How To Quit Using A Barbell Pad For Squats

At most gyms, there’s a cylindrical pad on the floor somewhere near the squat rack. (If it’s not there, check the Smith machine.) When I first started squatting, I needed that pad on the bar—or thought I did. How else would I protect my bony neck?

But the truth is, you don’t need that pad. And if you’re planning to lift more and more over the years (which you will, you beast, you), you’ll have to ditch it.

Why you’re better off without the pad

The one upside of the pad is that, on your first day squatting, it probably helped you get more comfortable. Great! But there are downsides, and you’ll notice them more as the weight gets heavier:

• A cushion around the bar makes the bar unstable. When you have hundreds of pounds on your back, you don’t want any squish. (This goes for your feet, too; get proper shoes.)

• It also holds the weight an inch off your back, which some folks find is enough to shift your centre of gravity, and thus alter your form.

• If you intend to compete, there are no barbell pads on the platform. Train like you compete.

The only time a pad does make sense is if you’re using light weight and the bar feels totally under control, and the pad helps you feel more confident about squatting at all. If you just squatted for the first time, maybe the pad helped you get used to the exercise. Great. Now let’s take off the training wheels.

Find the right place for the bar

The bar should not be resting on the bone at the base of your neck. It also should not be on your shoulder bones. If it’s hurting either of these areas, all you need is a little adjustment.

For high bar squats, the bar will rest on your trapezius muscles. These are the muscles on either side of the base of your neck. Place your hands as narrowly as you can on the bar (somewhere just outside shoulder width), and squeeze your shoulder blades together. That will make your traps into a sort of meat cushion for the bar, and it won’t be resting on any of your bones

For low bar squats, the bar will rest below shoulder level, so it shouldn’t be pressing on any of those bones. (If you don’t know what low bar is, you’re probably not doing it.) Alan Thrall has a video showing good low bar positioning here.

Once you get the positioning right, you’ll probably find you don’t miss the pad at all. Save that pad for hip thrusts, where it makes a lot more sense.