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For those who've run both... which squat style gave you the biggest strength gains?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2026 6:39 am
by Castro8Parz
I've been rotating between low bar and high bar squats for the past few weeks. Low bar definitely lets me move more weight, but high bar feels cleaner and seems to hit my quads harder.
For those who've spent time with both, which one carried over better to your overall strength? Did you eventually stick with one, or do you keep both in your program depending on your goals? Looking to hear some real gym experience before I settle on one.

Re: For those who've run both... which squat style gave you the biggest strength gains?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2026 6:46 am
by BorishBB67
I stuck with low bar once I started chasing bigger numbers. It just feels stronger off the bottom for me, especially with longer femurs.

Re: For those who've run both... which squat style gave you the biggest strength gains?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2026 7:18 am
by ATylor81n
High bar all day. My knees and quads love it, and it carries over better to front squats and Olympic lifts.

Re: For those who've run both... which squat style gave you the biggest strength gains?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2026 8:44 am
by LaunHu90
I keep both. Low bar during strength blocks, high bar when I'm focusing on size. Best of both worlds if you ask me.

Re: For those who've run both... which squat style gave you the biggest strength gains?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2026 11:39 am
by Castro8Parz
That's kind of what I've been thinking too. Low bar is definitely heavier, but I recover way better after high bar sessions.

Re: For those who've run both... which squat style gave you the biggest strength gains?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2026 12:50 pm
by Mark_HNR
I switched to low bar last year and added almost 40 lbs to my squat over a few months. Took some shoulder mobility work though.

Re: For those who've run both... which squat style gave you the biggest strength gains?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2026 1:15 pm
by Willmk
Depends on your build. My buddy crushes low bar, but I feel awkward with it. High bar just feels natural and keeps my back happier.

Re: For those who've run both... which squat style gave you the biggest strength gains?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2026 2:19 pm
by KevinK47
If powerlifting is the goal, I'd lean low bar. If you're just trying to build strong legs and stay athletic, high bar is hard to beat.

Re: For those who've run both... which squat style gave you the biggest strength gains?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2026 2:41 pm
by JohnyRB99
I ran high bar exclusively for about a year, then tried low bar. Strength went up, but I honestly missed the quad pump from high bar.

Re: For those who've run both... which squat style gave you the biggest strength gains?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2026 3:20 pm
by Castro8Parz
Appreciate all the feedback. Sounds like I don't necessarily have to pick one forever. Might just rotate them through different training phases.