Safety Squat Bars

[damufunman]

Any reason other than pain to use a SSB? Just for variety? I can Front and Back Squat just fine, but I hear so many good things about the SSB, I'm very curious.

It’s just how God meant us to squat. It feels more natural. It’s easier on the lower back than low bar. It’s easier on the back than front squats. It’s way more comfortable than high bar. It lets you focus on the actual squat 100% instead of rack or elbow or w/e position.

It also has better transference to real life tasks. Never has carrying heavy packs been such a joke after adding 100 lbs to my Ssb

As a weightlifter (or someone who does some weightlifting, really), I need to Front Squat, so no getting out of that one. I don't find High Bar Squats uncomfortable at all, but there does have to be some focus on balance and bar path, which I would argue isn't a bad thing since balance and bar path are both important for Snatch and C&J, albeit quite different from a Back Squat.
How has your Back Squat improved in that time? Would carrying a pack not been easier had you put 100 lbs on your High Bar Squat?

SSB 270@10 to 355@8

Low bar 315@9 to 405@8

Transference seems to basically be 1:1 for me.

SSB is closer to how a heavy backpack feels. So maybe? I have one data point and it suggests Ssb is by far and away the biggest equipment game changer in my life since the barbell.

I think a lot of strongmen do front squats and ssbs. I plan on doing that going forward since I’m also getting into the Olympic lifts and if I ever do a competition it’ll be strongman

I was getting at maybe your back squat going up helped with the backpack, not the SSB. But seems like you're getting good caryyover, however I guess there's no way to tell if you would've made that kind of progress without the SSB. I'm curious about the FS + SSB, I might try that in the near future since I have access to a SSB right now (training at Strongman gym).

[mgil]

Relevant post:

[bobmen10000]

Relevant post:

I have one. Didn't like how it felt but I may incorporate first of next year.

[FredM]

I was getting at maybe your back squat going up helped with the backpack, not the SSB. But seems like you're getting good caryyover, however I guess there's no way to tell if you would've made that kind of progress without the SSB. I'm curious about the FS + SSB, I might try that in the near future since I have access to a SSB right now (training at Strongman gym).

That’s why I said maybe.

I don’t think my progress would have been as good. Mostly because I had weak quads. I doubt you do given your training.

I think overall I expect my progress to continue to be better though because Ssb is legit fun for me where as low bar feels like a chore. I also think it interferes less with pulls in terms of low back fatigue which is a problem for me.

[damufunman]

I was getting at maybe your back squat going up helped with the backpack, not the SSB. But seems like you're getting good caryyover, however I guess there's no way to tell if you would've made that kind of progress without the SSB. I'm curious about the FS + SSB, I might try that in the near future since I have access to a SSB right now (training at Strongman gym).

That’s why I said maybe.

I don’t think my progress would have been as good. Mostly because I had weak quads. I doubt you do given your training.

I think overall I expect my progress to continue to be better though because Ssb is legit fun for me where as low bar feels like a chore. I also think it interferes less with pulls in terms of low back fatigue which is a problem for me.

Fair enough. Actually, I suspect my quads could use more work, I think I'm a pretty good low bar squatter compared to high bar and front squat. And for sure the Fun part of it is huge. I have also noticed high bar (or low not low bar) is better for low back fatigue.

[Sumo]

I was getting at maybe your back squat going up helped with the backpack, not the SSB. But seems like you're getting good caryyover, however I guess there's no way to tell if you would've made that kind of progress without the SSB. I'm curious about the FS + SSB, I might try that in the near future since I have access to a SSB right now (training at Strongman gym).

That’s why I said maybe.

I don’t think my progress would have been as good. Mostly because I had weak quads. I doubt you do given your training.

I think overall I expect my progress to continue to be better though because Ssb is legit fun for me where as low bar feels like a chore. I also think it interferes less with pulls in terms of low back fatigue which is a problem for me.

Might be worth thinking about weaving some Sumo in your training, it's a lot less taxing on the lower back than than conventional.

[kcjason]

Anyone experience knee pain from using a ssb? With more of an upright torso, knees are further forward right? At least with lbbs, I've had occasional knee pain when letting the knees drift too far forward...maybe that's from the movement during the lift, but makes me worry about knee problems with high bar type mechanics...

