Squat bar crutch...good or bad?

[fbplayer06]

My high school's weight room used to have a couple of those blue "manta ray" shoulder-fitted devices designed for squatting. Now, the gym I frequent has no such thing, and I have to either deal with heavy bar on my shoulders or use a towel as a cushion.

Would you guys advise against using such a crutch to soften the bar, as it does make it a little easier to balance and execute a squat, or would you recommend doing whatever is more comfortable?

Thanks for your input.

 

[LoneSilver]

I use a few pair of my socks and wrap them in the center of the bar and this seems to cushion the weight. Some might even use duct tape to hold cloth around the center to help cushion the weight.

In answer to your question hell we humans are skin and bones and muscle so anything we can use to help ease the discomfort of heavy Squats I don't see anything wrong with it and I don't think it's sissy to cushion it either and if anyone thinks otherwise I'll bet he never Squats.

LoneSilver

My high school's weight room used to have a couple of those blue "manta ray" shoulder-fitted devices designed for squatting. Now, the gym I frequent has no such thing, and I have to either deal with heavy bar on my shoulders or use a towel as a cushion.

Would you guys advise against using such a crutch to soften the bar, as it does make it a little easier to balance and execute a squat, or would you recommend doing whatever is more comfortable?

Thanks for your input.

 

[Kev07]

go with a towel

 

[TyTe`EyEs]

I stopped using the cushion thing about a year ago. It hurt at first, but I got used to it. Working out your traps will help, though.

 

[donjuanjovi]

It's not supposed to feel comfortable. It's supposed to feel like a heavy steel bar on your back. Work on your traps if you have none.

 

[Kerpal]

I wouldn't keep using those things, here's why. Your body can adapt to a lot of things. If you always use a pad your back won't adapt to carrying the heavy bar. If you stop using it now your body will adapt. But, if you wait too long to stop using it, it will be a lot harder because your weights will have gone up a lot.

I learned this lesson the hard way. When I started power cleaning I never used the hook grip. Then I tried to start using it once I had already been doing power cleans for a while, and it was painful, it would have saved me a lot of trouble in the long run if I had just started using the hook grip when I first started power cleaning.

 

[fbplayer06]

I'd rather learn to drive a stick than begin with an automatic.

Likewise, despite the lack of comfort, I'm going to try to adapt to a plain bar on my back instead of one with padding. Better for the long term methinks.

 

[mrRuckus]

Anything added increases chance of slippage.

 

[stronglifts]

My high school's weight room used to have a couple of those blue "manta ray" shoulder-fitted devices designed for squatting. Now, the gym I frequent has no such thing, and I have to either deal with heavy bar on my shoulders or use a towel as a cushion.

Would you guys advise against using such a crutch to soften the bar, as it does make it a little easier to balance and execute a squat, or would you recommend doing whatever is more comfortable?

Thanks for your input.

1) put the bar lower on your back, if it hurts, it's not at the right place
2) the bar should be on your upper traps, not on your neck.

I squat more than 2x bodyweight without a towel. My skin is thin. I can do it you can do it.