Tight Shoulders - Recommendations?

K y’all, I’m having issues with both front and back squats because my shoulders are so damn tight I can’t get a good hold on a barbell for either.

What I plan to do is just use the bar (45) up to 25’s to get the movement patten in on front squats and am hoping my shoulders adjust to it with time.
Feel like a candy ass not using more than 95lbs but figure form is most important, so I’ll try to get that down before adding weight.
Back squats are currently impossible because I can not grip the bar behind my shoulders at any width.

Anyone have suggestions?

What do u think about this plan?

Thanks

If you have access to a safety squat bar or buffalo bar, you might want to try those.

The mighty goblet squat is also a fine option.

@twojarslave
I’ll have to look those bars up to see what you’re taking about.
Thanks

Ok yeh- looked those up and have seen them at my gym, just not in use. Will research the use further…

Less work for the pecs, biceps and front delts.

More work for the muscles between the shoulder blades.

Heres some boring junk. I mean ideas.

I’ve never actually used a buffalo bar, but some of the guys at my gym prefer it because the position is easier on their shoulders.

I have used the safety squat bar, and I recommend it highly. It is a bit of a different animal than a barbell squat, but it has been my go-to squat bar while I’ve been struggling with recent shoulder drama.

I’ve also done my fair share of goblet squats, which I particularly like for people who are still figuring out their squat.

See what works for you.

I’m front squatting as the squat position hurts my shoulders.

Lats are tight
Internal rotation is non existent
Pecs are tight

I stretch those aspects out daily and I can get into a squat position now - it’s still uncomfortable though and I wouldn’t risk squatting yet. That’s 6ish weeks work. I figure it will be that again before it’s comfortable.

Yessir double jar I’ll try it out for sure. Had wondered what the Damn thing was for anyway!

Came onto the forum looking for more information about mobility and flexibility at various joints in the body. Ive done shoulder mobility exercises using a broomstick and that has helped significantly. You can find some good videos online on youtube. I also do myofascial release around the anterior and posterior delts as well as around the traps and scapula and that has been beneficial.

Twojar: I used the safety squats today & it was just the thing for my issue. Even finished my season with a set of 20 :). Only at 95lbs but at least I felt it.

Who ever heard of a dude doing super sets of squats and DB curls? Big ole dude was tying up the power rack going back & forth across the free weight area doing that and acted annoyed when I asked if he was finished with the rack & he was just between sets. I figured he was done cause he went to the DB’s but wanted to be sure and got the attitude with that explanation. Whatever tho, it just slowed my start time about 10 mins.
Can’t tell u how relieved I am that the safety squats worked out. Maybe after some time I’ll be able to do back squats again :slight_smile:

Viva la Barbell!

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Good to hear. I’m not sure of the model at your gym, but the one at mine is a 65 lb bar. You might have done a set with 115 and not even knew it.

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Yeh I’d have to ask. Just assumed the bar was 45. If it was 65 then great :slight_smile:

U think it’s ergonomically sound to go as high in weight with these as back squats? I’d assume so but thought I’d ask. I mean as it’s relative to me, I have to wonder if I worked the weight up over 400 if it’s still an ok thing, or if there’s a threshold where it becomes undesirable.
Of course my end goal is to do these until I can do back squats…have to wonder just exactly how my damn shoulders got so tight. Ain’t like they’re hyooge.

Most people will not be able to squat as much with a SSB. The heaviest I’ve gone is 425 for a SSB single vs 500 for a single with a straight bar. I can do more with both, but I’m not particularly interested in finding my max.

I’d just follow whatever set/rep scheme your program lays out, along with the progression model for adding weight.

Copy that sir!

I’d really like to get to bsck squatting and work back up to 500 myself. Hoping the SSBat aids in loosening my shoulders so I can do that. Used to love squat days, but that was years ago…there’s something cool about having enough weight on for the bar to bow across your neck ya know?!

Hey thanks for the great input u always give me bro - totally appreciate it.

Viva La Barbell!

It won’t. It will help you squat while you’re shoulders are tight, but getting them loose will require something besides SSB squats.

Ok ObiWan: Recomnends for that?
I mean Grrr, dunno how the hell they got like this from doing nothing a number of years. Maybe from having to carry too much flab or something. I done frickin got old and half broke down - this madness HAS to stop!!

Meanwhile I’ll try to locate articles about that here. Seems every other bit of info pertinent to lifting resides on this site so y not :slight_smile:

Sorry, not something I can really advise on. My shoulders have only recently stopped barking at me after many months of discomfort and a break from heavy lifting that was a lot longer than I cared for.

Your condition may be similar, or not.

Yeh ok , may be. Found some stretches I’m gonna try…will see wat happens

On upper body days stretch the pecs hard immedialtey postworkout from a variety of angles…