Low Bar Squats- Tight Shoulders?

[Ramrod]

I'm been trying to get use to this, but it's not going well. It's the bar placement that I haven't been able to do correct. I believe it's my shoulder flexibilty that is stopping me. Is this a common issue with Low Bar? What exercises are good to increase my shoulders flexibility?

I plan on getting Oly Shoes very soon too...

Here are a few Video's at different weights. These are just high bar Squats. It's what I've always done. I'll try and get some low bar squat vid's if I can. It's just phsyically painfull shoulder wise to get the bar across my back and rear delts...

345lbs I think.. I also tried putting 10lbs plates under my heels.



315lbs



345lbs again..




These are the Newest

325lbs



365lbs



390lbs

[nighttrain]

we cant see the videos RR, i know for me initially low bar squatting was very hard on my shoulders also, but i have found that it is not as bad now, just took lots and lots of squating like this for me to get used to it and for my shoulders to llow it to happen with out too much pain...

i love them now and its the only way i squat.. fix the videos, i would love to see... maybe i can help with some more pointers

[Fazc]

The usual stuff like doorway stretch, anything to do with the chest and shoulders would work well.

BUT if you want to be a real mong, then do some power snatches and hold at the top position. It'll force flexibility in the chest/shoulders. Progress on to doing behind the neck presses and/or behind the neck push presses. You won't have any problems once you can do those two without any problems.

[Ramrod]

Thanks for the encouragement,

Videos work on my end....???

[BigJosh]

Marc Rippetoe teaches the low bar squat. According to him shoulder flexibility can be an issue. Although I can't recall what he recommends besides just doing the lift to increase flexibility. I have spent most of my squat life doing low as I can go bar, but have recently brought it up a bit.
Rippetoe has a pretty great write up about the low bar squat in his "Starting Strength" book.
[/rippetoefanboypost]

[Soldier]

I don't have great shoulders, but my low bar hold doesn't mess with it. I put my hands all the way out, on the wide part of the bar between the bar and the weights, then raise my elbows so they are pointing behind me. That creates a valley between my traps and my rear delts in which the bar sits perfectly. When I go heavy I can push it back a little more and sit the bar across my rear delts. It doesn't hurt my shoulders, but it's not the most comfortable thing either.

It's the wide hands that takes the pressure off the shoulders.

[nighttrain]

^^ true Soldier, the wider the grip the easier on your shoulders it is. i am just always afraid im gona pinch a hand or finger on the damnrack when reracking the weight.

[BigJosh]

The purpose of bringing your hand placement closer together is that it tightens up all the top of the upper back and creates a stable platform for which the bar to rest/be driven up from.

[Soldier]

Originally Posted by BigJosh

The purpose of bringing your hand placement closer together is that it tightens up all the top of the upper back and creates a stable platform for which the bar to rest/be driven up from.

I've heard this said before, but the way I do it feels great to me. There's also this-


If it's good enough for those guys, it's good enough for me.

[BigJosh]

So the EliteFTS logo is the guidline on which you squat?
Not trying to be disrespectful, but that seems a bit silly to me.