Low Bar vs. High Bar Back Squat

We can all agree that having good squat fundamentals and building strength through back squatting is crucial, whether CrossFit is your primary sport or not. If you are an athlete, you better be squatting.

That being said, not everyone agrees about the low bar back squat vs. the high bar back squat. There are — not surprisingly — advantages and disadvantages to both, and some athletes train both movements. For the same reasons that it is important to understand the difference between American and Russian kettle bell swings, or strict vs. kipping pull-ups, so too should you have knowledge of both kinds of back squats so you can train according to your needs.

Here we bring you two thoughtful perspectives from athletes who have trained both the low bar and high bar back squat and discuss the efficacy of each style.

Low Bar vs. High Bar: The Difference in Muscular Recruitment

Justin Lascek of 70′s big describes the differences in muscular recruitment between the low bar and high bar back squat, the former placing higher demands on the hamstrings and posterior chain.

The high bar squat: the descent occurs, the knees flex acutely at the bottom in the hole, the ascent begins with zero hamstring tension due to knee flexion, as the knee angle opens the hamstrings can receive tension, and there is hamstring tension during the ascent.

The positioning of the bar will dictate what mechanics must be used to maintain lifting efficiency. The mechanics will dictate what musculature is used. Succinctly, more vertical squat techniques use the quads and glutes as the primary movers while the low bar puts a premium on the posterior chain (particularly the hamstrings) for hip drive. The low bar squat also has a balanced anterior/posterior force at the knee because the focus on the hamstring contraction pulls back on the knee. In contrast, the high bar has more of an anterior stress since the quads are the primary movers and attach at the front of the knee at the patella. There is some quadricep involvement in the low bar squat, but not nearly as much as the high bar squat. There is a little hamstring involvement in the high bar, but not nearly as much as the low bar squat.

The forward knee placement in the front and high bar squats result in an acute knee angle. An acute knee angle means that the hamstrings — crossing the knee and hip joints — are contracted and slackened. If the hamstrings are fully contracted, then they cannot contract to help extend the hip out of the hole. This means that in vertical squatting styles, there is no hamstring involvement out of the hole, and limited involvement throughout the ascent. However, note the slight torso difference between the front and high bar squats; the inclination in the high bar style provides more of an angle that allows some hamstring tension. The upper two-thirds of the ascent of a high bar squat can have assistance by the hamstrings to hold the back angle in place (the same way that they do with the low bar or a deadlift). This makes sense as the position can re-apply tension on the hamstrings once the knees are no longer acutely flexed. I have felt this when high bar squatting, but you can see it during these hellacious sets that Max Aita did at California Strength.

The low bar squatmaintains tension throughout the descent, creates a stretch reflex to “bounce” off the tense hamstrings, and then utilizes the hamstrings to extend the hip. During the ascent, the quads obviously extend the knee, but they help create balance around the knee so that the hip drive doesn’t tip the torso forward.

To clarify the hamstring involvement during the high bar: the descent occurs, the knees flex acutely at the bottom in the hole, the ascent begins with zero hamstring tension due to knee flexion, as the knee angle opens the hamstrings can receive tension, and there is hamstring tension during the ascent. Note that this tension is not a primary mover due to the torso angle.

In contrast, the low bar squat maintains tension throughout the descent, creates a stretch reflex to “bounce” off the tense hamstrings, and then utilizes the hamstrings to extend the hip. During the ascent, the quads obviously extend the knee, but they help create balance around the knee so that the hip drive doesn’t tip the torso forward (the torso obviously needs to maintain it’s angle out of the hole). Since this style of squatting is dependent on the hamstrings, the body’s positioning — particularly the knees — is much more important. If the knees shift forward at the bottom, then hamstring tension will decrease and will result in no bounce whatsoever. Discussing other faults in the low bar squat leaves the scope of this post.

Low Bar Back Squats: The Pros & Cons

We begin with Jay Rhodes of Outlaw North, who explains how he transitioned from low-bar to high-bar back squatting. For many years, Jay had a preference for low bar squats because he could go heavier, but he started to work on high bar squats in June 2011 because he admired the high bar style of Olympic weightlifters.

The low bar squat… puts a premium on training the posterior chain; this makes it useful for general strength trainees, athletes, and powerlifters.

