do you all squat with padded bar or not

[sexpak]

ive been squatting for many years now and it is without doubt the most taxing and beneficial on your bodymass . i have in the last three or four years considerably built up some thigh size and shape though my calfs are still weak .
question is i have developed this large egg size lump on my lower neck trap area resulting from pretty heavy and prolonged squatting which is very sore and painful after squatting and aleviates after 48 hours or so . my training partner uses a padding on the bar but i dont woos out. i know its not helping me but i feel it unbalances the bar anf feel its too high up my neck and i feel more stable across the trap area.
everyone says just build up your trap area and you will be fine, but ive been training donkeys years and big as im going to ever get as ive always stayed natural .
any of you suffer the same and do you have any tips you could pass on to help matters while squatting more comfortably .

[styken]

Holy hell, strong BF%. Why are you red? Repped to try and help. People on this site who actually lift should not be red, regardless of their mannerisms.

I dislike the padded bar for the same reason as you, it makes the bar ride weird and seem unbalanced. If it is riding on your spine, are you sure you are squaring your traps and pulling your shoulders back, not forward/down, in order to form a "shelf"?

[sexpak]

not sure why im red !! prob because i randomly post now and again . thanku "styken" for the tips ... will give that a try

[freebirdmac]

What if you switched to front squats for awhile, let the area rest, then try back squats again paying attention to the above poster's suggestion?

[NYkarate]

I have found the squat sponge to be by far the most comfortable to use. The bar will sit up much higher and you need to get used to it, given your situation it is probably worth it.

[styken]

What if you switched to front squats for awhile, let the area rest, then try back squats again paying attention to the above poster's suggestion?

This is not a bad idea either. I had a lot of trouble with pain from my regular squat form, switched over to front squats (and ate the crow at having to ditch so much weight, front squats you must go lighter on), then built up to heavier weight on my back squats again.

Not sure WHAT I remedied by doing that, but it seemed to help.

[Brackneyc]

I use a towel (folded in half). It is just enough to keep my neck pain at bay. I figure better to use it and squat than not use it, and not be able to squat. For me, it does not change the way I hold the bar, or the way it sits upon my shoulders.

[chodan9]

I lowered the bar to an area where it didnt ride on the tender area.
this means I have to support much of the weight with my upper body but I also feel it strengthened my squats. It forces me to keep my upper body tight to stabilize the weight

[Confederado]

I never tried it, but it might help, there is a thead on this site about it, but I cant post the link.

[discdoggie]

After years and years of squatting with the pussy pad, I've finally weaned myself off in the last several months or so. Now that I'm confident I can do it, I like squatting much better without it. Really, all that time I just didn't have the bar in the exactly "right" place.

Rowyn gets "back callous" from squatting, lol. I haven't gotten this yet, but if and when I do, I'll consider it a badge of honor and sport it proudly.

[juliacheh]

No pads, no straps and no pussy gloves!

Proud of my marks from front squats.

[discdoggie]

No pads, no straps and no pussy gloves!

Proud of my marks from front squats.

You are one bad ass she brah! Srs.

No gloves here, either.

[BroteinShayke]

OP you need the hold the bar much lower. Your grip should be as close as possible to ensure that your back is tight to allow the bar to rest on your rear delts. Right now, you are using the high bar position.

Watch this video
go on youtube and /watch?v=2eZ1HzoH0Rw
(can't embed yet) Watch when he talks about the low bar position.

[discdoggie]

OP you need the hold the bar much lower. Your grip should be as close as possible to ensure that your back is tight to allow the bar to rest on your rear delts. Right now, you are using the high bar position.

Watch this video
go on youtube and /watch?v=2eZ1HzoH0Rw
(can't embed yet) Watch when he talks about the low bar position.

fixed that for you.

[juliacheh]

You are one bad ass she brah! Srs.

No gloves here, either.
[/IMG]

Wow, doggie, you are one badass MOFO
When I go to a nail place, the girl who does my nails always shakes her head at my calluses LOL

[bigtallox]

I'd like to see a video of your squat. From this I'd say it looks like you're bar position is probably too high and your upper back isn't bulled back and tight so the bar rests on your spine instead of muscle. But there's no way to know for sure without seeing you squat.

But no I never squat with the pad. It seems like it's make the weight unstable.

[taf1968]

I won't claim to be any kind of authority when it comes to squats . . . lots of folks here who are knowledgeable and many have already given some advice--you'll gets lots more feedback I'm sure. Like Bigtallox said, if you post a video that would really help you get some great advice if corrections are needed.

