Barbell Squats, bar placement

So, I have never been able to do any kind of barbell squat other than front squat. And lets face it, front squats are hardly any good for any serious mass gain as you can't hold as much weight.

My problem is that I can't hold a barball on my back in a comfortable enough way to stack the weights on. I ask guy after guy at the gym where they hold it and they all point in the same spot, but where they point, I have a bone in my spine sticking out and the bar hurts like hell to be placed there. Some have showed me a place a bit lower on the back, my shoulder blades come up at that point and I can't hold the bar there. Also, my arms don't stretch that far back. And yes, I have tried using the pads, hardly any help there.

Anyhow, my question, is there like any type of product out there (like maybe a vest with a rack) that holds the barbell on your back comfortably or is there anyone that has my problem here that has overcome it somehow. Any tips or advice is appreciated. Thanks

The bar should be resting on your traps. Try pulling your shoulders back before lifting off.

[QUOTE=doesNOTcare;545035883]The bar should be resting on your traps. Try pulling your shoulders back before lifting off.[/QUOTE]

This. Also i find it hurts everyone a bit at first. The first time i did it it hurt me with only 30kg on the bar. Just do it and get used to it. Start with the bar if you need to.

[QUOTE=Spawn8214;545034363]
Anyhow, my question, is there like any type of product out there (like maybe a vest with a rack) that holds the barbell on your back comfortably or is there anyone that has my problem here that has overcome it somehow. Any tips or advice is appreciated. Thanks[/QUOTE]

To answer your question at face value, yes there are products which are designed to help you hold a squat bar, like the "Manta Ray":

[img]http://www.incredibody.com/images/mantaray.jpg[/img]

I have never used one so I can't really speak to how it works. My advice, however, would be to learn how to squat without any assistance devices. (The bar should be resting on muscle, not your spine, though.) Work on your flexibility until you are able to get your traps to "bulge" out beyond your spine.

Pinch your shoulder blades together and rest the bar on your traps. It hurt me for about two weeks.

it actually should be further back than that bone. it feels like it will fall off at first. then suddenly you realize it wont.

the day i learned how to hold a barbell on my back my squat went up 30 pounds.

[QUOTE=EatSomeIron;545074103]it actually should be further back than that bone. it feels like it will fall off at first. then suddenly you realize it wont.

the day i learned how to hold a barbell on my back my squat went up 30 pounds.[/QUOTE]

you're describing a low bar squat

high bar is also perfectly acceptable, depending on your goal

[QUOTE=Spawn8214;545034363].....lets face it, front squats are hardly any good for any serious mass gain as you can't hold as much weight...[/QUOTE]

You don't hold the weight

[youtube]XkK9-mnDAy4[/youtube]

I rest the bar lower on my back across the groove created between my rear delts and traps. I don't even feel the bar on my back, even with 400lbs+ on there. Most people tend to rest the bar high up and it can either sit on a vertebrae which is very uncomfortable, or even on your traps which is also uncomfortable because the weight is not spread out across your whole back, but rather focused on the small portion where your traps are.

It's basically this

[img]http://www.figureathlete.com/img/photos/2009/09-FIG009-training/image002.jpg[/img]

vs. this

[img]http://www.shorelinecrossfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/cf-toronto-back-squat_6491-550x365.jpg[/img]

I prefer the second one.

There is so much fail in the OP's post it hurts.

That being siad, there was a lot of good replies.

As said, there is high bar and low bar placement. High bar rests on top of the trap, low bar rests across the traps on on top of the posterior delts.

Front squat is fantastic for mass gain.

The manta ray (blue squat placement thingy) works/feels great. I used one in Cuba. Has perfect fitment/placement, unlike a squat pad.