#1 HIGH BAR SQUAT MISTAKE: Bar Position! 

The tip in here sounds super simple but until you experiment with different bar positions, you won't know what is ideal. I had thought my bar position was pretty damn good but shifting it down slightly has made a huge difference. We can improve our mobility to a certain extent, reduce ankle dorsiflexion demand via squat shoes and work on technical cuing...but sometimes the simplest answer is best. I think everyone can get a strong high bar squat position. Plus it just looks cool. Are you more about the high bar squat life or low bar?

if you get baked before squats are you technically high bar squatting.....i think yes

Tall man checking in. Shifting to a lower bar position and a narrower stance has made squatting a lot more comfortable for me. Great video Omar.

The number one mistake I see on high bar squat is some people seem to think the bar is supposed to stay high when they squat so their range of motion is 2 inches

These chinese Olympic Lifters have the sickest technique when it comes to squats, snatches, clean and jerk. Shit just looks flawless.

I am a weightlifter who recently did my first competition. I have always struggled with leg strength and realize that is my biggest weakness. I have seen much improvement in my back squat recently simply by shifting the bar down my traps about an inch or two and intentionally driveing my knees forward while i initiate the squat (picked up from Max Aita's videos). These in combination have made my squat both prettier and stronger !

I have only ever done high bar squats but once I reached a certain weight I would always do the two part squat like you were talking about. I recently started setting the bar just a little lower into the hybrid position and found squatting much more comfortable and much less forward lean. This video was good because it reassured me that this was right for me.

Last time i was in the gym i moved the bar down a bit, because of a sore spot on my neck. Worked better coming up. I think you're onto something.

High Bar team. I experimented with what you are stating and can confirm what you say 100%. I used to try to imitate chinese lifters by resting the bar as high as possible on the traps and, while I made some progress, I saw that whenever I went above 85% of my 1RM my form when I tried to come out of the hole would break down a lot. It drove me crazy. After some research I started placing the bar like in the "middle of my traps". I over reached as if I was going to go #LowBarAF but then I start rolling the bar up across the trap to find the perfect spot. Mental cue: I try to "cut" the upper traps in "half" with the bar. Maybe this helps someone. Great video and really useful advice for us without those nintendo genetics!

god damn, this channel is honestly a wealth of knowledge. every single time i encounter a new issue along this journey, omar already has a video on the exact problem. i owe so much of my progress to this man and his channel. thanks for being one of the few good (non-bullshit) fitness channels out there brotha

This video has seriously fixed my squat from over 7 months of discouragement. I'm an intermediate lifter and finally decided to start squatting 7 months ago and when I started, I could barely do high bar 135 ATG and 7 months later I still can barely do 10 reps. I knew I was a lot stronger in my legs then 135 and I knew something was wrong with my form and I did research and tried lots of different techniques but nothing worked and I could still feel it all in my hip flexors and very little activation in my quads. I saw this video and placed the bar literally 1 inch higher on my traps and I kid you not I busted out 135 for reps like it was nothing. I felt a lot more activation in my quads then ever before and next time I squat I'm going to test my 1 rep max and I wouldn't be surprised if I were to get around 315.

Saw my boy Lu on the thumbnail, had to click right away. 👌👌

THANK YOU!! I have been struggling with Squats for the longest time, always feeling like I was shifting forward when coming out of the hole. Tried lowering the bar a little today and it feels so much more stable!

This has helped me so so much thank you! I squat somewhere between the two also. Again long femurs and arms but small torso! This method is very effective between the two!Glad somebody finally called this out and agrees!

Great advice. I've been experimenting with this last week and it made a huge difference for me. My biggest issue with the squat is that it's hard for me to keep the bar over midfoot coming out of the hole (i'm tipping forward). Putting the bar just a little lower fixed it for me, heavy squats never felt so great.

Accordion to science 99% of people didn't realize I switched the first word with an instrument.

