# Squat bars



## PillarofBalance (Jan 29, 2015)

Read a post by Super D on the face books today... he says using a bar that was meant for oly lifts as your squat bar will inevitably destroy your shoulder.

Elbow pain is a very common complaint from powerlifters  including myself and my team members. It has ruined numerous squat days and bench days in my time.

So his suggestion is to use the special bars like buffalo, Cambered and SSB for training. Then 3 or 4 weeks out from a meet use the Olympic bar. 

I am instituting this immediately and urging it for all my clients.

Who's with me?


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## goodfella (Jan 29, 2015)

I like that buffalo bar you mentioned. Seen Branch Warren get pretty down n dirty with it. He also says he prefers it over the straight bars. Only down side, I know my commercial gym would never allow one in it :/ Been meaning to try and find a new gym to hit thats not so commercial without ****s that don't know what there doing, besides cutting off the guy that's bigger than them...


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## SFGiants (Jan 29, 2015)

PillarofBalance said:


> Read a post by Super D on the face books today... he says using a bar that was meant for oly lifts as your squat bar will inevitably destroy your shoulder.
> 
> Elbow pain is a very common complaint from powerlifters  including myself and my team members. It has ruined numerous squat days and bench days in my time.
> 
> ...



I'm not bro, it's a multi ply lifter thing raw lifters have less issues.

Get you shoulders healthy professionally and not the Donnie D way and you'll be fine.

Problem is you hold all bars different so when you go to the straight bar your all ****ed up if you only using a SSB and Camber most the time you at least need the buffalo OFTEN since it mimics the straight bar the best.

I never use a straight bar for DE but waiting that long to use a straight bar can go bad IMO one should use it at least once every 2 to 3 months.

My elbows went from shit to great by changing squat grips and not bench for speed work, no need to bench 2x a week IMO unless it's tricep work and light.

Donny says one thing the Littlebridges another one says only use a straight bar the other say to never, you have to find a point of success for you because for one Donny don't compete anymore and two you need to do what's best for you like they do for themselves.

Donny is not the sharpest tool in the shed bro!

I am watching a multi ply lifter preparing for the Arnold in March that believes the same shit and is having hell in full gear and a straight bar because of it right now, dude has over a 2000 Total. He trained raw and on specialty bars up to about 8 weeks out with the squat being a mess right now, he squats over 800.

I believe if you wanna compete efficient one should train efficient with what you compete in or close to it like a buffalo compared to a straight they are very close with one taking away shoulder stress.

SSB is hard to get and stay tight with your arms are in front and the Camber your arms are extended to the side and none of this will be that way on the platform.

Buffalo Bar just sits up higher and extends the arm forward for relief.

You'll be fine with a Buffalo Bar as your main bar!

One thing all them bar will do is make you a better stronger squatter keeping much better form, just pick and chose wisely when to use them, DE days should always be a specialty bar.


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## #TheMatrix (Jan 29, 2015)

...mines shoulder with delt pain.
Been wanting to weld handles on my squat bar so i can hold it like a cambered bar







Like this above


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## snake (Jan 29, 2015)

I got to go the other way POB if we're talking about competing. I'm big on,"You perform the way you practice". Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones but I have never had a shoulder, elbow or wrist problem. I have always squatted with a standard bar even at a young age.

Now if you develop a problem and that's the only way you can work around it; great idea. I don't care what bar you need to use to get through a slight injury but not squatting should be the last resort. I'm all for anyone who will never need to perform under a bar using what ever they like.


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## PillarofBalance (Jan 29, 2015)

#TheMatrix said:


> ...mines shoulder with delt pain.
> Been wanting to weld handles on my squat bar so i can hold it like a cambered bar
> 
> 
> ...


An ssb is much heavier than an oly bar and for good reason. An oly bar would whip pretty badly


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## PillarofBalance (Jan 29, 2015)

SFGiants said:


> I'm not bro, it's a multi ply lifter thing raw lifters have less issues.
> 
> Get you shoulders healthy professionally and not the Donnie D way and you'll be fine.
> 
> ...


Not sure I agree raw guys don't suffer from this. I know plenty who have.

And Donnie is not stupid by any measure particularly on rehab and injury stuff.


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## DieYoungStrong (Jan 29, 2015)

Judging by the way my elbows feel after my 6x3 squat day today, I might be going the specialty bar route for a few weeks. I pretty much always use the straight bar. Think I'm getting some tendinitis. Could barely grip the plates to put them away when I was done tonight.


