High bar squat or low bar squat: which is better for athletes?

[ajymerced]

Is the high bar or low bar squat of better benefit to the athlete on your guys opinion? I'm specifically a basketball player so which is better for me?

[ajymerced]

Anyone?

[KGD54]

My college football team uses a low bar fit. I find that it helps players stay on their heals more as well as keeps the back stright instead of bending because of being too top heavy. I'm not sure which is "better" but it should all be based on our feel.
Hope this helps some.

[ajymerced]

Is the low bar really more of an unnatural feel compared to the high bar?

[konyy]

front squat. As your probably a longer limbed person I think it will be easier for you to get the correct form with a front squat.

[ajymerced]

I'm tryna gain optimal strength though. Will front squats do that

[LiftHeavy85]

low bar utilizes more posterior chain, is easier on the back and you can lift more. Just take the opposite of what i said and apply it to the high bar

[ajymerced]

low bar utilizes more posterior chain, is easier on the back and you can lift more. Just take the opposite of what i said and apply it to the high bar

what was the opposite of what you said?

[blitz042000]

I would go with low bar the stress is taken off your knees and the force required to move the bar is generated more from your hips. This allows greater hip strength to be developed this is where the majority of your jumping power and over all leg power comes from. So the more strength developed in your hips the greater potential for power in your hips.

[TrimLines]

Generally I recommend a low bar squat for athletes. I dont think there is anything wrong with high bar but I feel the position low bar puts you in, is much more optimal and sports related then high bar. Olympic lifters squat high bar because they need to get as low down in the hole as possible for the catch position but there really are not any times when athletes go past parallel while participating in a sport. The idea of a squat for an athlete is to build explosiveness in the posterior chain, I feel this is better accomplished with a low bar parallel or just below squat.

[hyperdunk1]

low bar squat does help out with the form more. But high bar squat is a bit better for developing one's vertical. It puts a bit more weight on the quads.

[ajymerced]

I seem to get many mixed answers here. Some say high has less stress on the back and some say low bar has less stress. I wonder which one is right

[konyy]

Yes front squat, will help you with strength gains..

[jonmd123]

High bar puts less stress on the back because your torso is in a more upright position. With that being said, it puts more stress on your knees. I prefer using low bar, and mixing in front squats. I only use high bar if the athlete has some sort of wrist or shoulder injury.

[ajymerced]

Sounds like a majority like low bar for athletes. I may have to try it

[andrewmc]

High bar is better for overall athleticism and explosiveness. It stacks your joints so you body has more synergy when completing the lift. Low bar allows you to lift more weight, and is what is used in powerlifting. It depends on your goals, but for athletes, high bar is better.

[DNClay]

High bar lets me go deeper while keeping an upright back. Low-bar allows me to lift more weight. You can do either, but the most important thing is form.

[crunchnflex]

High bar is better!

[IntraVol]

Generally speaking most gym goers cannot high bar squat correctly due to muscular imbalances from the thoracic region to the calves and ankles. If this chain and complex isn't mobile you'll have not chance. Mobility and flexibility is the forgotten son of exercise and fitness unfortunately.

[NorwichGrad]

Whatever is comfortable. Just squat.

[NewbieX2]

I've asked this question in the past. I've been squatting for a couple years, about 1 year high bar and 1 year low bar. I don't think I could tell you which is better for athletes. They work the same musculature to a different degree, sure, but it's not like you're only squatting in your program (or you shouldn't be!). If you squat high bar, then be sure to include romanian deadlift to make up for the differences. I like squatting high bar WAY better because it's just more fun. I like the bounce out of the hole, it just feels great. I would also think that bounce helps in some sort of plyometric way, as you're taking all this weight and reversing it very quickly at the bottom, much like a vertical jump. Really, I'd recommend doing whichever you're comfortable the most with.

[ajymerced]

I've asked this question in the past. I've been squatting for a couple years, about 1 year high bar and 1 year low bar. I don't think I could tell you which is better for athletes. They work the same musculature to a different degree, sure, but it's not like you're only squatting in your program (or you shouldn't be!). If you squat high bar, then be sure to include romanian deadlift to make up for the differences. I like squatting high bar WAY better because it's just more fun. I like the bounce out of the hole, it just feels great. I would also think that bounce helps in some sort of plyometric way, as you're taking all this weight and reversing it very quickly at the bottom, much like a vertical jump. Really, I'd recommend doing whichever you're comfortable the most with.

What are you talking about with the "bounce out of the hole"

[NewbieX2]

What are you talking about with the "bounce out of the hole"

Utilizing the stretch reflex.

[ajymerced]

I may be have to stick with high bars until I'm done with the SL 5x5. Then I might try low bars . Thanks for the input guys!

[Lifter269bb]

Is the high bar or low bar squat of better benefit to the athlete on your guys opinion? I'm specifically a basketball player so which is better for me?

Stick to low-bar squat.

[UberAlles]

high bar IMO because high bar has a closer application to olympic lifts

[ajymerced]

Wait so which one really puts less stress on the lower back?? Can you prove it also?

[SalStrength]

When dealing with high and low bar squats, first we need to write out each technique.

Low Bar: Placing the bar under the trapezius muscles. Taking the bar off of the rack, the lifter places their feet wider than should width. On the descending part of the squat, the lifter is focusing on pushing their hips back to achieve depth.

High Bar: Placing the bar right on or above the trapezius muscles. Taking the bar off of the rack, the lifter places their feet about shoulder width with feet slightly angled. On the descending part of the squat, the lifter is focusing on pushing their knees out. The lifter is also focusing on the down motion.

Comparison: So the difference between the two squats is a Low Bar Squat has the lifter focusing on pushing the hips back to achieve depth. The High Bar Squat has the lifter focusing downward not back.

Muscle Analysis: Everyone knows the deep the lifter squats the more the hamstrings and glutes are activated in the lift. The way to achieve the deepest depth is a high bar squat due to the focus of a "downward motion." The low bar squat will place more pressure on the low back due to the backwards motion of the hips.

Hope this helps!

[SoftMangos]

It depends on the rest of your program. Pick whichever one fills in the hole that's missing in your workout. If you are working on sprinters, a high bar squat might be better to hit their quads since heavy sprints is likely to develop their hamstrings and not their quads. If your athletes have stronger quads, I would work on low bar squat instead. I feel like the quads are less likely to get hit in most athletes, and the hip mobility gained from highbar squat may be more helpful for most athletes. As mentioned above try to incorporate dead lifts as well, or flute hamstrings or food mornings

[ajymerced]

When dealing with high and low bar squats, first we need to write out each technique.

Low Bar: Placing the bar under the trapezius muscles. Taking the bar off of the rack, the lifter places their feet wider than should width. On the descending part of the squat, the lifter is focusing on pushing their hips back to achieve depth.

High Bar: Placing the bar right on or above the trapezius muscles. Taking the bar off of the rack, the lifter places their feet about shoulder width with feet slightly angled. On the descending part of the squat, the lifter is focusing on pushing their knees out. The lifter is also focusing on the down motion.

Comparison: So the difference between the two squats is a Low Bar Squat has the lifter focusing on pushing the hips back to achieve depth. The High Bar Squat has the lifter focusing downward not back.

Muscle Analysis: Everyone knows the deep the lifter squats the more the hamstrings and glutes are activated in the lift. The way to achieve the deepest depth is a high bar squat due to the focus of a "downward motion." The low bar squat will place more pressure on the low back due to the backwards motion of the hips.

Hope this helps!

Why does Mark rippletoe say low bar is easier on the back for you though? I can't link the video right now, but you search for him talking about low bar vs high bar , he says low back is easier on the back.