weisgarber wrote: ↑Fri Jan 03, 2020 11:33 am
I don't know about handles, but if you're looking to save money, they offer an "850 lb" version that is around $310 shipped instead of the 1500 lb bar that's listed on the site. I think you have to call or send an email to get info about it. A guy over on bodybuilding.com who is a big fan of the Crepinsek bar recommends the less expensive version for most people.
Great info, I didn’t know they had a 850 version. Found that thread on bb.com, lots of good reviews.
alek wrote: ↑Fri Jan 03, 2020 12:41 pm
What specifically about the Rogue bar reviews put you off? I’ve been using one for about 5 months, and I’m happy with it. I’ve used the Titan 2 as well. It was fine.
Mostly the complaints about the handles being spaced too far apart. I’m not very wide in the shoulders so that had me worried that it would be uncomfortable. Plus it’s just over $700 shipped to my location.
gtl wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2020 6:17 am
I'm thinking of cutting down the handles on my Edge Fitness SSB. Someone talk me out of it.
Why not just call the dude and order some shorter ones? iirc, he will cut them down upon request. Then if you sell you have both in case someone wanted the long handles.
gtl wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2020 6:17 am
I'm thinking of cutting down the handles on my Edge Fitness SSB. Someone talk me out of it.
Why not just call the dude and order some shorter ones? iirc, he will cut them down upon request. Then if you sell you have both in case someone wanted the long handles.
Damnit, that makes too much sense. Last time I contacted them though, it took a month to get a response.
gtl wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2020 6:17 am
I'm thinking of cutting down the handles on my Edge Fitness SSB. Someone talk me out of it.
Why not just call the dude and order some shorter ones? iirc, he will cut them down upon request. Then if you sell you have both in case someone wanted the long handles.
Damnit, that makes too much sense. Last time I contacted them though, it took a month to get a response.
Dean at Black Widow might be able to help out also.
gtl wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2020 6:17 am
I'm thinking of cutting down the handles on my Edge Fitness SSB. Someone talk me out of it.
Sorry, not here to talk you out of it.
After about a month of using mine I cut a hands width off the handles. I found I never put my hands on the grips, they would naturally sit comfortably between the pad and the curve just before the grips. So that's how much I cut off. And now it's much better.
Was easy enough with an angle grinder. Just be aware they are not tube steel, it is solid rod. So it would take forever if you were to use a hack saw.
gtl wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2020 6:17 am
I'm thinking of cutting down the handles on my Edge Fitness SSB. Someone talk me out of it.
Why not just call the dude and order some shorter ones? iirc, he will cut them down upon request. Then if you sell you have both in case someone wanted the long handles.
Damnit, that makes too much sense. Last time I contacted them though, it took a month to get a response.
Email a few times, his son is quick about answering if you catch him. I had success contacting Rick via phone as well.
gtl wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2020 6:17 am
I'm thinking of cutting down the handles on my Edge Fitness SSB. Someone talk me out of it.
Sorry, not here to talk you out of it.
After about a month of using mine I cut a hands width off the handles. I found I never put my hands on the grips, they would naturally sit comfortably between the pad and the curve just before the grips. So that's how much I cut off. And now it's much better.
Was easy enough with an angle grinder. Just be aware they are not tube steel, it is solid rod. So it would take forever if you were to use a hack saw.
Thanks for the info. I was wanting to cut it right where it bends for the handles, leaving just the straight piece in place.
gtl wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2020 6:17 am
I'm thinking of cutting down the handles on my Edge Fitness SSB. Someone talk me out of it.
Sorry, not here to talk you out of it.
After about a month of using mine I cut a hands width off the handles. I found I never put my hands on the grips, they would naturally sit comfortably between the pad and the curve just before the grips. So that's how much I cut off. And now it's much better.
Was easy enough with an angle grinder. Just be aware they are not tube steel, it is solid rod. So it would take forever if you were to use a hack saw.
Thanks for the info. I was wanting to cut it right where it bends for the handles, leaving just the straight piece in place.
I cut about 4-5 inches off the end that meets the bar. So I still have the curve and grips. Also the cuts are hidden that way.
ETA: if you don't want the curve and cut it off there you could just turn the bars around and put the cuts towards the bar to hide them.
gtl wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2020 6:17 am
I'm thinking of cutting down the handles on my Edge Fitness SSB. Someone talk me out of it.
Sorry, not here to talk you out of it.
After about a month of using mine I cut a hands width off the handles. I found I never put my hands on the grips, they would naturally sit comfortably between the pad and the curve just before the grips. So that's how much I cut off. And now it's much better.
Was easy enough with an angle grinder. Just be aware they are not tube steel, it is solid rod. So it would take forever if you were to use a hack saw.
Thanks for the info. I was wanting to cut it right where it bends for the handles, leaving just the straight piece in place.
I cut about 4-5 inches off the end that meets the bar. So I still have the curve and grips. Also the cuts are hidden that way.
