I’m considering buying one of Dave Draper’s Top Squat bar attachments as a cheaper alternative to a safety squat bar. Is it worth it for that purpose? If it’s not going to simulate the effect of an SSB it’s not something I’m really interested in.
Any input?
Thanks,
Conor
Do you have a Link to this?
I have it and like it. But it’s certainly not the same as a SS bar. With a SS Bar the hands are much closer to the body and I feel a bit of instablity with how far out the bars are on the Top Squat. Also, I’m not sure if it was the bars I was using or what, but I didn’t feel like it was really slip proof. For example when walking it out of the rack I sometimes felt like the bar was shifting back and forth in the device. Not drastically. But still, if you’re working with some heavy weight, It’s risky.
-MAtt
Their claim is that it should feel almost the same as a regular bar. The benefit for using it is if you have shoulder issues and reaching back to hold the bar would cause pain. I just ordered one since I’m rehabing my rotator cuff right now and the normal bar doesn’t feel good to hold. I also have a safety squat bar. Because of the camber and the thick padding it puts a lot more stress on your upper back. You have to work harder to keep from rounding over.
One inexpensive option you might try is the Manta Ray. It clips to the bar and forces the bar to ride high. It will probably feel somewhere between using a standard bar and using the safety squat bar.
have it and used to use it alot. its a great tool in your toolbox. resting the shoulder joints or for bar higher on back. does not slip. worked very well no slippagebut only fits up to 29-30mm bars NOT 32mm. used up to 300kg on it.
[quote]limericklummox wrote:
have it and used to use it alot. its a great tool in your toolbox. resting the shoulder joints or for bar higher on back. does not slip. worked very well no slippagebut only fits up to 29-30mm bars NOT 32mm. used up to 300kg on it.[/quote]
I second the slippage, that “Matgic” discussed above. However, I found that I could greatly reduce any side to side shifting by gingerling walking backwards once I’d taken the bar from the saddles.
I had shoulder surgery in December and, before I got my hip-belt from Ironmind, this was the only way I could squat as I no longer have the ability to reach back and support a barbell on my back.
No, it is not a SS Bar- it is much less stable like others above have said. Also, it does not have that 5 or 6 inch camber that make you have to fight ot keep an arch. Also, because they dont have that camber, the bar doesn’t lock onto your back lick a SSB. If you let go, it will fall. They are still a neat tool though for lighter de-load type squatting or as a supplemetal exercise for reps- kind of like manta rays or even olympic style squats. But, if you want an SS bar, get one. This is not a substitute by any stretch.
Thanks for all the replies guys. I think I’m just going to have to man up and get a SSB at some point.