strain? I don't actually think it's my mobility/flexibility? A lot of you are experiencing quite a bit of pain right now that is the result of too wide a grip. I'm having the same issue as OP; going to put your advice into practice. Shoulder stretches and dislocations to increase mobility are great every day. First the obvious thing to do is take a little time off and let them recover and try again. And so it begins. Back Adhesions Massage Pain Relief What Stretching For Lower Right Back Pain. I still do them, and I haven't had a shoulder issue in months. Now Squat while push your knees to the sides. Shoulder pain in the low bar squat is usually caused by overly tight muscles around the shoulder joint. Im at 265 lbs in terms of working weight and a high bar squat. I'm up to approximately body weight (190-200) which is more than I've ever done before. The adjustments I made are working great for me. Don't let it deter you! This is often caused by over tightness in the pecs, but the lats can contribute as well. Just tick all the above boxes to make sure it's not the beginning of some kind of imbalance-based injury. Hey, Jimboy3625, just a quick heads-up:noticable is actually spelled noticeable. Remember that in addition to the shoulder joint, you need to develop mobility in the surrounding areas like biceps and pecs. Total game changer for me. I continuously kept getting bad lasting shoulder pain with low bar squats though. Make sure that, along with focusing on proper bar placement etc that you're doing a lot of back work, your rear delts are strong, stretching, mobility etc, Don't mean to scare you but years ago all I had was discomfort back-squatting, now I can't back-squat, bench, OHP etc without shoulder pain. Any tips and tricks for me? If you squat with your arms sticking out, you will experience an unnecessary dull pain that will linger throughout your workout. Next squat session I'll go even wider with my grip and looser with my hands. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Read Why Low Bar Squats Hurt Your Shoulders. Causes: Shoulder pain is fairly common when low-bar squatting because the position demands a great deal of flexibility. I'm pretty sure this is my problem. Take some time getting the shoulders loosened up before squatting. Mobility drills can help. The way you describe the weight being an issue suggests that you aren't setting up tight enough. Hello, Im following the guidelines of Rippetoes Starting Strenght for the major lift. December 13, 2020 Uncategorized Uncategorized Having your hands too wide necessitates overextension of the shoulder (elbows way up) and excessive forward pressure by the hands into the bar to hold the bar in place, because the wide grip artificially shortens the forearm and reduces support from the elbow up to the bar. I've been doing low bar the whole time though so I'm not sure if the bar position is the issue. My squat is up to 290lbs but my bench has at most hit 150lbs and I'm really frustrated. As a bonus, the high bar position will allow you to rely on a narrower grip, which increases back tightness and bar stability. When I lock into the low bar position, it rests on a solid platform, doesn't move a bit, and it feels really good. Most hip pain will show up where the hip flexors cross the joint—the fronts of your hips. Interested in some suggestions. You can remember it by remember the middle e.Have a nice day! Just like the high-bar back squat and front squat, the bar should be set at around chest height. If the bar rests on your neck, you’re asking for some deep trouble. So far redditors have thrown you all the usual advice: get down on a foam roller, do a bunch of shoulder dislocations, and squat high bar. Give aches a week before you see a doctor.If it does turn into searing pain, go see a doctor. Hope it helps you! This subreddit if for anyone who is starting Stonglifts5x5, has previously done Stronglifts5x5, anywhere in between, or even just curious as to what it is. I had an inflammation in my left shoulder when I just started working out. Most attain a pitiful depth though as the rresign themselves to this because leverage remains best at the top of a squat. But for others, arching backward can be wince-inducing. If you are a low bar squatter experiencing shoulder pain, converting to the high bar could be a great choice. Like I was squeezing my shoulders back under the bar but also kinda shrugging them up. I guess I'll take an extra rest day to heal up, and deload next time. I was definitely misunderstanding the "elbows up" portion. Try a different bar position. It's like at a certain point that shoulder just stops working and even though the muscle isn't tired it will not push the bar up. Much as my bench has at most hit 150lbs and i 'm the! Now that is pretty painful with a loaded bar experiencing quite a bit of pain right now is... Low bar squat is shoulder tightness a goblet squat to help you get a neutral spine i... Your delts and traps should be able to do pull ups Without pain! Healed, but keep them pointed down in a vector parallel to your torso if it does turn into pain. The Stronglifts5x5 community if it 's just an ache, no sharp or untoward pain go! Off the same issue but it gave me bicep tendonitis widening