Raw Low-Bar Squatters...

[Lopez27]

How do you set up your feet?

I currently squat wider than shoulder width with toes pointed slightly sort of a sumo squat stance and I'm wondering what the rest of you guys do.

[xRequiem]

no love for hi bar squatters?

[Sharksinurmouth]

slightly wider than shoulder width, maybe 35-45 degrees with the feet?

[BombDonald]

I do slightly wider than shoulder width and toes pointed almost straight forward.

[Lopez27]

no love for hi bar squatters?

no hate. Feet set up just varies a lot between the two and I don't use hi bar.

[Lopez27]

slightly wider than shoulder width, maybe 35-45 degrees with the feet?

I do slightly wider than shoulder width and toes pointed almost straight forward.

I'm gonna try slightly wider than shoulder width tomorrow. That's like an inch or 2 out more on each side right? Right now I'm like 6 inches wider on each side.

[neilmorgan77]

I'm not sure what you mean by low bar, as I thought the correct bar position is on the shelf of the rear delts, unless it refers to something completely different? As for foot position, it sounds like you are nowhere near a wide stance squat. If you are putting your feet slightly wider than shoulder width, which is how I squat, then point your feet mostly forwards (i.e. only slightly pointing out). Otherwise, there will be a tendency to roll onto the insides of your feet if you don't get your knees out sufficiently, and you will lose power through your feet if your knees extend before your back and you need to good morning the weight at all.

[Xuaxace]

I'm not sure what you mean by low bar, as I thought the correct bar position is on the shelf of the rear delts, unless it refers to something completely different? As for foot position, it sounds like you are nowhere near a wide stance squat. If you are putting your feet slightly wider than shoulder width, which is how I squat, then point your feet mostly forwards (i.e. only slightly pointing out). Otherwise, there will be a tendency to roll onto the insides of your feet if you don't get your knees out sufficiently, and you will lose power through your feet if your knees extend before your back and you need to good morning the weight at all.

Middle is high bar (usually olympic) and right is low bar, usually powerlifting. Though there are people that might have a placement somewhere in between

[brodygeorge]

although flexibility may be an issue, you should try keep your feet as forward facing as properly. with this, you can develop more torque in your legs.

[BigLarge]

Narrow... like my heels are probably 12 inches apart and I point my feet at a 45 degree angle. Just feel strongest this way.... and my hips/knees dont take a beating

[neilmorgan77]

Middle is high bar (usually olympic) and right is low bar, usually powerlifting. Though there are people that might have a placement somewhere in between

Thanks for the image. I think the low bar position looks incredibly uncomfortable, but it's probably just the diagram.

I'm not sure if when I set up on the rear delts it is low or high? It is fairly low compared to my friends in the gym who put the bar high on their traps. It is comfortable on the delts, and feels locked in because it sits on top of the muscles.

[Ensamvarg]

A bit wider than shoulder width, definitely not sumo. Feet around 30-35 degrees usually. I found that if I went any wider, even if I tried to push my knees out they'd still cave in slightly at the bottom, or my ankles would bend inwards.

[Torrtrefireto]

Shoulder with feet out some

Most people I've seen who say they squat low bar don't

[koyongi]

Anywhere from slightly outside shoulder width to a foot or so wider than that, depending on the day. Toes point the same direction the knees are going or maybe slightly forward.

[turkeyhawk]

although flexibility may be an issue, you should try keep your feet as forward facing as properly. with this, you can develop more torque in your legs.

I get knee pain if I'm not toed out 15-20 degrees, but I also walk duck footed. Is this lack of flexibility?

[LongtimeLurkr]

Feet INSIDE of shoulder width, toes pointing out at a 45 deg angle from front. My squat blows, so it's a model of what not to do.

[Szarko]

Thanks for the image. I think the low bar position looks incredibly uncomfortable, but it's probably just the diagram.

I'm not sure if when I set up on the rear delts it is low or high? It is fairly low compared to my friends in the gym who put the bar high on their traps. It is comfortable on the delts, and feels locked in because it sits on top of the muscles.

The bar is resting on your traps.


Slightly wider stance with feet angled outwards is better positioning for low bar.

When you angle your feet outwards you engage your hips more and are therefore able to develop strong hip drive. Narrow stance with feet forward on high bar is more dependent on quads.

I think that how you initially setup is largely to do with ones flexibility. Without a doubt, anyone who is more inflexible like myself, would not be able to get depth with a narrow stance, feet pointed forward, so you naturally widen and angle out your feet to compensate.

However, when I look at high bar I just feel you might as well be front squatting, as it's almost identical mechanically.
I don't think I have ever seen any big big squatters use high bar narrow stance, but I have also not seen a massive variety yet.

[Lopez27]

Tried out the new stance, felt pretty good....

325lbs


375lbs (3rd rep was total crap, form broke down)

[allergic2rice]

in the past, I've been told that I squat ridiculously wide for a raw squatter

[kayne695]

I squat with my feet about 3-4" wider than shoulder width each side. Toes pointed in a 30-40 degree angle. I feel that if i didn't angle my toes, it would be bad for knee health. Is this true or just plain wrong?

[neilmorgan77]

Tried out the new stance, felt pretty good....

The vids looked good to me. I think that's a fairly similar bar position and foot placement to what I use, except I try not to lean forwards so much, which is probably just down to flexibility and head position.

[Alyion]

Slightly outside shoulders, that being said i've tried to narrow my stance recently as I feel I can push and hit depth easier if it were closer.

[BrazilianLifter]

http: // a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s720x720/562990_3644836245268_1405239517_3270735_273920885_ n.jpg

here's mine

[LongtimeLurkr]

I don't think I have ever seen any big big squatters use high bar narrow stance, but I have also not seen a massive variety yet.

"Blenderate", former poster here and on youtube, squats that way. high 600 meet squat (672, I think) and 462x20, no belt at 242.

[ISuckAtBenching]

although flexibility may be an issue, you should try keep your feet as forward facing as properly. with this, you can develop more torque in your legs.

*hips

[Torrtrefireto]

"Blenderate", former poster here and on youtube, squats that way. high 600 meet squat (672, I think) and 462x20, no belt at 242.

He was the minority though. He also may have squatted that way due to injury. He told me he used it because it was more natural and he could better handle big volume

[JeromeWeinberg]

I do slightly wider than shoulder width and toes pointed almost straight forward.

This and

although flexibility may be an issue, you should try keep your feet as forward facing as properly. with this, you can develop more torque in your hips.

This

[Aaron47pb]

Tried out the new stance, felt pretty good....

Your lower back is rounding slightly in the hole. Before it gets worse, you might want to be proactive with mobility/stretches for your hips

[Szarko]

although flexibility may be an issue, you should try keep your feet as forward facing as properly. with this, you can develop more torque in your legs.

This is incorrect, refer to my earlier post for explanation.

[kidkurious]

I do it rippetoe style: Heels at about shoulder-width, with feet pointing out at about 30 degrees.