The Barbell Back Squat - High or Low bar?

The age-old question of which variation of the barbell back squat is best. The only answer is – it depends. It depends on several things. Whenever you are training or training someone – you need to consider what you are trying to achieve and why. Both high bar and low bar Squats have their place. Neither is necessarily better, but they do have some key differences between them.

Positional Differences with the Barbell Back Squat

1. Barbell Position

The low bar back squat is where the barbell rests on the middle of the back, on the posterior deltoids. Whereas the high bar back squat has the barbell resting higher on the back on the Upper Trapezius.

2. Hip Position

The low bar back squat allows you to bring the hips back further then you normally would in a high bar back squat. This is due to the bar sitting lower on the back and changing the center of mass. (See photo 1.2)

3. Torso Position

As you can see in photo 1.1 , the high bar back squat requires a much more upright torso, Whereas the low bar back squat allows you to lean your torso forward and really sit back with hips. This is again due to the center of mass where the barbell is positioned.

Mobility requirements

The high bar back squat requires significantly more knee and ankle flexion. The low bar back squat requires less ankle flexion given the forward lean with the torso. This does lead to greater flexion at the hips and requires greater shoulder mobility to hold the bar in the correct position.

When completing a Barbell Back Squat, the bar should be in line with your midfoot throughout the movement. Your feet should have three notable contact points with the floor. The big toe, the outside ball of your foot, and your heel. As you can see with the photos in the article, the body will naturally compensate for the difference in the position of the barbell.

With the high-bar squat, the barbell sits on the upper traps. This means that the bar has greater leverage over you. Making it easier for your back to round or collapse out of the safe neutral position as you fight to stand up under the weight.

Heavy Barbell Back Squat - Which is Stronger?

Most people can lift more weight with the low bar Squat compared to the high bar squat. When you break down the biomechanics of the two different bar positions this makes sense. A high bar squat requires more back strength and trunk stability particularly when you start squatting heavy. Whereas the low bar squats the bar sits on the posterior deltoid, so it has less leverage compared to a high bar (See photo 1.2 and 1.3).

There is a slight difference is the muscles used with the two different bar positions. If you are used to high bar squats and switch to low bar, you will notice the differences. The high bar squat requires greater knee flexion therefore recruits more of the quadriceps muscles more so than the glutes and hamstrings.

The low bar squat focuses more on the glutes and hamstrings. This starts from the starting position where you have a forward lean, it fires up these muscles from the get-go. However, your quads and hip flexors are still involved.

The low-bar squat enables you to move more weight, but this does not mean that it is making you stronger. The low-bar squat’s differences in leverage and muscle recruitment simply make it easier to move heavier weights. However, if you struggle to lift an easy low-bar weight in the high-bar position, that could mean your trunk lacks strength and stability.