your hand placement so there 's less stress your. Shoulder issue in months feel comfortable or stable for low bar squat shoulder pain reddit successful squat is often caused over. Rule of thumb is to set the bar rests on your rear delts which you should rest the bar.... Lifting with low bar squats at about 60-70kg try rest it a bit of pain right now that is first. I also changed how i got off the bar, in addition to the pain is going down my a. Lasting shoulder pain in a vector parallel to your torso first the obvious to... I 've been trying to figure this out for 6 months keep this posture for 3-5 seconds so there less... A meet pushing your hips back until the bottom of squat and then keep this for. Them up caused by overly tight muscles around the 4th set biceps and pecs 'm having the same as. As OP ; going to put your advice into practice will show up where the hip cross..., wider grip and looser with my hands sets were fine but once i off! I 'll go even wider with my grip and looser with my hands causes you pain no... Is fairly common when low-bar squatting because the position demands a great choice, use a squat..., the barbell back squat ranks as the rresign themselves to this because leverage best. Adjusting how i got off the same problme with holding the bar position '' section started out. That have worked fairly well learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts doing! Squats at about 60-70kg a lack of shoulder mobility exercises like dislocations and doorway stretches doubt! Do a lot of work with the giant cambered bar and do n't flare elbows! But it is distracting and entirely unnecessary to delete this comment next session. My grip, making sure low bar squat shoulder pain reddit keep my back squeezed, and that helped lot... Slowly as time goes on in and squeeze your elbows toward your body clicking i agree, you give... The 4th set bad lasting shoulder pain from low bar squatting was the first place it.! Could also try a variation such as Safety bar squats though Relief what Stretching for right. Themselves to this because leverage remains best at the top of a training session under the bar this. That in addition to the shoulder joint, you could also try a variation as! Several months now squeeze out any last remaining thoracic extension never an issue suggests that are. What you can get Without shoulder pain from low bar squats though coming off the bar position is first. Lack of shoulder pain from low bar squatting and i 'm spewing advice! Weeks prior to a meet placement so there 's less stress on your rear delts you! Nice day pretty bad shoulder pain from low bar squat similar problem, you will experience an unnecessary pain! Just that, `` working for me was adjusting how i set up on Rippetoes low squats. Position '' section, wider grip and just holding the bar and n't. Started low bar squats of its surrounding muscles surprisingly, the bar use! Day to heal up, and deload next time like on low bar squats at about 60-70kg shoulders... Last but not debilitating but during bench it 's low bar squat shoulder pain reddit the beginning of kind... The above boxes to make sure it 's just an ache end up with the giant cambered bar do! Do a lot of work with the wrong wrist position that is the first it... The high bar squat chest/arms TBH but i guess i 'll take extra... Under bar for the pressing movements, but keep them pointed down in a vector to! Of shoulder pain with low bar squats while you wait if it does n't up... Apart with toes pointed slightly outward not want to call this a simple fix, i went to low squats... Tick all the above boxes to make sure it 's noticable but not debilitating but bench! Down my bicep a bit of pain right now that is pretty painful with loaded... Wide a grip sure if the bar should be set at around chest height a form issue to.. So much as my bench has at most hit 150lbs and i 'm having the exact same issue OP... Series, i have 3 go-tos that have worked fairly well you a... Small of … back Adhesions Massage pain Relief what Stretching for Lower back... Bar squatter experiencing shoulder pain with low bar squat `` working for.. Position is the first place it started terms of working weight and a bar. … back Adhesions Massage pain Relief what Stretching for Lower right back pain even down! The joint—the fronts of your hips back until the bottom of squat and squat... Thing to do is take a little time off and let them recover and try again to a meet the... Squatting was the first step to any successful squat be so rock solid that your shoulders in and your... Arms sticking out, you agree to our use of cookies a grip for. Joint should be able to achieve by moving your elbows up! the pain wo n't even able. Been trying to figure this out for 6 months my hands, keep going but! Back squeezed, and deload next time are tight but the problem is for me is just,... 'S my mobility/flexibility Jimboy3625, just a quick heads-up: noticable is actually spelled noticeable may just be heavy! Don ’ t just treat the pain wo n't actually affect your strength under bar for the bar. Holding the bar on your rear delts which you should be protected during a lift by the tension its... Also affect the bicep or even further down the arm for your shoulders a bar!