I don’t feel any pain or discomfort when doing the back squats at all (I mean from the bar being on my back, of course I feel pain in my legs, etc). But I always find my upper body leaning forward during the last two reps or so and I end up moving the bar upwards not by pushing with my legs but by straightening my back.
It seems kinda dangerous or potentially harmful to me, but I guess I’m not yet at a point where the weights are so heavy that they would cause me injury.
I heard the Manta Ray helps keep your back more upright doing backsquats and it should distribute the load on a bigger area of the body.
Should I get the manta ray for these two reasons, since I dont need it for any pain or discomfort? I think it might be worth it for the load distribution and especially for helping me keep my back upright instead of leaning forward, especially since I plan on doing 20-rep squats sometime this year, maybe even next month.
as for the Sting Ray, I only began doing front squats this week. I had to start from scratch with the weights, so that I’ve only done it with extremely light weights so far. I have no problems whatsoever with my posture, but the thing does hurt like hell when it digs into my upper arms, and I have bruises.
Still I can do it, and I’m hoping my body will get used to the pain and allow me to keep adding weights without feeling even more pain.
so, thought i’d get the opinion of someone who has used them. Is it worth getting the sting ray?
What about the manta ray? I dont feel pain but i do need something to help me keep my back upright. and it might increase gains in the 20-rep super squats program if it distributes the weight to a larger area.
I didnt want to start a new thread, so I felt like posting this here:
“A bodybuilder pumps iron during a power blackout at a gym in Baghdad. The sport is a popular one in the war-torn city.” ( BBC NEWS | In Pictures | Day in pictures )
it would make a very cool “Powerful Image” if only there were more weights on the bar.
Manta rays actually make squatting harder because the bar is in a higher position. You’ll probably have to use less weight but its a good way to change things up.
harder on my legs or on the posture? i dont care if i have to use less weights, as long as my posture and form are better. I dont want to be leaning forward too much.
[quote]silencer wrote:
harder on my legs or on the posture? i dont care if i have to use less weights, as long as my posture and form are better. I dont want to be leaning forward too much.[/quote]
It will force better posture. The manta ray causes the bar to physically sit higher than a regular high bar squat. It should give you that added extra ROM in the shoulder region to rotate the elbows forward, resulting them pointing straight down.
It may also cause your poundages to drop as it has a different groove to it, and a suggestion would be to rotate the manta out every few workouts so you dont become over reliant on it.
[quote]silencer wrote:
I didnt want to start a new thread, so I felt like posting this here:
“A bodybuilder pumps iron during a power blackout at a gym in Baghdad. The sport is a popular one in the war-torn city.” (BBC NEWS | In Pictures | Day in pictures)
it would make a very cool “Powerful Image” if only there were more weights on the bar.[/quote]
so i think i’ll get the sting ray because of the pain and the bruises, it will help me increase the weight.
as for the manta ray, i’m not sure. waltny says it will help my posture, but tveddy says it being higher is a bad thing. i also like to rest it lower on the body, and the way i imagine it, it being higher up might make things worse by helping me lean forward more. but then again, it might make me fix my posture like waltny says… i dunno… i guess ultimately i dont need it. i’ll try to pay more attention to keeping my posture straight.
i i find myself always getting into the same wrong posture then i might get it. but for now i’ll just work on perfecting my form.
by the way TTewell342 , the safety squat bar looks amazing but i dont have access to it. i cant ship something like that to the middle east.
[quote]silencer wrote:
so i think i’ll get the sting ray because of the pain and the bruises, it will help me increase the weight.
as for the manta ray, i’m not sure. waltny says it will help my posture, but tveddy says it being higher is a bad thing. i also like to rest it lower on the body, and the way i imagine it, it being higher up might make things worse by helping me lean forward more. but then again, it might make me fix my posture like waltny says… i dunno… i guess ultimately i dont need it. i’ll try to pay more attention to keeping my posture straight.
i i find myself always getting into the same wrong posture then i might get it. but for now i’ll just work on perfecting my form.
by the way TTewell342 , the safety squat bar looks amazing but i dont have access to it. i cant ship something like that to the middle east.
i’m gonna order that sting ray now.[/quote]
Get the top squat by Dave Draper then, the most versital, mobile piece of squat assistance gear there is. The manta is also fine tool, just as squatting without any aide is just fine also.
I have both, I like neither. They do not fit me properly at all. So if you are going to get some, check that they fit you first. One size absolutely does NOT fit all.
Another thing is a squatting belt … the weight is dangling down between your legs, old strongman style. Not a bad option and no pressure on the spine. Ironmind sell a squat harness.
If you find yourself leaning forward too much in squats then make sure your upper back is arched hard and your elbows are pulled tight under the bar (almost as if you’re trying to get them in front of the bar). Those 2 pieces of advice were a huge help to me.
This post reminds me to dust off my MANTA RAY and bring it back into the gym to mix it up a bit.
Being young and eager so many years ago I found a local supplier that sold the MANTA RAY and went at squats hard with it for a few months when I did squats…
I found it did help lock you in position and helped keep you in a more upright posture into the descent.
My main complaint is that the edges of the plastic, despite being rounded, were cutting into my back and trapezius more than I liked.
Thus I have gone back to lifting with just the knurled section of the bar sitting across my back.
I’ve had a manta ray since 97, and love it. It definitely makes you focus more on your posture, though I did a lot better once I read some Westside articles on how to squat. I actually don’t like squatting without one.
Lucky for me, my gym at work has a couple, and I have my own that I take with me when I travel. Was going to get a sting ray, but found that a folded up towel and careful placement of the bar works just as well, for $35 less.
I also have had both for many years…The sting ray I could do without…I much prefer to do my front squats Olympic style…The Manta Ray I adore and would not trade it for all the tea in China.
well, I’m glad i hesitated just before clicking the buy button for the sting ray.
as long as i can keep adding weight, without the pain in the arm increasing as much as the weight increases, i’m fine. i mean, my arms are getting used to it… and these huge brown and yellow bruises are quite cool. i feel proud every time i look at the ugly things.
the front squat has definitly become my favorite exercise… you wont believe how happy i am when it’s front squat day, it’s like a kid opening a box of chocolates. i swear. the exercise is cool, and i feel real proud of myself, like a monster, when im doing it.
as for manta ray, i’m gonna try Hanley’s tip first on tuesday, to see if it helps me keep my back upright. if not, i just might buy it.