Less than a week later I was in a CrossFit competition and the first event was establish a 3RM back squat within a given time limit. I did what I knew. I squatted low bar, hit 390 and took second in the event. I also placed first overall in the competition. Positive reinforcement. Low bar did me well, and the switch was very short lived.

It was during some time off with a back injury that I re-evaluated my training and after putting together a great template, I stumbled upon The Outlaw Way. It was basically everything I had put together and then some, plus I didn’t have to program for myself anymore. I noticed immediately that both low bar AND high bar were programmed, usually in separate cycles….

Obviously, the low bar back squat can be a very effective movement, and it also has its limits. Justin Lascek, who spent over a year working directly with Mark Rippetoe on the low bar squat before working on his high bar squat to help him transition into Olympic weightlifting, goes into detail here:

The low bar squat… puts a premium on training the posterior chain; this makes it useful for general strength trainees, athletes, and powerlifters. General strength trainees and athletes need to get the most strong in the time they spend training, so squatting with a hamstring-focused style can help that. Most trainees and athletes have weak posterior chains anyway. For raw powerlifters, they will be able to lift more weight in the long run by efficiently using all of the musculature in their competition squat. Powerlifters in their first few years of training will get the most out of using the low bar squat.

The low bar squat can also help very weak and novice trainees improve the second pull of their Olympic lifts. During my linear progression, I saw a direct correlation with my low bar squat numbers and my power snatch and power clean. I’ve seen this with other lifters and it makes sense: the posterior chain is responsible for the fast extension of the hips in the clean or snatch.

The purpose of this post isn’t to discuss Olympic weightlifting programming, but the low bar squat is not productive for teaching and ingraining proper receiving position in the snatch or clean. The low bar squat will train the thigh and hip muscles differently, and the high bar squat most closely resembles the snatch and clean and should be used regularly.

Another benefit of the low bar is that the force around the knee is balanced because the hamstrings are pulling back on the tibia. People with knee pain will want to utilize the low bar squat.

General strength trainees or athletes may not need to do the full clean or snatch to improve their ability to display power, so the high bar squat may not be necessary for them. Yet, as always, it depends on the individual. There aren’t too many trainees who have a dominant posterior chain, but if this existed, the high bar squat would help improve this balance. Please note that a heavy deadlift is not a representation of posterior chain strength.

Some other problems with the low bar squat include its difficulty. It’s not easy to do properly. This doesn’t mean it should be avoided, but some trainees do such a shitty job of executing it that it’d be better if could wait to receive proper coaching. Also, some trainees don’t have enough flexibility in their shoulders to put the bar in the right position. When they attempt to do so, it may result in shoulder, wrist, or elbow pain. If any problems in those joints become debilitating to training, the trainee should use a different style of squatting until they a) alleviate the painful symptoms and — more importantly — b) address the underlying mobility problem that is causing the pain.

The low bar… may have a place — much like the bench press — in beginner Olympic weightlifting training depending on the trainee’s weaknesses, but probably shouldn’t be used beyond the beginning stages.

Another benefit of the low bar is that the force around the knee is balanced because the hamstrings are pulling back on the tibia. People with knee pain will want to utilize the low bar squat. If the knee pain is from pathology, this may be their preferred style of squatting. If the trainee is young and healthy but experiences knee pain in squatting, this style of squatting can reduce the stress applied to the front of the knee and act as a transition exercise to other forms of squatting.

Summary: The low bar is good for general strength training and powerlifting, yet it’s difficult to do well. It may have a place — much like the bench press — in beginner Olympic weightlifting training depending on the trainee’s weaknesses, but probably shouldn’t be used beyond the beginning stages.

High Bar Back Squats: The Pros & Cons

For Jay Rhodes, he saw immediate results once he started regularly including high bar squats in his training:

If you are a power lifter there isn’t much debate that low bar is your best friend.

Very quickly I noticed that my depth was feeling more comfortable because I was now squatting to a true bottom position. I was starting to feel “the bounce.” This translated to my front squat right away. I was already quite strong in the low bar (PR 410), but I could tell me legs were getting stronger with the high-bar squat. I could also feel that keeping an upright vertical torso was making my core/midline/whatever the eff you want to call it much more stable.

