muscles that "hold" the bar in a back squat

[makedah]

I haven't been able to find info online.

What muscles in the upper body are responsible for holding the bar when you have it across your back? I want to strengthen whatever muscles will help me here.

I ask because that is consistently my weakest point in my squats - holding on to the damn bar! It's not a grip thing (although I do grip work 2x a week to help), it's a "this bar is too heavy" thing. My legs can squat more weight than I can hold onto - it's very frustrating!

I don't think it's a wobbly core thing - I went through that when I first started squatting. I work my core with weighted moves and that seems to have helped tremendously. I don't wobble - my upper body just can't hack it.

(Note: I've also been thinking about weighted hip belts, leg pressing or other means of getting more work out of my glute/hams when my upper body gives up before they do.)

 

[WarriorPL]

I just rest my bar on top of my delts. I really don't think anything will help your squats except for your legs and lower back.

 

[Hannibal]

You said it yourself....upper back and rear delts are mainly responsible.

Seated Power Cleans, Face Pulls and Hang Snatches are three of the best movements IMO for hitting that area.

 

[st8k_lover]

Are you saying the bar slides down your back and you are expending great force to hold it on back/shoulders? If the bar feels heavy try wrapping a towel or foam wrap around the bar as it will lessen the discomfort of having the bar lay across your traps. I hope this helps or perhaps I have mis understood the content of your question.
Peace

 

[makedah]

hmmm - It's not that the bar feels 'slippery' or that the pressure of the bar is biting into my flesh. But yes, I am using great force to hold it on my back/shoulders when it gets past a certain weight. It doesn't seem that it will slide down because of lack of friction, it feels like I will drop it (which I guess would still involve the bar sliding backward).

Ok, Wiz says "I just rest the bar on my delts..." I can't do that. My bar can't "just rest" because the bar is "against" my delts, not "on" them (as in across the top of my shoulders). I'm holding the bar with my arms, it's not just sitting there. Past a certain point, I can't hold it anymore.

Hannibal - I've been doing face pulls since 11/20/02 on ME Bench day. I hope they're helping. I started doing the hang snatches more recently on DE Bench day, then I hurt my neck (not while lifting) and I had to lay off. I'll go to the seated power cleans in the interim. The weight I can hold has definitely gone up, but what is so frustrating is that my lower body always outpaces the upper body in this move. Maybe that's just the way it's always going to be, but I want to do what I can to bring up my upper body.

Can you be more specific about "upper back" - traps? rhomboids? Could it be my spindly arms, too? Would walkouts help?

 

[jesus 2]

when doing regular squats, the bar usually sits in a groove from my lower traps and rear delts. by pulling down and foward on the bar across your back, the bar is anchored.

 

[Hannibal]

when doing regular squats, the bar usually sits in a groove from my lower traps and rear delts. by pulling down and foward on the bar across your back, the bar is anchored.

Exactly, so if the bar is sliding you need hypertrophy work in that area. Like the other thread said...build your own squat pad, so to speak.

 

[2Shy]

FWIW I find the bar "slips" more if I neglect to really squeeze/squish my shoulder blades together before I start. I don't have a lot of problems in this area, but then again I have a very strong upper back. It's my lower that I've had to work on!

 

[Hannibal]

FWIW I find the bar "slips" more if I neglect to really squeeze/squish my shoulder blades together before I start. I don't have a lot of problems in this area, but then again I have a very strong upper back. It's my lower that I've had to work on!

Definitely a poor setup could add to this problem. You have to be sure to go through your checklist before you try to lift.

 

[spatts]

Rear delts, rhomboids, infraspinatus.....the "lower traps" are in the middle of your back, btw.

 

[makedah]

Thanks for all your replies. This has really helped.

For weeks, I'd been thinking I needed to change up how I work my upper body and this thread confirmed it. I want my "pads," dammit!

 

[Zyglamail]

when doing regular squats, the bar usually sits in a groove from my lower traps and rear delts. by pulling down and foward on the bar across your back, the bar is anchored.

That pretty much describes where I hold it as well. Its personal preference actually and some genetics on how your muscle lay. A friend of mine always carried the bar real high, right at the base of his neck on top of his traps. That just doesnt work for me so I carry it lower in the groove jesus 2 described.