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## snake (Jan 29, 2015)

DieYoungStrong said:


> Could barely grip the plates to put them away when I was done tonight.



Because you killed the workout big guy!!

Hay, any chance this elbow pain comes from chest and or tri's done the day before? Just a guess. I don't workout the day before or the day after my squat.


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## DieYoungStrong (Jan 29, 2015)

snake said:


> Because you killed the workout big guy!!
> 
> Hay, any chance this elbow pain comes from chest and or tri's done the day before? Just a guess. I don't workout the day before or the day after my squat.



Nope. I've been plowing snow the past 2 days. But I generally have a day of rest between squats and bench.


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## SFGiants (Jan 29, 2015)

#TheMatrix said:


> ...mines shoulder with delt pain.
> Been wanting to weld handles on my squat bar so i can hold it like a cambered bar
> 
> 
> ...



That is a Safety Squat Bar not a Camber Bar not even close.


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## SFGiants (Jan 29, 2015)

PillarofBalance said:


> Not sure I agree raw guys don't suffer from this. I know plenty who have.
> 
> And Donnie is not stupid by any measure particularly on rehab and injury stuff.



Not saying raw guys don't but raw guys don't have hundreds over overload poundage as a geared lifter, some guys are barely hitting 400 raw if that but 700 in gear plus the contrast.

Donnie isn't stupid but it don't make him right or wrong either it's a preference, most multi ply lifters are always on specialty bar most raw guys are not. 

All I'm saying is don't wait that long to get under a straight bar but also you don't have to make it a staple especially if you have a buffalo bar.


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## SFGiants (Jan 29, 2015)

snake said:


> Because you killed the workout big guy!!
> 
> Hay, any chance this elbow pain comes from chest and or tri's done the day before? Just a guess. I don't workout the day before or the day after my squat.



Most cases is the width and hand grip squatting.


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## PillarofBalance (Jan 29, 2015)

SFGiants said:


> Most cases is the width and hand grip squatting.


It's also a tight shoulder. You will unrack the bar way off center but not even notice.  We always line each other up on the team but not everyone has what you and I do.


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## Joliver (Jan 29, 2015)

I like specialty bar work. It makes good sense in the conjugate method.  Nominal loading isn't the goal, low rep intensity is.  If I can get that on an SSB, buffalo, or cambered bar, I will. If it saves my shitty shoulders, even better.

For the practicing how you play reference--good point. That is why you peak with the bar that you'll be using in the meet. But for the 4-6 months in between meets, you don't necessarily want to stagnate your lift. I know that I definitely like changing my bar instead of changing my core lift. It keeps me focused.

It's all a personal choice though. Duffin only uses the SSB leading up to his meets....it disguises his potential...confuses his competition.  Weird bastard.


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## PillarofBalance (Jan 29, 2015)

joliver said:


> I like specialty bar work. It makes good sense in the conjugate method.  Nominal loading isn't the goal, low rep intensity is.  If I can get that on an SSB, buffalo, or cambered bar, I will. If it saves my shitty shoulders, even better.
> 
> For the practicing how you play reference--good point. That is why you peak with the bar that you'll be using in the meet. But for the 4-6 months in between meets, you don't necessarily want to stagnate your lift. I know that I definitely like changing my bar instead of changing my core lift. It keeps me focused.
> 
> It's all a personal choice though. Duffin only uses the SSB leading up to his meets....it disguises his potential...confuses his competition.  Weird bastard.


Can you expand on the nominal loading versus low rep intensity...

Love duffin. I wanna try that shoulder rok thing he is always playing with.


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## SFGiants (Jan 29, 2015)

joliver said:


> I like specialty bar work. It makes good sense in the conjugate method.  Nominal loading isn't the goal, low rep intensity is.  If I can get that on an SSB, buffalo, or cambered bar, I will. If it saves my shitty shoulders, even better.
> 
> For the practicing how you play reference--good point. That is why you peak with the bar that you'll be using in the meet. But for the 4-6 months in between meets, you don't necessarily want to stagnate your lift. I know that I definitely like changing my bar instead of changing my core lift. It keeps me focused.
> 
> It's all a personal choice though. Duffin only uses the SSB leading up to his meets....it disguises his potential...confuses his competition.  Weird bastard.



