• Keep up to date with Ausbb via Twitter and Facebook. Please add us!
  • Join the Ausbb - Australian BodyBuilding forum

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact us.

    The Ausbb - Australian BodyBuilding forum is dedicated to no nonsense muscle and strength building. If you need advice that works, you have come to the right place. This forum focuses on building strength and muscle using the basics. You will also find that the Ausbb- Australian Bodybuilding Forum stresses encouragement and respect. Trolls and name calling are not allowed here. No matter what your personal goals are, you will be given effective advice that produces results.

    Please consider registering. It takes 30 seconds, and will allow you to get the most out of the forum.

safety squat bar?

syp

New member
Hi Guys,

I am new to squatting in a rack. Have been using a leverage system.

I have found I do not have the flexibility in my arms to get comfortable with a bar to do the squats. Is this a normal thing for starters? I am noit very flexible in general and have lower back problems from work.

I saw a safety squat bar but cannot find much info about them. Are they just a gimmick? Or could it be something that would be an advantage to someone like me?

Here is a link Force USA Olympic Safety Squat Barbell - Only $249

thanks
 
No its not typical for beginners but not unheard of to have crap shoulder flexibility. Safety squat bars and cambered squat bars will be great for you of course our can't compete using them. Great for when our otherwise can't squat.

And do lots of stretching.

I can't comment on that specific bar though.
 
I couldnt hold a bar when I started properly squatting. But I went to the root cause of the problem of mobility and spent $30 on bands which fixed the problem, instead of throwing on a bandaid solution and buying a bar that would bypass the problem.
Unless you have a shoulder injury, dont waste your money on a SSB, stretch and release and fix the problem.
 
We use our safety squat bars loads at Ptc and not just for people with bung shoulders, they have a wide range of advantages but I won't go into them now.
Our original safety squat bar was around $250, and we found that really good for general work around 150kg. Once we started lifting heavier than this the bar became unstable and not many people wanted to go past 150kg on it.

Since then, we have been importing bars from Europe, including safety squat bars.
Our new squat bars are made from solid 50mm steel, and have no issues being loaded to the end of the sleeves.

With anything through, your going to pay for quality. They are $649, but your grand children will be using it when they hurt their shoulders.

With all that said, SSB is only going to be a bandaid fix for you. I'd be working on being able to get under a bar.

1E45077E-0EF8-4D2B-8C28-6AB4E2A60369-1314-000000ECE6518C4D_zpsc7dae982.jpg
 
Thank you for the replies. I work as a builder and work pretty hard so thought I would be more flexible than I am, but over the years have been getting more and more stiffer. I am 31 this year.

I will persist with getting under the bar and hopefully I will improve. What stretches etc would help out? Do you think the time frame to being comfortable will be long?

I like the look of that bar Sticky. If I cannot go on with it I would be interested in one of those. I know costly, but if it helps...
 
If your shoulders are not "bung" you should consider doing presses before squatting.

Behind neck presses.
 
Hi Guys,

I am new to squatting in a rack. Have been using a leverage system.

I have found I do not have the flexibility in my arms to get comfortable with a bar to do the squats. Is this a normal thing for starters? I am noit very flexible in general and have lower back problems from work.

I saw a safety squat bar but cannot find much info about them. Are they just a gimmick? Or could it be something that would be an advantage to someone like me?

Here is a link Force USA Olympic Safety Squat Barbell - Only $249

thanks

broom handle or bands and plenty of dislocations
How to Boost Your Flexibility with Shoulders Dislocations StrongLifts
How to Improve Your Posture for Squats StrongLifts

Have similar lack of shoulder mobility myself , slowly improving.
 
I loop my band to the power rack and pull away in every direction, pausing on what feels stiff and sore stretching through it. I fou d this freed me up great but had to do it religiously to start, now just before bench and squat sessions
 
OP, since it sounds like you're just getting into it, my advice would be to continue on with the basic barbell squat. Your flexibility will improve quickly. Mobility work will also help but I'd steer clear of any specialty bars for the time being.
 
I couldnt hold a bar when I started properly squatting. But I went to the root cause of the problem of mobility and spent $30 on bands which fixed the problem, instead of throwing on a bandaid solution and buying a bar that would bypass the problem.
Unless you have a shoulder injury, dont waste your money on a SSB, stretch and release and fix the problem.

Yes yes yes yes.
 
thanks for all the replies. I have started with the broom handle stretches.

Kaz do you know a link for a video for something similar to what you are doing? Sounds like something I should be doing aswell. What bands did you buy?
 
I love the SSB. Much more benefit from it than just for people with tight shoulders. I like them better than normal squats.
 
thanks for all the replies. I have started with the broom handle stretches.

Kaz do you know a link for a video for something similar to what you are doing? Sounds like something I should be doing aswell. What bands did you buy?

I bought a blue and an orange band from ebay but found the blue one works besy as the thickness is good for resistance. I will try and find a video but I was originally shown by another powerlifter. I swear by his method!
Will post it here.
 
I love the SSB. Much more benefit from it than just for people with tight shoulders. I like them better than normal squats.


They're about 200 x better for doing good mornings than a straight bar.

Personally I feel as though I get pretty good carryover to deads and squats from squatting with one as it hits my abs/upper back pretty hard so I'm less likely to collapse through the chest
 
I bought a blue and an orange band from ebay but found the blue one works besy as the thickness is good for resistance. I will try and find a video but I was originally shown by another powerlifter. I swear by his method!
Will post it here.


Thanks Kaz
 
thanks for all the replies. I have started with the broom handle stretches.

Kaz do you know a link for a video for something similar to what you are doing? Sounds like something I should be doing aswell. What bands did you buy?

The broomstick handle stretch is awesome but get some bands and it will be a friendlier version of the same movement because the hands are not in a fixed position.

Here are a bunch of vids that'll help.

Introduction and Band Traction.mov - YouTube

SuperDtv Shoulder Mobility Work for Lifters! - YouTube

SuperDtv- Shoulder Prehab, that's not Humerus! - YouTube
**^ My Favourite

SuperDtv-LowerBack P1.wmv - YouTube

SuperDtv REHAB Back exercises to do while injured! - YouTube

SuperDtv Mobility Setting the Hips - YouTube

SuperDtv-Squats, the Day After! - YouTube
 
Top