I usually have the bar in the middle of my traps, I get under the bar and dig it into my traps until it's snugly into the groove. I squat high bar and try to keep as upright as possible. technique wise, I go ass to grass as low as I physically can, pause for two seconds, then drive up with my quads. I sometimes struggle with hips shooting up but I realized that is caused by quads not being activated properly during the movement. slow down and force your legs to push the weight up instead of mindlessly doing whatever it takes to get upright. you might have to go a little lighter as you focus on honing your technique. I used to have the bar really high on my traps but I'd find it put a lot of pressure on my neck and was not efficient at all for me. I'm 5'9, male, 190 lb bodyweight, these are the things that work for me. thanks for another brilliant video Omar Isuf, always appreciate the tips you give, no matter how obvious it may seem to some people.

That lv xiaojun pronunciation is by far the most accurate one I heard

Been squatting on and off for years, always low bar. I struggled to increase weight and as such wasn’t so into them, preferred variations and even leg press 😱 Made a grip change 4 weeks ago now and naturally fell into a high bar squat. I feel way more comfortable and have increased my squat to from 80KG to 120Kg in 4 weeks. That’s not much I know, but I now see a path to 200KG squat at age 50... I’m 44... squat ass to grass 🤙🏻

I have a hard time convincing the bros that I have less low back fatigue in my low bar squat than when high bar squatting, this video will help me explain it better! I have a short torso with pretty long femurs so low bar keeps the bar over mid foot better for me and reduces that moment arm you talked about and, subsequently, the force my low back exerts trying to get the bar back to mid foot.

how do i stop my dangis banging on the ground at the bottom of the lift?

Thanks so much for this tip. It is counterintuitive to move the bar back a little, but it sure does work. I was always wondering why Clarence was doing a "low bar" squat in his videos... I do high bar exclusively, only because I have been weightlifting exclusively. Outside of that either one is fine and a very individual decision.

Noob here (~4-5 months lifting) This was super helpful. I've tried both high and low. I could lift more weight with low, but it was killing my wrists (especially when racking) no matter what grip I tried. Watching this made me realize my high bar position might be more of a "hybrid." I can't do quite as much weight, but it feels much better.

Good tip, Omar. I have a similar body structure to yours. Long legs, no calves, shorter torso. That’s why I love it when u post videos specific to your body type. Good luck with your calves training! I started doing them 3x /week. Hopefully leave you behind!

Short legged, long torso dude checking in, and even for me, this tip litteraly saved my squat game. Crazy how such a tiny change makes such a massive difference.

Tfw ur a high bar squatter but a powerlifter. I LOVE HIGH BAR UGH

Perfect vídeo, most peaple are like 8 or 80, they are so attached to "rules" when they lift instead of doing what is more comfortable for they, and i used to be like this because i was instructed to do this, thanks man

Great tip Omar, thanks. I think though that even Lou and every serious weightlifter place the bar like you say we ought to. They don’t really place it that high on the bottom of their neck, because then they would experience exactly what you talked about of the torso collapsing in the hole. The placement you mention is the only placement really possible in high bar squat and all of them are placing it like that- it not a hybrid- IT IS the true high bar placement- it makes bracing also easier and it allows you to keep your chest and whole torso upright specially in the hole.

A) High Bar, B) Max weight, only getting enough depth to get lights at a Powerlifting Meet. I started training (again technically, I used to Lift to supplement my Karate & Judo over twenty years ago, with the current Australian Olympic Hammertoss & Discus Strength & Conditioning assistant Coach as my then training partner 😅) using the StrongLifts 5X5 app about a year ago. Between a crazy busy life, general laziness on my part, and a glitching Phone Screen (like phantom fingers across the bottom, sometimes for weeks on end, which isn't good when you have an app that resets if you don't train for a few sessions) I've made erratic progress, but I currently (as in today's actual numbers) at a bodyweight of 100kg, Squat 226.5kg, Bench 93.5kg & Deadlift 82.5kg (short version, tweaked an old back injury, then forgot to restart Deadlift training till 7months ago). I'm currently debating backing off a bit (let the app reset by 6weeks) as my form for Squat is getting ridiculously high 😐, but I'm also closing in on 2.5 times bodyweight Squats & bodyweight Bench 😳. I usually superset exercises where I can & keep rest low to build up Conditioning when I reset (which usually isn't my choice, damn phone 😤) then when it gets Heavy again go to 3minutes & do one exercise at a time (which I just last week started doing again for the 1st time in 5 months). I feel good with all my exercises, except my lack of Squat depth. I watch Alan Thrall Low Bar Squat error video immediately before this one, and between the two I have much to think about 🤗😜😍😌😊😄😀😃😉😋 !!!

