This might have been asked here already. I’m about to hit 50. I’ve been doing the body weight thing for a bit and about to hit the weights again for general health and strength . Looking at getting a Safety Squat Bar for my primary squats, not just for accessories. Any experience and opinions on this? Is it worth it?
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Absolutely worth it.
I own a New York Barbells SSB and a Titan SSB 2.0. The Titan is above and beyond the superior product, modeled after the EliteFTS SSB.
Goes a long way to keeping your shoulders happy and still lets you move heavy weight.
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I own one.
Best specialty bar. You won’t regret it
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It’s worth it.
It puts the weight out front like a front squat but is supported on the back of the shoulders, so it does all sorts of good leverage-y weirdness on the posterior chain and mid-upper back. I like it better than a regular bar.
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I switched over to it as the primary squat movement several years back, it’s great. My elbows and shoulders still suck, but they’d be a hell of a lot worse if I was still trying to low-bar.
If Black Widow is still making theirs I’m a big fan, 45lbs so the math stays easy! Still very solid.
SSBs are not for everyone but most people who use them tend to love them. I love them because I get elbow tendinitis and the SSB puts a lot less strain on the elbows.
If squatting is the only shoulder mobility work you get in, remember to work on shoulder mobility after you get your SSB.
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I bought an Iron Edge SSB a little while back, love the thing. I only use it after regular squats for light assistance, but love it! It fucks your legs like a front squat but without awkward bar placement. The Mrs loves it too.
With all this talk about front squatting, I feel like it’s worth discussing how front squatting with a SSB is amazing and allows for far more high rep sets without getting choked out.
I own an actual front squat harness and will still use the SSB instead.
I personally have a hate/love relationship with my own at the moment.
They are also great for good mornings.
I endorse all the foregoing posts, and I recommend watching youtube"s SSB coverage before using one. Slightly different feel than a back squat. Shop around for pricing. I think price reflects the padding used. Elifts seems to be the original; I got their SSB on sale for a garage gym. Any other bar should be ok if not being used reguarly by a lot of guys. Women were using some respectable poundages with this thing at my former powerlifting gym.