New Toy! The SSB safety squat bar

[coachcalande]

I love this thing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRRhIe9Kl8M

[EliKoehn]

What exactly is the point of the SSB? It looks like it's a workaround for flexibility issues with grabbing the straight bar, but does it actually change the lift itself mechanically in any meaningful way?

[BeginnerGainz]

What exactly is the point of the SSB? It looks like it's a workaround for flexibility issues with grabbing the straight bar, but does it actually change the lift itself mechanically in any meaningful way?

It makes it harder on everything but the shoulders.

[Anthony21]

What exactly is the point of the SSB? It looks like it's a workaround for flexibility issues with grabbing the straight bar, but does it actually change the lift itself mechanically in any meaningful way?

Mimics a high bar squat in a sense. Makes you learn how to stay upright since you feel like you want to shift forward. It also builds your upper back well while taking stress off your shoulders.

OP I personally hate the three pad design. Titan sells a great SSB that is just one solid pad.

[TolerantLactose]

It makes it harder on everything but the shoulders.

And elbows and wrists.

[coachcalande]

What exactly is the point of the SSB? It looks like it's a workaround for flexibility issues with grabbing the straight bar, but does it actually change the lift itself mechanically in any meaningful way?

Originally designed for lack of shoulder flexibility and ability to fit under a straight bar- this is why I got one.

As far as comparing it- it’s humbling, puts me , resistance wise, a bit better than my front squats but quite a bit less glute activity and almost no low back activity vs feeling of straight bar. Easier on upper back than front squats…

Now pushing up vs pulling down on handles changes the feeling as well…


It puts you a bit more upright, more closely resembles a front squat as the shape of the bar puts the weight in a different spot than back squats. Super comfortable for me and you can see, I can get deeper with my torso a bit higher, I still need to open my ankle joint with the 25 lb plates, I have zero flexibility there.

The in and out quick fit, easy walk out, easy walk back makes it nice HOWEVER the plates do slide around easy on my cheap bar so Im using cords to hug up those plates.

There are much more expensive bars, I got mine for 179 bucks and I’m loving it.

[jaxqen]

What exactly is the point of the SSB? It looks like it's a workaround for flexibility issues with grabbing the straight bar, but does it actually change the lift itself mechanically in any meaningful way?

Well this, but the main one is that every time someone buys a SSB, Mark Rippetoe cries and his blood pressure goes way up. :P

[Anthony21]

Well this, but the main one is that every time someone buys a SSB, Mark Rippetoe cries and his blood pressure goes way up. :P

Anytime Rippetie cries is a good thing imo haha

[BeginnerGainz]

And elbows and wrists.

Those too.

[MyEgoProblem]

What exactly is the point of the SSB? It looks like it's a workaround for flexibility issues with grabbing the straight bar, but does it actually change the lift itself mechanically in any meaningful way?

In effect, its a shoulder/elbow/wrist friendly pseudo front squat that you can actually fight without dumping it forward off your delts.

Personally i love mine, its not as good for a pure leg developer as a highbar, but who cares about that...

thats why you do leg exts to max the quads out

AMAZING for goodmornings and box squats with band or chain too!

its just a great piece of kit IF you get a stiff quality bar that doesnt have really wide spaced handles like the ****ty titan ssb 1.0... just melt that down.

[lokeshbirari]

This was a really good safety squat bar but I have The Safety Squat Bar from BullrocK Fitness and I'm using this for more than 11 months. It comes with shaft 27mm diameter & 20kg weight with a comfortable knurl grip.

[coachcalande]

Im just sitting here chomping at the bit for my next SSB session….

Ill be going heavier for sure so that’s exciting. Doms wasnt aweful but I felt it.

[coachcalande]

Seven sets pyramid style.

Set 1
https://youtu.be/e7E9hbH7SH8


Set 2
https://youtu.be/19uypthr064


Set 3
https://youtu.be/aaWhUwJzb9g

Set 4
https://youtu.be/8jGTYji_odg

Set 5
https://youtu.be/yEE6A6tnLQU

Set 6
https://youtu.be/IwvD7ndTsp0

Set 7
https://youtu.be/3urf8YFSefY
*tired and showed here, poor depth.

[coachcalande]

Getting better!

Six more sets with this thing.

285x5 https://youtu.be/Ph6y85zmVNA
305x3
315x2

255 for 3 “sit and dig” pause reps.
255x7 reflex deep
255x6 reflex deep

If you have shoulder issues and can cope with the humbling experience of lighter squats, I highly recommend the ssb experience.

[coachcalande]

Great day, four straight PRs

315x4
325x3
335x3
355x1

https://youtu.be/X2ihiEdX_-U

[coachcalande]

Last workout four days ago:

235x12
255x10
275x8
295x6
315x4
335x3

Then two sets of pause squats at 235.

What will tomorrow bring?

[coachcalande]

New PR!

365x1

https://youtu.be/XfS3U3wBvzk

[coachcalande]

Getting strong!

This mornings SSb squat summary
1- warmup 135x5
2- warmup 235x3
3- 285x10 ⚡️
4- 305x6⚡️
5- 325x4⚡️
6- 345x3 ⚡️
7, 8, 9, 10- back off rep and pause work (235-285)

Video later this am.

[coachcalande]

Video explaining choosing training weight.
https://youtu.be/VeE_lGq1WvE


Squats
285x10
https://youtu.be/knCPxw5atAE

305x6
https://youtu.be/vmxOOeke39Q

325x4
https://youtu.be/kzdZZwhX8UU

345x3
https://youtu.be/SBa5c2AiLDI

All four of these were PR sets. I did four back off sets with pauses using 285, 285, 255, 255

[coachcalande]

Smashed 355x3

https://youtu.be/i--Y9TPP9uc

[coachcalande]

Just making crazy gains

Today 305x9