Some of the best advice I heard. After this, I managed to get past my plateau. Weight I was stuck with felt lighter!

Even after so many years, this content is just pure gold. Thank u Omar, i always had lower back tension, and it was my bottle neck, because I had the bar too high on my traps, making the weight overshoot the optimal bar path. Before my squat felt like a half assed good morning ( well it kinda was ) , when i tried your adjustment, I had to double check if there was any weight on the bar, it was suddenly so damn light haha, i was loughing out lout, because such a small difference in bar placement created all the resentment i had for squatting xD

i did this a month ago and boy does it make a difference. i feel stronger when i push back up and come up in on movement. so highly recommend

Wow ive noticed that whenever I squat the bar placement is never the same I just worried about keeping it above my shoulders and each set with the same weight felt inconsistent with the way It moved and felt.. this makes sense so Ill definitely focus on this!!!

Good advice Omar. I squat high bar but with the bar a bit lower like you say, recently did 500 for a triple. When I first started lifting I went low bar, and my first meet I had 9 red lights on my squat. Went high bar, competed again and got 9 whites. I really do think it's the better choice for the majority of lifters.

Even before i knew the difference between these two squat types, i high bar squated, it just felt more natural to me. I'm quite mobile, therefore i place the bar somewhere in the middle of my traps. With enough practice, everybody will find their own style of squating.

agreed. i've been focusing on HB squat more over the past year and for me the most comfortable bar position is just above the superior border of the scapula

Tried both for prolonged periods of time, stronger in low Bar but with adequate frequency to acquire the skill of high Bar squatting for 16 weeks, my high Bar was only 25-30lbs less having never trained it before the 16 week training block, definitely feel Training both has benefits for powerlifting aswell as weightlifting. Been following the content since I was 15, still solid as hell and enjoying the 12 week Bench programme as it was only just over half my max squat to start with. Keep it coming 👍

Brilliant! Me and my trainingbudy experimented yesterday with this, without watching your video. After watching it today it made even more sense, Thanks Omar!!!!! Greetings from Holland!

High bar. This tip you gave is real. Learned this a while back and my lower back stopped yelling at me.

Type of video everyone should watch before they start squatting! Very clearly explained man, got my like!

I do the high squat because it's what's comfortable and helps preserve my shoulders a little bit. Good video, Omar

Great advice, I've had a couple people comment on how high I put the bar up in the gym. I tell them it's what works for me. I have very short legs. Now I can send them here.

As of yesterday Nathan Damron don't squat 680 high bar. 700 beans.

the wizard has one of the most aesthetic looking Atg high bar squats

I'm a high bar squatter USAPL. I have a wrist injury on my right hand that limits the mobility to only like 20 degrees back so I just can't hold onto the bar in the low bar position. But, I move the bar down like you discussed here. I rest it more across my traps than on top of them and I feel more stable. This was kind of an accident after trying and trying to low bar and had an ah ha moment!

I'm 6'3" with long legs and I've found the modified high bar works best for me and I can use heavier weight than low bar. Thanks for all of your knowledge!

Gonna try this. I have ridiculously long legs for someone who is 5'8. Short torso, long arms, long legs checking in. Also, Omar, any chance you can get someone on who can discuss low bar squatting with long femurs, short torso? Having huge issues with low bar as a long femur lifter. Thanks.

u and Allan are the only people with real advice.

Omar... I turned on the bell notifications and this video STILL didn't show up in my sub box..

high bar club! thanks for all the content brother;your advice has had an impact with every lift I perform.

was trying to figure out my squat at the gym today and found this video, this helped me immensely thank you omar

This guy puts out so much content, it's ridiculous!

