Barbell Back Squat

Demo Lab – Lower Body Mechanics Breakout Group 1 – Squat Mechanics Barbell Back Squat

Key Teaching Points

Find a stance that allows hips to move freely
- Too narrow can lead to torso collapse forward
Keep weight in middle or slightly towards the back of the foot (not on toes or heels)
Go at least to parallel or preferably a few inches below
- Having your knees pass your toes is not necessarily associated with poor knee health.
  - Much will depend on someone’s actual technique!

Movement Pattern: Squat	Target: Quadriceps	Synergist(s): Gluteals, Hamstrings, Hip Adductors, Soleus
Exercise
Regressions:	Goblet Squat \| Walking Lunge	Progressions:

Key Teaching Points
Begin with the barbell supported on top of the traps. The chest should be up and the head facing forward. Adopt a hip-width stance with the feet turned out as needed. Descend by flexing the knees, refraining from moving the hips back as much as possible. This requires that the knees travel forward. Ensure that they stay align with the feet. The goal is to keep the torso as upright as possible. Continue all the way down, keeping the weight on the front of the heel. At the moment the upper legs contact the lower legs reverse the motion, driving the weight upward.
Common Error(s):	Valgus knees \| Torso collapses forward
Spotting:	Spotting Squats

Impact of Squat Width

On the most basic level, the starting stance for a squat is to instruct your client to adopt a slightly wider than shoulder width stance, with toes pointing outwards slightly.

That being said, pelvic phape, head of femur and acetabulum differ between individuals and adjustments will need to be made.

Females (or clients with wide hips) generally will require a wider stance to their squats

Overall, allow clients to establish the width that feels most comfortable for them

Image source: http://deansomerset.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/femurangles.jpg

High Bar vs. Low Bar Position

Image source: https://www.biolayne.com/articles/training/high-bar-vs-low-bar-squats-which-one-is-right-for-you/

High bar

Typically will have hands closer together on bar
Lends itself to staying more upright when you squat
Commonly used by people who Olympic lift
More emphasis on quads
- High bar position can aggravate knee pain issues

Low Bar

Hands further apart on bar (can be problematic for clients with shoulder issues)
More forward lean in torso (to start) and wider stance, however, more control of bar
Commonly used in power lifting
More emphasis on hamstrings and glutes (handle heavier loads)

Image source: https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-a-high-bar-and-low-bar-squat

The bottom line is that neither bar position is universally better/worse than the other.

What matters is establishing a position that allows a client to squat without pain, while being able to maintain proper form.

Safety Bar Squats

For clients with limited mobility in the shoulders, try using a safety-bar for loading the back squat.

With this bar, the client is able to maintain a neutral wrist position, with the hands held in front of the body (a much less stressful position for the shoulder).

In addition, the bar will typically sit lower on a client's back, more closely mimicking the position of a low-bar barbell squat. This bar position often results in less stress experienced in a client's low back as well.

Image source: https://fitnessvolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/squat-bar-with-heavy-padded-shoulder.jpg

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