I’m very excited because the gym I go to finally purchased a safety squat bar.
This morning was Maximum effort lower body day and I was looking to do try and hit 315 for a single in low bar good mornings…then I decided to use the safety squat bar and one 45 per side and one 10 per side nearly stapled me to the floor!
Is my form off or are safety squat good mornings that much more difficult?
I’m either guessing this or that I need to improve my technique with this new bar.
On a brighter note, I must say…despite everything else my shoulder, which usually really bothers me after heavy goodmornings and squats, feels great.
The first time I did safety squat bar good mornings out of chains I was only able to get 275lbs. Nearly five months later, I am hitting in the 520-550 range. You’ll get better in the technical portion of the lift pretty quickly if you work at it.
Deaddoc-The safety squat bar sits several inches higher than a normal bar would. This increases the distance between the bar and your hip joint (longer lever) making the safety squat bar much harder for good mornings. Don’t feel too bad.
I was a smart guy too. Got stapled with about the same, dropped the weight griited it out, and made it. I guess I ended with 285 on a suspended good morning.
I’m glad to see this thread so perhaps I can pose a question to “those who know”.
I’ve contemplated buying a safety squat bar for some time now but have never actually tried one. (Only workout at home.) I first saw it in Iron Man some years ago and the claims were that it was easier on the lower back and knees. (I don’t compete or handle the weights you guys do but back squats are the mainstay of my leg work.) But, I now get the impression, from the recent Dave Tate articles and this thread as well, that this may not be so. As you say Sully, the high position creates a longer lever.
So, does the safety squat bar actually stress the lower back more (when using it for squats, not GM’s) or does it allow you to keep a more upright position and take the stress off?
If you use it the way it was intended with the handles you can squat very upright with little stress on the back and knees.But if you do it like a regular squat with your hands on the front of the bar, then the longer lever arm will stress the back more. But i dont see it as a bad stress.
Snipe- If you do not dox squat or do good mornings and use the ssbar for quad squats it will be easier on your back. It is just the way we powerlifters use the bar wich changes how it stresses the lower and upper back. …Give the bar a try you will love it…Big Martin
The gym that a friend works out at got a SSbar a few weeks ago. He’s used it but is undecided. Also, he’s more a leg press guy than a squat guy. (He’s a sissy boy. What can I say?)
As such his feedback isn’t too helpful.
Maybe I can go as his guest and try it out one day before deciding to shell out $400 or so.
DrSTU: I noticed that, but on the phenomenal chance that you were really using over 4,000 pounds (even though we live on opposite sides of the Atlantic)…no way was I going to correct you!!!
I showed my friend this thread (and of course he killed me for calling him a sissy.) He’s started using the handles and not trying to hold it like a regular bar. Now he’s a convert.
Good times.
Wierd thing was that when i tried the bar it felt really good on the shoulders and then just absolutely pinned me at the bootom of the movement, as if my body had no idea what to do with it.
Haven’t got access to one al the time so i’ll try and do what tate suggests and alter the centre of gravity by using towel and pads.