[Griff]

Anyone experience knee pain from using a ssb? With more of an upright torso, knees are further forward right? At least with lbbs, I've had occasional knee pain when letting the knees drift too far forward...maybe that's from the movement during the lift, but makes me worry about knee problems with high bar type mechanics...

Yeah, I have to be really careful with SSB, front squats and--to a lesser extent--high bar. If I don't control my depth and/or relax a little at the bottom of the movement I can feel a twinge across my knees. It seems to be worse the more acute my knee angle is--the more I let my hamstrings press against my calves the more it creates an uncomfortable tension across my knees. Not sure if this is what you're experiencing.

I still really like SSB, I just have to be careful not to go ATG or bounce excessively out of the bottom.

[Aragus]

How do you guys rate ATX SSB? I don't like that it's 17.5 kg, makes me lean more towards strength shop SSB which is over 20 kg so my OCD is calm (2 plates is 100 kg, not 97.5 kg).

[BenM]

I have one and am very happy with it.

[kcjason]

So I got the Titan SSB v2 today. How the heck do you guys store or hang these SSBs? I've got a barbell hanger for my bar, wife's bar, ez curl bar. But the SSB is too large to fit in the regular hanger...at least the standard one I have. Do they make something to hang bars of bigger diameter?

[murphyreedus]

So I got the Titan SSB v2 today. How the heck do you guys store or hang these SSBs? I've got a barbell hanger for my bar, wife's bar, ez curl bar. But the SSB is too large to fit in the regular hanger...at least the standard one I have. Do they make something to hang bars of bigger diameter?

I hang mine on a gun rack bar holder. Pictured is the Titan holder, also have a Rep one that works equally well.

[BenM]

I used to store mine in a gun rack, haven't put that up in the new gym and currently I'm storing it vertically, eg

[TimK]

I’ve been storing mine inside/on top of my rack so I don’t have to awkwardly maneuver it in and out every time I use it. You can kinda see how I have it set up in this video. It’s just resting on two band pegs and I stretched a rubber strap around it to hold it up against the pullup bar, out of the way.

[TimK]

This angle shows the pegs and strap better:



When I want to use it I just pull the strap off the handles so they can swing down and then move it from the pegs down to my j hooks.

[kcjason]

Thanks for the ideas! I had just recently bought the wall hanger to organize my space better, so wasn't expecting the SSB to not fit that. I don't have enough wall space for horizontal storage the way things are set up, and I have a taller rack that'd make it awkward to get it off/on there (although that's a smart and simple way to store it if you can reach easily). I think I'll look into a vertical holder that sits on the floor for my setup.

[iamsmu]

I hang mine on a gun rack bar holder.

Me too:

[kcjason]

So at least on the Titan V2 bar, you face the logo when ducking under the bar. At least you do after the first couple warmup sets when you think - dang, this really wants to pull me forward! I thought the logo would be visible on top when in use. Anyone actually squat with the bar reversed like that on purpose to make it pull you forward even harder?

[Sumo]

So at least on the Titan V2 bar, you face the logo when ducking under the bar. At least you do after the first couple warmup sets when you think - dang, this really wants to pull me forward! I thought the logo would be visible on top when in use. Anyone actually squat with the bar reversed like that on purpose to make it pull you forward even harder?

The thought did occur to me, but then Front Squats entered the chat.

[mouse]

So at least on the Titan V2 bar, you face the logo when ducking under the bar. At least you do after the first couple warmup sets when you think - dang, this really wants to pull me forward! I thought the logo would be visible on top when in use. Anyone actually squat with the bar reversed like that on purpose to make it pull you forward even harder?

The thought did occur to me, but then Front Squats entered the chat.

I front squat with my SSB upside down so... checkmate?

So I got the Titan SSB v2 today. How the heck do you guys store or hang these SSBs? I've got a barbell hanger for my bar, wife's bar, ez curl bar. But the SSB is too large to fit in the regular hanger...at least the standard one I have. Do they make something to hang bars of bigger diameter?

Ladder hangers because I'm cheap AF...