Thread: Squat Bar pain

I was dealing with the same issue lately. My solution: Don't Squat.

get padding

Take none of the advice above.

Just find the most comfortable place for the bar and get used to it. I used to get the same thing way back when, but now I don't even realize the bar is there. Also, you need to make sure you are creating a shelf with your shoulders. Pinch your shoulder blades together and hold the bar with your hands as close to your shoulders as is comfortable. The bar should fit in a nice little groove near your scapula.

Either buy a pad made to go around the bar (that's what I use) or fold up a towel and use that. No sense in making them anymore uncomfortable.

Build up your traps and upper back and the problem will lessen....also play around with different placements for the bar.

Originally Posted by ForemanRules

Build up your traps and upper back and the problem will lessen....also play around with different placements for the bar.

exactly. work on your traps and it won't be an issue any more. i used to have the same problem- built my traps up and now i have a nice thick cushion for the bar.

I used to get a pain from the bar but I've found my comfortable spot and it never bothers me anymore.

I'm gonna get fuckin' massive traps then. Gotta start pushing them harder.

Originally Posted by Dale Mabry

Take none of the advice above.

Just find the most comfortable place for the bar and get used to it. I used to get the same thing way back when, but now I don't even realize the bar is there. Also, you need to make sure you are creating a shelf with your shoulders. Pinch your shoulder blades together and hold the bar with your hands as close to your shoulders as is comfortable. The bar should fit in a nice little groove near your scapula.

What he said.

Don't use a pad... I got used to using one for a while when I first started, but after my traps grew some, I tried squating without a pad and it felt much more natural/safer... With a pad I felt like the bar could slip easily.

pads are for women.

Originally Posted by Dale Mabry

Take none of the advice above.

Just find the most comfortable place for the bar and get used to it. I used to get the same thing way back when, but now I don't even realize the bar is there. Also, you need to make sure you are creating a shelf with your shoulders. Pinch your shoulder blades together and hold the bar with your hands as close to your shoulders as is comfortable. The bar should fit in a nice little groove near your scapula.

The short version: Be a man.
The short, hip, version: Man up.

Originally Posted by Spud

I tried to do squats for the first time today, slowly worked my way up to 185. Progressing with 45lb, 55lb, 95lb, 135lb, 185lb. After doing about 10 reps per weight, and getting to 185, I couldn't take the pain anymore in my traps. This is only 185 too, how the fuck can someone do triple, quadruple that?

How do you guys deal with the bar digging into your traps while doing squats? I think that's my limiting factor at the moment.

Oh no, my pussy hurts!

jk dude.
The bar doesn’t bother me too much until I put anything over 300 on it, which at that point I wrap my towel around the bar. It becomes very comfortable with the towel. Also, sporting goods stores sell pads that are made specifically for wrapping around the Olympic bar.

Use a pad. Don't worry about all that "be a man" bullshit - is it being a man to make something more uncomfortable than it has to be, or is that being an imbecile? Does not using a pad work the quads harder? Unnecessary pain is serious high school mentality.

You get used to it, I have yet to see a real squatter use one....Imagine Arnold or even Lee Haney using it.
I don't use one and I never will.

Hey Mino!
If you like the bar digging into the traps, knock yourself out! If you think I'm not a real squatter because I use a pad, I'll still sleep okay tonight. I also use gloves when I bench, so I'm probably not a real bencher either.

Statements like "I've never seen a real squatter use one" and "Imagine Arnie using one" are designed to make people feel less for choosing to eliminate unproductive discomfort, but fortunantly I have never been into the mentality of having to go with the crowd.

I don't judge you for not using a pad - but as part of not judging you, I certainly don't think you are hardcore or any more a "real squatter" than anyone else. If having a steel bar dig into me would enhance the growth of my legs, then I'd do it for the gains. As there are no gains to be made from doing it, the fact that Arnie did it isn't enough to convert me. But you go girl.

Hey Mino!
If you like the bar digging into the traps, knock yourself out! If you think I'm not a real squatter because I use a pad, I'll still sleep okay tonight. I also use gloves when I bench, so I'm probably not a real bencher either.


It takes a while to get used to it but it can be done. I used to use gloves but not anymore.
I didn't mean to single you out

Statements like "I've never seen a real squatter use one" and "Imagine Arnie using one" are designed to make people feel less for choosing to eliminate unproductive discomfort, but fortunantly I have never been into the mentality of having to go with the crowd.

I am an idiot at times

I don't judge you for not using a pad - but as part of not judging you, I certainly don't think you are hardcore or any more a "real squatter" than anyone else. If having a steel bar dig into me would enhance the growth of my legs, then I'd do it for the gains. As there are no gains to be made from doing it, the fact that Arnie did it isn't enough to convert me. But you go girl
[/quote].

I didn't mean to single you out

I am an idiot at times

Hey again MinO!
Just so you know, I am almost unoffendable, so dont sweat it, I just love throwing my opinion in. I don't mind at all that others have different opinions, in fact it makes life interesting. Dont think we'll ever agree on this one unless I send you a pad in the post and you dare to be different and shock all those Arnie loving hard core real squatters at the Gym....

Thanks but no thanks on the pad.
I tried the bar foam but it just got in the way of heavy lifts.

I would go with what Dale wrote and having big traps does help a bit.

You should look into this pad, I never tried it but it looks good.