I love and use all bars just for myself I can't neglect at least the buffalo bar.


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## SFGiants (Jan 29, 2015)

PillarofBalance said:


> It's also a tight shoulder. You will unrack the bar way off center but not even notice.  We always line each other up on the team but not everyone has what you and I do.



I know this very well fought it since 2008 until I fond a true professional to fix it these guys work on the 49er's and many other Pro athletes. 

I had other so called professional look at me one swore what is wrong wasn't the other claimed it to be the opposite side and worked and the wrong ****ing side lol, I tore my shit up after that in a meet.

It's very painful treatments to go through but I can pin my delts again and the pin goes in like butter lol.

I have a long way to go before I'm 100% but I'm so much better in the gym then I have been since 2008.


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## Joliver (Jan 29, 2015)

PillarofBalance said:


> Can you expand on the nominal loading versus low rep intensity...
> 
> Love duffin. I wanna try that shoulder rok thing he is always playing with.



Nominal loading is determining your intensity solely through loading--if your max is 500, 475 is 95%. It's more Russian style training. Anyone who's familiar with the SSB will tell you that doing 475 (95%) on the SSB is impossible. 

But, an intensity level is relative. 365 on the SSB could have the same perceived exertion as 475 with an Olympic bar. So by determining your effort with training maxes (Bulgarian style), you can effectively interchange any apparatus and still achieve a high level of training intensity--no matter the load.


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## DieYoungStrong (Jan 29, 2015)

SFGiants said:


> Most cases is the width and hand grip squatting.



I used to grip the bar pretty narrow to get tight, but started getting some shoulder pain. I widened out a little, just enough to get some stress of the shoulders, but narrow enough so I could still stay tight. Now I'm getting pain in my elbow. I always squat with a thumbless grip.


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## PillarofBalance (Jan 29, 2015)

joliver said:


> Nominal loading is determining your intensity solely through loading--if your max is 500, 475 is 95%. It's more Russian style training. Anyone who's familiar with the SSB will tell you that doing 475 (95%) on the SSB is impossible.
> 
> But, an intensity level is relative. 365 on the SSB could have the same perceived exertion as 475 with an Olympic bar. So by determining your effort with training maxes (Bulgarian style), you can effectively interchange any apparatus and still achieve a high level of training intensity--no matter the load.



Ok that's what I thought you meant.

365 for doubles with an ssb is about it for me. Hate that thing but it works wonders for both my squat and deadlift.


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## Tren4Life (Jan 29, 2015)

joliver said:


> Nominal loading is determining your intensity solely through loading--if your max is 500, 475 is 95%. It's more Russian style training. Anyone who's familiar with the SSB will tell you that doing 475 (95%) on the SSB is impossible.
> 
> But, an intensity level is relative. 365 on the SSB could have the same perceived exertion as 475 with an Olympic bar. So by determining your effort with training maxes (Bulgarian style), you can effectively interchange any apparatus and still achieve a high level of training intensity--no matter the load.





475 on an SSB is my arch enemy.  The bar won the last time , fukker knocked me out. lol.


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## DieYoungStrong (Jan 29, 2015)

PillarofBalance said:


> Can you expand on the nominal loading versus low rep intensity...
> 
> Love duffin. I wanna try that shoulder rok thing he is always playing with.



I also want to order the shoulder rok. I've been playing around doing his shoulder rok movements with a light sledgehammer in my garage. He says its not the same as his shoulder rok, but I have to figure he is trying to sell a product and the sledge is close.

I love Duffins prehab, rehab, and mob stuff. And he is like the Bill Bellichick of PLing. Deception, Deception, Deception.


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## SFGiants (Jan 29, 2015)

DieYoungStrong said:


> I used to grip the bar pretty narrow to get tight, but started getting some shoulder pain. I widened out a little, just enough to get some stress of the shoulders, but narrow enough so I could still stay tight. Now I'm getting pain in my elbow. I always squat with a thumbless grip.



Tuck your pinky under the bar with thumb and finger over the top.


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## SFGiants (Jan 29, 2015)

I got 405 plus 105 in chains off a bellow parallel box 3 weeks ago, 1st time on a box for a max in 3 years.


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## DieYoungStrong (Jan 29, 2015)

SFGiants said:


> Tuck your pinky under the bar with thumb and finger over the top.



I'll try it out thanks.


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