Upon returning to training, Jay continued to hit new PRs in both his snatch and clean and has since stopped training his low-bar squat since August of 2012. In spite of his prior success with the low bar squat, his training priorities shifted:

What I have come to realize over years of training is that squatting is not just about pushing huge numbers. It’s just as much about getting strong in specific positions.

Low bar will help your deadlift, no doubt. If you are a power lifter there isn’t much debate that low bar is your best friend. Beyond that, low bar will get you strong in a position that will actually take away from many other movements. Developing a good high bar squat will improve:

• Front Squat
• Overhead Squat
• Clean
• Snatch
• Jerk
• Push Press
• Thruster
• Wall Ball
• Probably even gymnastic movements indirectly

Here Justin Lascek again provides an even deeper analysis of the high bar back squat:

Chronic high bar use can neglect the hamstrings, and this is why I always make a point to program RDLs with the high bar squat.

The high bar utilizes the quads and can help develop the anterior aspect of the thigh — in other words, it helps create bouldered (also not a word) quads. It’s not limited to aesthetics, because the high bar squat will develop the strength of the quads as well. I’ve seen various types of low bar squatters with deficiencies in their quads. After dropping in front or high bar squats in their program, their low bar technique improves…. If you’ve been using the low bar for at least a year, consider using some high bar to balance out your training.

Chronic high bar use can neglect the hamstrings, and this is why I always make a point to program RDLs with the high bar squat. Keep in mind that the low bar squat’s purpose is to utilize the hamstrings, yet there is a portion of the population who low bars but doesn’t have good hamstring development. Low bar squatting doesn’t guarantee good hamstring strength.

High bar squats are obviously preferable for Olympic weightlifting as the squat mechanically mimics the receiving position in the snatch and clean. Also, if the trainee has been low barring for a long time, they will have developed musculature to support those mechanics.

If a trainee has pathology in their knee, then high bar squats may provide too much anterior force and result in knee pain. If the trainee is younger and injury free, and they have pain with high bar squats, they may want to check that they aren’t going “ass to grass” (which isn’t necessary until intermediate stages of Olympic weightlifting training anyway) and allow their knees to adapt to two or three sessions a week before having a higher frequency.

High bar squats are obviously preferable for Olympic weightlifting as the squat mechanically mimics the receiving position in the snatch and clean. Also, if the trainee has been low barring for a long time, they will have developed musculature to support those mechanics. By high barring, they can create a balance in their musculature that allows for better weightlifting. For example, when I got into Olympic weightlifting after low bar squatting for about nine months, I definitely experienced problems with heavy front squats and overhead squat positioning. After front squatting more, my positioning improved. At the time I didn’t high bar, but I do nowadays and feel its utility when doing the Olympic lifts.

If there are problems with the low bar squat, then the high bar can be used to balance musculature or maintain squatting frequency.

If the low bar squat is difficult or injurious to the shoulders, then just high bar squat. The low bar may have more utility for general populations, yet if it’s debilitating other squat forms should be used. Besides, the hamstrings can still be trained with some properly executed assistance exercises, though it won’t be as effective as the low bar squat.

Summary: The high bar squat is superior for Olympic weightlifting because it teaches proper clean/snatch receiving positioning. If there are problems with the low bar squat, then the high bar can be used to balance musculature or maintain squatting frequency. However, the high bar doesn’t utilize the hamstring’s stretch reflex nor does it develop the posterior chain.

To Sum It Up…

While there is no definitively “right” or “wrong” way to squat, Jay summarizes his conclusions in a matter of sentences:

To recap, get strong in a position that is useful for what you do. If you are a powerlifter, do low bar. If you are a weightlifter — no question…high bar. I am a big believer in doing what works for you, but as a CrossFitter, if you have not developed the high bar squat, you’re leaving a lot on the table.

Let us know what you think in the comments. Are you a low bar squatter, high bar, or both?

Justin Lascek published “Low Bar vs. High Bar Back squatting” on January 3, 2012. Read the full article here.

Jay Rhodes published “Low Bar vs. High Bar Backsquats for the purposes of CrossFit” on January 23, 1013. Read the full article here.