The padding issue isn't whether or not you're "man enough" to take the pain, it's a pure safety issue. #1: As has already been pointed out, with a pad you're more likely to have the bar slip off your back. Possibly hurting your or your spotter. (You do use a spotter, don't you?) #2: By adding the extra width to the bar you're forcing your head/neck forward into an unnatural position. When you start to go heavy this can and will cause damage to your neck. Also, with your head being forced forward like that, it doesn't allow you to maintain as upright a stance as you should when doing squats. This will force your weight onto your toes and can lead to severe knee damage. (On this I'm speaking from experience.) Do what's been suggested, build your traps/shoulder and develope a tollerance to the bar. You really do get used to it quickly.

Last suggestion; try front squats.

i'll echo those above that say DON'T use a pad. increased potential for the bar to roll, less stable, greater chance for injury. you'll get used to the bar with time.

Originally Posted by min0 lee

Thanks but no thanks on the pad.
I tried the bar foam but it just got in the way of heavy lifts.

I would go with what Dale wrote and having big traps does help a bit.

You should look into this pad, I never tried it but it looks good.

I own one. They're okay. They still cause marking but they do stop the bar from cutting into your traps. I stopped using mine about 6 months ago.

Originally Posted by min0 lee

Thanks but no thanks on the pad.
I tried the bar foam but it just got in the way of heavy lifts.

I would go with what Dale wrote and having big traps does help a bit.

You should look into this pad, I never tried it but it looks good.

If you are going to use a pad, the manta ray is acceptable, a big round pad like the crotch pad that went on a BMX bicycle is not appropriate, it puts the bar above your back and makes it less stable. Plus if you try to create the rack with your shoulders it places the bar even higher.

[QUOTE=ALBOB]"The padding issue isn't whether or not you're "man enough" to take the pain, it's a pure safety issue. #1: As has already been pointed out, with a pad you're more likely to have the bar slip off your back. Possibly hurting your or your spotter. (You do use a spotter, don't you?)"

No spotter except for the squat rack - I train alone. I've never had the bar slip yet, and hope it stays this way.

"#2: By adding the extra width to the bar you're forcing your head/neck forward into an unnatural position. When you start to go heavy this can and will cause damage to your neck. Also, with your head being forced forward like that, it doesn't allow you to maintain as upright a stance as you should when doing squats. This will force your weight onto your toes and can lead to severe knee damage. (On this I'm speaking from experience.)"

I use a squat bar that has a "U" shape that goes around the head so the big fat girly pad sits squarely on my traps and I hold the bar directly beside my shoulders. Hopefully this solves this problem.

"Do what's been suggested, build your traps/shoulder and develope a tollerance to the bar. You really do get used to it quickly."

If there are any issues with using the "U" shaped bar, please let me know, because otherwise it appears to solve the above problems making it unnecessary to get used to the unpadded bar on the traps.

Originally Posted by ALBOB

The padding issue isn't whether or not you're "man enough" to take the pain, it's a pure safety issue. #1: As has already been pointed out, with a pad you're more likely to have the bar slip off your back. Possibly hurting your or your spotter. (You do use a spotter, don't you?) #2: By adding the extra width to the bar you're forcing your head/neck forward into an unnatural position. When you start to go heavy this can and will cause damage to your neck. Also, with your head being forced forward like that, it doesn't allow you to maintain as upright a stance as you should when doing squats. This will force your weight onto your toes and can lead to severe knee damage. (On this I'm speaking from experience.) Do what's been suggested, build your traps/shoulder and develope a tollerance to the bar. You really do get used to it quickly.

Last suggestion; try front squats.

No, I don't use a spotter. Like I said, this is the first time I've done squats, and so I only went up to 185 to test the waters.

I will follow your advices and build up my traps more. At the same time, I'll try to bite the pain until it feels dangerous. Shouldn't be too much of a health issue since I won't be loading it too heavy.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by Spud

I'm gonna get fuckin' massive traps then. Gotta start pushing them harder.

Do Hise shrugs to make your traps bigger.

In the last 10 days it's suddenly got easy to rest the bar on my shoulders, traps have grown a bit, at last!(again.....)

Use a rolled up towel round the bar, just the right amount of padding and it doesn't slip.

Originally Posted by DanOz

No spotter except for the squat rack - I train alone. I've never had the bar slip yet, and hope it stays this way.

The safety pins on the rack work just as well as a spotter. You just don't want to get to the bottom of a heavy rep and get stuck with no way to safely get it off your shoulders. That would SUCK!!

Originally Posted by DanOz

I use a squat bar that has a "U" shape that goes around the head so the big fat girly pad sits squarely on my traps and I hold the bar directly beside my shoulders. Hopefully this solves this problem.


If there are any issues with using the "U" shaped bar, please let me know, because otherwise it appears to solve the above problems making it unnecessary to get used to the unpadded bar on the traps.

The only Olympic bar I've seen with a bend in it is a deadlift bar. I've never tried putting that across my shoulders. Hey, if it works for you, that's all that matter.

I'm anti-pad for safety reasons as well. Not to mention my personal preference is without the pad. The pad has never felt comfortable.

Like Dale suggested, try taking a narrow (Within reason) grip on the bar and tightening your upper back up more to support the weight. I have yet to be bothered by the bar resting there, and my traps are tiny.