Saturday, December 1, 2007
Squat Rx #19: Dave Draper's Top Squat
I used to hate squatting with anything but the bare bar, plates, and collars. Fancy bars and accoutrements never suited me. I hated the Manta Ray the first time I tried it. I hated the Safety Squat Bar, hated bands, hated chains - you name it. Over the years (not to mention the many Westside-style templates), my attitude towards these things have changed dramatically and now I'm always excited to try new "squat toys". The "Top Squat" was no exception - the first time I put it on my shoulders, I thought "Hmm, maybe I should have gone with something else...", but the more sets I did with it, the more I liked it.
Dave Draper's "Top Squat" is a great piece of equipment that any lifter who has banged up shoulders and/or is looking for a new max effort exercise should look into. It does put the bar in a very high-bar position and, as with any squat variant, there is a learning curve with it, but give it a shot if you have a chance.
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6 comments:
An excellent post. I think the Top squat is a real blessing for someone like me, who's shoulders are always sore after a squat workout.
The top squat is just a bit big to fit into a gym bag as you mention, but if you are working on legs any particular day, you can always accommodate it.
I am glad I found your site, because firstly like most people I used to hate squatting and secondly I used to do it incorrectly.
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Can you use it in a low bar position?
Yes, I guess so. It doesn't feel especially secure in a low bar position for me, so I don't, but you could. There's a little play in the position when you raise or lower your hands as you squat also and that serves to alter the position somewhat.
this look like a great idea, I only do body weight squats at the moment I love my squat workout routine but planning on switching to weights very soon and this would be right up my alley.
Can you use a standard size barbell with the Dave Draper Top Squat?
The Top Squat is made for a Olympic sized barbell. A "standard" exercise barbell (that takes 1" diameter holed plates) would not work w. the Top Squat.
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