Question About Squats.

ICB · 09-07-2008 06:25 PM

I have some weights in my shed and i do some weightlifting about 3 times a week but i have some problems with squats first off the bar digs into the top of my back very painfully and it feels sore for about 3 days and also when im finished doing my sets i have to get my friend to take the bar from me because obviously when your finished your arms are so tired you can't get it above your head.............

Ok so i just wanted to know is there any sort of padding i can get for my back so it eases the pain ? and i wanted to know if a squat rack is any good cheers.

**frasd** · 09-07-2008 07:06 PM

Squat racks are good. When I was a kid I really didn't have any money so I had nailed two 2X4s to the wall vertically and had a smaller piece of wood come out from each forming an L shape. So on my final set I'd have to back up to the wall on let the bar rest on the jutting out pieces until I could turn around and drop the bar to the ground. Not very practical but was better than standing around stuck with a weight bar on my shoulders cause I was too tired to get it off. I also tried using two folding tables of approximately same height on either side of me and squatting until the bar rested on them for my last set. If you have any money however squat rack would be much safer and practical then both these welfare solutions.
As for the neck thing, I always had the same problem. Mainly a pinching in the center of the back of my neck. First I tried taking a small cushion and duct-taping it aound the center of the bar. This helped but shifted the weight back a bit. I went to a bike shop and found a piece of hard foam that you see some times on the center rails of a BMX bike. Works not bad but I'm sure some gym supply store will have a better solution than my hillbilly improvisation.
Good Luck

**iceman** · 09-08-2008 12:17 AM

try doing front squats instead, also you can get clever and get some thick foam and put that over the bar, maybe a towel rolled up around the neck would also work.

ICB · 09-08-2008 01:58 AM

Good advice cheers guys.

**Trainer Monkey** · 09-08-2008 02:03 AM

Worse comes to worse,use light towels

**wesrman** · 09-08-2008 02:16 PM

Front squats suck compared to back squats. They dont work the entire leg. Try moving the bar down your back more and see if that helps. Also you need some kind of rack so you dont tear you shoulder when taking the bar off.

Always do squats first in your routine and dont just do low reps. High rep squats are very good also.