Squat bar - pad or no pad?

[wilson6]

Ride the bar lower on the back and well developed traps are a must. Some heavy shrugs will do the job.

I squat in a cage when really pushing it alone.

W6

 

[lucidblue]

Tonight was the first night I did free squats (instead of Smith)... no spotter. Free squats felt so much more natural, I'm so glad I gave it a try. Also, I noticed that I don't need the pad when I free squat, the bar doesn't hurt at all (and it bothered me on the Smith). I think my form is just much better doing free squats. I had to reduce my weight quite a bit, but I'll get it back up there once I improve my balance. I'd recommend not using the Smith to anyone now!!!!

 

[bigguns15]

Oh, and no pad. I've never used a pad either. I also don't use weight gloves or wraps; only chalk. I'm rather proud of my calluses.

Couldn't have said it better

 

[JJFigure]

Keep in mind most Smith machines are counter-balanced, so the bar doesn't weigh 45 lbs.; usually it only weighs about 10 lbs. or so. Some of the older smiths have heavier bars, but if it's a new smith, the bar won't be very heavy.

Glad you enjoyed free squats; I have a feeling you'll never look back.

 

[makedah]

Good going, lucid!

 

[spatts]

Like Wilson suggested, build some traps...an upper back in general. Most of the time when people feel like they need a pad, it's because the bar is sitting on bone; IT SHOULDN'T BE. Find a safer place to rest the bar, like over the rear delts. If you are keeping the traps pinched together tightly from the start, these muscles should pop up for you to use as padding.

 

[liavdh]

Thanks so much everyone for all the great advice!!

JJ: I didn't realize that there were safety bars that could be adjusted, I'll check this out tomorrow (leg day). There's two "racks" where squatting is done other than the Smith Machine, one of them, doesn't seem to have any safety bars, but maybe the other one does (it looks different). I've only just begun squatting, so these are things I'm learning. And knowing you let the bar roll off on occasion, well that makes me not feel weird about doing it either. You're right, I shouldn't care about what others think, but at the same time, being new to squatting, I don't want to do something totally idiotic either.

Wilson6: Thanks for the tip on heavy shrugs. Good to know! I am currently doing them, but only since I changed my workout (3 weeks ago) so it's just a matter of time I guess.

 

[liavdh]

LucidBlue: I totally hear ya! I thought I had to use Smith because I didn't have a spotter, and after doing free squats once (with a spotter), I didn't want to go back to the Smith ever! It makes me lean backwards into the bar as I push up, in order to not have my knees go over toes, and thats what's hurting my neck-bone I'm sure. But I did go back to Smith because I thought I had to. Now I know better! Lots of these ladies free squat heavy without a spotter, so I can too. I suppose I'm still embarassed from getting stuck under the bench press bar a week ago.. hehehe.. thank goodness some guy was watching and leaped to my rescue. Sometimes I think I'm stronger than I really am.

 

[liavdh]

Spatts: What exercise is good for building rear delts? (I'm new) And when you say "keeping the traps pinched together", I do that by squeezing my shoulder blades together, is that right?

 

[spatts]

Yes, squeeze your shoulder blades together.

Some good moves are rows, face pulls, reverse flys...you can find most of them here:

http://www.asylum-strength.com/videos.htm