The running back on my football team took first in the state powerlifting competition and broke the record for squat. 495 lbs. and he was in the 145 lbs group...absolutely blew my mind.

I have a long ass torso but I still hate having that super high placement. I'm actually trying to get comfortable with it higher as I've kinda been forced into needing to high bar moving forward. Great video dude.

hey omar thanks for the information!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! can you make a video about how to implement cardio to a cutting phase? what type? how much ? how long? which one do you recommend for avoiding interference with weight training?

I love your videos! So helpful and informative. Keep the content coming

Brooo I just did this like 2 weeks ago I thought I was the only person who did these hybrid squats it has definitely made a huge difference for me as well.💯

i high bar squat. I use to not like it very much as it felt very uncomfortable, and i couldn't lift quite as much as my low bar. My mobility use to be trash, so i couldn't even go as low as i wanted to. I started oly weightlifting like you as well. I worked really hard on mobility. I still don't have a pair of weightlifting shoes. But since starting, and focusing primarily on front squats, my high bar squat has felt very strong, and one of my favorite lifts to do. I guess by comparison, the high bar squat is really easy when put up against the front squat. I focus primarily on front squats. For a full squat session, i probably go thru 4-5 sets of front squats of, and 2-3 sets of back squats. After the load from the front squats, i find the back squats feel really good, and much easier to do, so I use them to finish off the workout.

this is actually a really useful video. so simple yet so overlooked! thanks

omar always comes with the goods. keep it up bro

I'm a beginner powerlifter, started mid November, and I originally squatted high bar to the point it was almost on my neck. I now have it that extra inch and a half lower than before, and got a 40 pound PR like it was nothing in a meet!

Had to switch from Low Bar to High Bar as I was over working my wrist and elbow joints. I was doing wide bench with low bar squat which is a taxing mix on your wrist & elbow joints. I love Low Bar as you can squat more but after switching to High Bar, I immediately felt relief on all my joints with the cost of reducing the weight a tad bit. My body is still use to the low bar form so I find it challenging maintaining an upright position but this video may be the solution.

I high bar but do struggle with placement. I've attempted low bar because I've read and researched more weight can be moved from this movement as again wasn't sure how low was proper and did not want to injure myself. I'm 6'0" and squatting has felt weird but definitely will adjust placement a bit lower. Thank you for getting down to the nitty gritty, some RU-vidrs offer all this "advice" but never really get down to things like you do! So thanks bro! Low bar placement tip would be awesome to!

Wonderful advice on bar placement thank you. Clarence Kennedy is my favorite so I trust him and you

I discovered it when I came back to high bar squats last weeks. I hadn't done HB for a long time and natural placed the bar a little lower than before, more natural and less painful too for me

good video, glad that you mentioned that everyone has different biomechanics each individual squat is going to be different to other peoples. good work

The guy on the thubnail is Lu Xiaojun

Long torso/short femur here. I go in between upper trap and rear delt, and sometimes low bar. This and a thumbs around bar grip feels best to me, as long as I don't cave forward.

I know overtime I could be a better squatter with a high bar position, but I just love low bar and feel way more comfortable because it's what I'm used to.

Good vid my man, keep killing it

High bar squatter checking in. Although having some trouble squatting to full depth barefoot; haven't tried weight lifting shoes.

This video is true. For me, i found the correct placement of the bar by doing front squats. I noticed i can hit below parallel when doing front squats but not on high bar. So i compared the distance between my chin to the bar placement when doing front squats and followed the same level at my high bar and that fixed my issue hitting below parallel at high bar.

Ive been low bar squatting recently. Im a short guy (5'8.5")with long limbs (relative to others my height). It's hard for me not to "good morning" my high bar squat

Coincidentally, I actually had the high bar position set about just an inch lower habitually, not realizing I am actually doing so until you mentioned it in this video. It seems to allow me to handle as much weight as the low bar squat but in a more comfortable stance.