But I agree that front squats are a good option to give yourself a break from that inflammation . . . that and Zercher Squats are awesome as well as something different(combine those with Bulgarian Split Squats and your legs will hate you for days on end).

[JRT6]

Lump on spine= go see doctor. A pad ain't gonna help if there is something wrong, you're assuming this lump is the result of simply squating without the maxipad.

[bodyhard]

Yo forget about the bar, go see a doc, a bump on the vertebrae like that doesn't look normal man.

Also I had a friend who had a lump like that on his upper spine when he was younger and now he has a huge lump on his back and he walks bend over. He said it is very painful.

I say go see a doc man, seriously.

[Meatpants]

Yo forget about the bar, go see a doc, a bump on the vertebrae like that doesn't look normal man.

Also I had a friend who had a lump like that on his upper spine when he was younger and now he has a huge lump on his back and he walks bend over. He said it is very painful.

I say go see a doc man, seriously.

Agreed. Looks like a dorsal fin or something. Not normal at all.

As far as the pad......

notthissh!tagain.jpg

If you like it use it, if you don't, don't.

[drudixon]

squat pad. Now with new and improved card board applicator.

[drudixon]

Yo forget about the bar, go see a doc, a bump on the vertebrae like that doesn't look normal man.

Also I had a friend who had a lump like that on his upper spine when he was younger and now he has a huge lump on his back and he walks bend over. He said it is very painful.

I say go see a doc man, seriously.

Srslytho This. Lumps r bad.

[HoustonTXMuscle]

Not quite sure why you feel it unbalances the bar. Also don't feel that its rides too high up on the neck; mine certainly doesn't. Yeah, I use a pad most of the time, but then my excuse is that I'm OLD.

[Brackneyc]

Agreed. Looks like a dorsal fin or something. Not normal at all.

As far as the pad......

notthissh!tagain.jpg

If you like it use it, if you don't, don't.

I only use the pad when I want to squat double my usual amount. You know how much easier it makes it on your "legs" when you have that pad on your shoulders. Sometimes I add two pads, thus allowing me to squat nearly 4x my regular weight.

Additionally, I will add a pillow to my preacher curls, allowing me to curl nearly 200 lbs.

[BCo1SG]

No pads, no straps and no pussy gloves!

Proud of my marks from front squats.

Does using pads or gloves take away from how much weight you can lift?

I wear gloves when I lift. I don't want my hands tore up because I need my hands and fingers for carrying and shooting my rifle at the Taliban. I would definitely use a pad on the bar for doing squats so that my shoulders aren't trashed when I have to walk multiple kilometers wearing body armor while hunting for the Taliban. Not everyone who wears gloves or uses pads is a pussy.

[Birddog6424]

I also wear gloves. My gym is in my garage, and in the winter, all the dumbbells and barbell are painfully cold. But the biggest reason is my girlfriend doesn't like the calluses. I prefer that she likes when I touch her

[freebirdmac]

Does using pads or gloves take away from how much weight you can lift?

I wear gloves when I lift. I don't want my hands tore up because I need my hands and fingers for carrying and shooting my rifle at the Taliban. I would definitely use a pad on the bar for doing squats so that my shoulders aren't trashed when I have to walk multiple kilometers wearing body armor while hunting for the Taliban. Not everyone who wears gloves or uses pads is a pussy.

Ignore the sissy/pussy crap. It's nothing more than school yard teasing.

[geer_matt]

Squats aren't suppose to be comfortable thats why they build so much muscle. Pain is weakness leaving the body.

[juliacheh]

Ignore the sissy/pussy crap. It's nothing more than school yard teasing.

Freebird, I was just kidding. Honestly I could care less what other people are using

[JRT6]

[QUOTE=BCo1SG;673710361]Does using pads or gloves take away from how much weight you can lift?

I wear gloves when I lift. I don't want my hands tore up because I need my hands and fingers for carrying and shooting my rifle at the Taliban. I would definitely use a pad on the bar for doing squats so that my shoulders aren't trashed when I have to walk multiple kilometers wearing body armor while hunting for the Taliban. Not everyone who wears gloves or uses pads is a pussy.[/QUOTE

I don't anyone yet who developed calluses on their finger tips from not wearing gloves (especially since lifting gloves are fingerless) and a callus on the shoulders from squating?