ETA: if you don't want the curve and cut it off there you could just turn the bars around and put the cuts towards the bar to hide them.
Ah, I see what you did.
Hmm,
Yeah, I was thinking the cuts would be hidden when I put the grips back on (or add new grips - BMX bike grips maybe? idk)
Now, you got me wondering whether I want the curve handle or not.
Cleverusername wrote: ↑Fri Jan 03, 2020 1:55 pm
Mostly the complaints about the handles being spaced too far apart. I’m not very wide in the shoulders so that had me worried that it would be uncomfortable.
Hmm. I'll use it again next week; I'll think about the handle spacing. I'm not exactly wide either, but I don't remember thinking about the spacing not being comfortable.
I’ve been emailing back and forth with Crepinsek.
Here’s some info to add to this SSB resource.
They no longer offer a 850lb. version. The 850 was a limited run based on some high quality materials bought at a discount.
They now offer a 700 and a 1500 version.
He’s also working on 700,900,1500 takedown and adjustable camber models.
I’m on the list for a 700 takedown version. Hopefully this will save me some money on shipping.
This is a piece of kit I really want to invest in to push my back squat, every half decent strongman and powerlifter I see on IG is pushing this movement.
GlasgowJock wrote: ↑Wed Feb 19, 2020 11:08 am
This is a piece of kit I really want to invest in to push my back squat, every half decent strongman and powerlifter I see on IG is pushing this movement.
Get one, you will not regret it. My only regret is that I didn’t get one sooner.
GlasgowJock wrote: ↑Wed Feb 19, 2020 11:08 am
This is a piece of kit I really want to invest in to push my back squat, every half decent strongman and powerlifter I see on IG is pushing this movement.
Get one, you will not regret it. My only regret is that I didn’t get one sooner.
Yeah man. I love mine and really it is the only back squat I do any more. It's just so simple, saves the shoulders, elbows and wrist and it has direct carry over to my regular squat (when I do them). I am also big into hatfield squats lately to get in additional volume.
SSB makes squatting enjoyable and pain free from your shoulders to wrists if you get a bar with decent padding and width. Beyond training for powerlifting and I guess weightlifting - and cost, I don't see a compelling a reason to use a straight bar, particularly for low bar. Low bar squatting seems to cause wrist and elbow issues for majority of lifters at some time or another.
If anything, provided you have a rack or squat stands that allow it, you can use a bow bar or squat bar to place the bar lower as both let you go super wide which seems to eliminate a lot of the wrist, shoulder and elbow issues with squatting.
quikky wrote: ↑Thu Feb 20, 2020 12:57 pm
Have you guys noticed a bigger carryover to squats with an SSB versus doing the same amount of squatting with a regular bar?
Just wondering if an SSB is just another variation or if it offers some unique benefits that cannot be replaced by just more squatting.
Well if you can't do the same amount of volume with a straight bar because of shoulder/elbow issues....
It'd be an interesting experiment to try and do a volume equated blocks with each one and see whether one moved the needle more. For my n=1 I remember when I first got my SSB and squatting with it made my quads sore like low bar never did. I don't notice it so much these days, but what I do still notice is that I can do more heavy volume with the SSB than I can low bar, not just because of elbow/wrist/shoulder limitations but also once I start pushing low bar squats pretty hard my lower back starts taking over and getting a pump that I don't tend to get with the SSB (although like most people my SSB squat is a little weaker than my low bar). Generally, there is less form breakdown with a heavy SSB squat than a heavy low bar squat IME so it's potentially better stimulus for those squatting muscles.
So I guess I mention these anecdotes to say that if someone's quads are a weak point or they can't quite get enough low bar volume to make progress because of some form or mobility limitations then I'd theorise that doing SSB squats would almost certainly be great bang for buck versus squatting low bar all the time.
New version of the Kabuki Transformer bar... quick and easy adjustment of angle/sleeve position compared to previous versions, although it's down to only 24 combinations vs 48 (guessing that's plenty though). Price has dropped as well. Coop likes it, for whatever that's worth (not much):
I'm tempted to order one and try to sell my SS Yoke at corona markup price... could maybe get $350 which would only be a little over half of the transformer w/ shipping. Main attraction is being able to do "front squats" and good mornings with the various positions in addition to regular SSB angle if I wanted to. I can do good mornings with my current SSB but I think the transformer in the "hinge" position would be even better suited to the task (kinda like a camber bar).
I'm hesitating though because of the long ass handles that look like they might get in the way (or cause my arms to be in the way) at the bottom of a squat, and also because I've seen some complaints about the yoke being wider/less well balanced/uncomfortable compared to the Elite FTS bar... they seem to have upgraded the padding on the new version but I don't think the geometry has changed. I might hold out for some more "real world" reviews beyond Coop gushing about the shit he got sent to him for free. If I wait long enough, maybe I'll just forget about it and thus save my money, lol.