Surfclam NoCalvesBro spot on again. My squats have drastically increased by experimenting with bar placement, and I have had the bar resting on a 'shelf' right in my middle traps. They've felt so natural top to bottom since then. Simple things like that can go such a long way. I tried low-bar, but it just feels weird. My body doesn't like or enjoy it. QUESTION TO OMAR: What advice can you give when setting up a deadlift program? Sets and rep ranges etc. #TeamHighBarSquatters

high bar, and i can't believe how much of a difference this made. so much more stable and comfortable.

I'm squating for 5 months now and today was the first day where I squated with a good feeling, without suffering any problem on angles or anything like it. The change? My pants! Basically, my pants/shorts always where gripping making me suffer to get parallel and keeping the bar on the middle foot.

for men the high bar ATG squat rules because it's quad dominant which builds more aesthetic, masculine legs. for women the low bar squat going past parallel as deep as possible without losing the glute tension is the best because it it's more posterior chain dominant which builds some aestethic feminine legs and booty although everybody should work on their mobilty to be able to do a ATG overhead squat and maintain it before specialising in their chosen variation

i just naturally rested the bar across that lower trap/top of shoulders region.

I've always been a high bar squatter. I dabbled in crossfit and realized that high bar would transfer over more with weight lifting, so I stuck with it. I've been thinking about competing in powerlifting, so I tried low bar, but it just didn't feel very natural or comfortable. Been sticking with high bar ever since

Going off of your upper traps to your mid traps, there's an actual shelf from your cervical spine that the bar can be supported on, if you have low muscle volume up there that is

Watching 7 years later, quality content lasts.

Mid-bar squat for me.High bar squat hurt my lower back a year ago because of that reason.Bar was propably too high that caused my body to incline forward and strained my lower back in return .I think it's best to squat in most comfortable position for yourself whether it's high,mid or low as long as you keep progressing at squat while lifting with correct form.

I did both high bar and low bar squats, but since I'm pretty tall I prefer low bar a lot; the bar feels way more comfortable and I can push more weight.

0:00 dude looks like he just farted and is damn proud of it

I've always had a high bar squat because my torso is generally pretty long. However, people have assumed I low bar squatted because of my bar placement. The bar placement right in between high bar and low bar.

Im starting to get serious on leg training and doing an upper/lower with a day for strength (5x5) and other for hypertrophy. Im a noob at squat and deadlift form but I feel more comfortable using high bar on the midline of my upper traps, not over them. I use weightlifting shoes. I feel like stronger the wider I go and the more I incline my torso (hip hinge+good morning) but I try to focus on olympic form breaking 90º while I work/learn on ankle and hip mobillity. I'll record myself and check everything you said about my biomechanics, I just do it as I feel comfortable. Nice content.

high bar squat here, I usually place the bar a little bit lower because I don't have a very large torso but still pretty high, big traps make this easier too since I have those extra cushions

Wow what the hell, I have been really mulling over this as of lately, I had to deload because I was leaning forward during my squats and making my lower back work way too much even if my legs were still alive, thanks for the video Omar, as always pretty damn good

Low bar team but still learning it. Have been a low bar since starting. Great vid thx for the up

Great away to learn is to look at the International powerlifting competition, there's a lot of different ways, and we can pay attention to whom has the body shape like our own. There was a guy with really tall legs for his weight class and when I saw his deadlift, it's so similar to mine. Maybe we both are still doing wrong things (and I'm still trying to correct), but it seems like the movement is really close to the idealy possible.

High Bar ATG all the way

High-bar ATG cus Clearence, duh

"In this video today it's going to be a little bit of a shorter video" love it Bromar

very recently switched from a low bar to a high bar squat. it feels overall better and less stress on my back

I identify as a non-binary squatter

i noticed it too lately, i will now try to put the bar even lower

Learning to maintain proper form. Doing high, low, fronts. Cheers

While barefoot I do low bar powerlifter-like squat, with squat shoes I do high bar ass to grass squat. I'm responding good to both those forms of squat 🤷‍♂️ I do both because they don't really train the same muscle. I feel more my posterior chain while doing low bar squat, and I feel my quads on high bar squats 💪🏻

switched from low bar to high bar a while ago. Took a bit for my weights to get back up to where they were, but high bar is more satisfying for me when I squat well