T Nation

Shoulder Pain w/Low Bar Squat

Powerlifting
#1

I have been tinkering with the style of squat in the starting strength book and DVD. I am following all the cues, chest up head down, hands not gripping the bar but resting on it. I am hitting depth and feeling fine. Only problem is I can not take the immense wrist and shoulder pain I get from it.

High bar aggravated my patella, I go so low my ass touches my heels. I get knee pain even squatting light this way but its easy to do and when i warm up extensively the pain is only a small ache in the patella right blow the knee.

Low bar allows me to go to parallel or a few inches below but I don’t feel forced to go so my arse touches my ankles like I do going high bar.

I would like to start training low bar because I feel my hamstrings engaged more and I don’t get knee pain but I am having real problems squatting despite doing tonnes of reps trying to perfect my technique and watching the starting strength DVD over and over.

Really starting to piss me off.

#2

Have you tried to widen your grip? Or you might be setting up with your bar to low.

#3

Wrist wraps will help take the pressure off your wrists and may help to put your shoulder in a better position. I would also suggest trying to widen your grip assuming you have enough delt to hold the bar in that position of course

#4

[quote]Paradise Lost wrote:
I have been tinkering with the style of squat in the starting strength book and DVD. I am following all the cues, chest up head down, hands not gripping the bar but resting on it. I am hitting depth and feeling fine. Only problem is I can not take the immense wrist and shoulder pain I get from it.

High bar aggravated my patella, I go so low my ass touches my heels. I get knee pain even squatting light this way but its easy to do and when i warm up extensively the pain is only a small ache in the patella right blow the knee.

Low bar allows me to go to parallel or a few inches below but I don’t feel forced to go so my arse touches my ankles like I do going high bar.

I would like to start training low bar because I feel my hamstrings engaged more and I don’t get knee pain but I am having real problems squatting despite doing tonnes of reps trying to perfect my technique and watching the starting strength DVD over and over.

Really starting to piss me off.[/quote]

No offense to Rip but maybe try learning from a few other places so you can find what works for you. Such as EliteFTS: http://train.elitefts.com/instructional/so-you-think-you-can-squat-parts-1-5/

Get a video of you squatting and that will allow people to pin point some issues a bit more.

#5

I could not low bar without my wrist wraps, when I was young I tried to squat without them for years, thinking my wrists would get stronger.

I have small wrists it was never going to happen, had severe wrist aches for as long as I lifted

don’t try and be a martyr like me, use what you can get.

also agree - Rip is good, but there is more than one way to dead or squat

#6

I like elbow sleeves for this too.

#7

I had the same exact issues. Switching from high bar to SS style low bar squats. Pain was intolerable (would also get bad forearm and bicep tendonitis).

My solution was:

  1. widen grip
  2. use full grip + wrist wraps
  3. keep back tight to maintain shelf for the bar

+1 for finding what works for you. Rippetoe and starting strength is fantastic but their technique for the lifts is not the only way.