One of the most interesting tools that we can use in the gym (although not found in many sports centers) is the safety bar. This is a bar with a slightly different from the straight bars classic design: the discs are not in line with the rest of the bar, but a little lower, and also features two additional bars in the center to facilitate the grip and support on the back.
While the safety bar is traditionally used to train back squats, we can also use it for other exercises like good morning, the strides displacement or front squats. We explain what benefits when training with this equipment.
The main advantage of the safety bar in front of the straight bars is that the center of mass of the load (of the disks placed on either side) is below : thus is favored during the time of lowering our body retains the verticality, something we usually lose when using traditional bar.
Also, this is very positive for people suffering discomfort in the lower back , which thus is less compromised. Here you can see Charles Poliquin talking about this, and incidentally see how the bar is placed and how the movement.
Another advantage of the safety bar is that the load is placed safely and easily on our back shape and grab bars ahead. This is very beneficial for those who do not have great mobility in elbows and wrists and who feel uncomfortable when working the back squat, because their joints are in a very awkward position.
The position we take when working with the safety bar for sit – ups is more like that we bring to practice Deadweight: the use of the safety bar requires us to the activation of the muscles of the core and back to keep us upright.
Is it a good alternative to the squat work? If we have it and if you already have experience in this exercise, it is a good alternative, or at least a good complement to our training. The movement we do with it, slightly different from the squat straight bar, has transferred to the latter, so we can use it as a means to further progress.