As a collegiate athlete that has trained in several small to world class gyms, I’ve been able to test and use different Safety Squat Bars for my strength and conditioning programs.
After testing seven different Safety Squat Bars over a few months, the best Safety Squat Bars for any type of leg related workout is the Rogue Safety Squat Bar because of the 15 years of innovations and improvements to making this the most effective safety squat bar on the market.
Their dense and long neck pads provide you the cushion you need to squat heavy weights without the upper body strain. If required, you can detach the handles to perform more different exercises.
With the longer camber, it can withstand more weight being slammed or dropped onto the ground.
The Top Safety Squat Bars Reviewed
| Product Image | Product's name | Weight Capacity/Bar Weight | More Info |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Best Overall Rogue SB-1 Safety Squat Bar | 1000lbs 32 kg (70 lbs) | View latest price |
| [amazon fields="B000SAT5Z8" value="thumb"] | Best Heavy Duty [amazon fields="B000SAT5Z8" value="title" title_length="100"] | 1000lbs 30 kg (65 lbs) | [amazon fields="B000SAT5Z8" value="button"] |
| [amazon fields="B002TONKGQ" value="thumb"] | Best Weight Capacity [amazon fields="B002TONKGQ" value="title" title_length="100"] | 1000 lbs - 1500 lbs 20 kg (45 lb) | [amazon fields="B002TONKGQ" value="button"] |
| [amazon fields="B01NBYHII8" value="thumb"] | Best Affordable [amazon fields="B01NBYHII8" value="title" title_length="100"] | 700 lbs 20 kg (45 lb) | [amazon fields="B01NBYHII8" value="button"] |
 | Best for Advanced Lifters EliteFTS SS Yoke Bar | 1500 lbs 30kg (65 lbs) | View latest price |
 | Best High-Tech Kabuki Strength The Transformer Bar | 1500 lbs 20kg (45 lbs) | View latest price |
 | Best Classic Crepinsek Safety Squat Bar | 1500 lbs 20kg (45 lbs) | View latest price |
Find the Best Safety Squat Bar for You
Best Overall
#1- SB-1 – ROGUE SAFETY SQUAT BAR
Rogue is one of the largest American distributors and manufacturers of strength and conditioning equipment. From CrossFit and military to collegiate and professional sports teams, Rogue has become a household name to all North Americans that want trustworthy and reliable sports equipment.
Their safety squat bar has a classic design with a cerakote finish, improving the overall durability. This reduces the amount of chipping that most cheaper brands face. Their padding uses a closed-cell foam, making it very comfortable across your back and traps. It is built to take any abuse and perfect for people who are intermediate to advanced lifters.
Their bar is long enough to have your arms be in a comfortable position when you’re performing good morning, squats, or any other related exercises.
The Rogue safety squat bar is a high quality piece of equipment that is perfect for your home gym. They are balanced, built to last, and delivers what it promises.
Pros
- Black Cerakote finish ensures longevity especially if it’s subject to different unconventional climates like a garage.
- Balanced throughout the bar providing stability when you perform your exercises
- Heavy duty stitching ensuring that the closed cell foam padding is resistant to any friction your body makes while you adjust the perfect back position
- Reliable and Well-Known Brand with a great customer service
Cons
- A bit more expensive than other options
Best Heavy Duty
#2- [amazon fields=”B000SAT5Z8″ value=”title” title_length=”100″]
[amazon fields=”B000SAT5Z8″ value=”button”]TDS Fitness Equipment is known for its heavy duty fitness equipment that they produce and source. Continually searching for new ways to improve your equipment performance and ease of use.
They are always providing immediate response to replacements, missing, or damaging parts. That’s why they are known throughout Colleges, Universities, High Schools, PT Studio, Fire Department, and Professional Athletes as their go to brand.
Their TDS Mega Safety Squat Bar is no different. They are sturdy and heavy duty, perfect for individuals that are serious about powerlifting. You will receive a pair of J hooks as the bar is longer than standard power racks.
TDS’s bar uses knurling that stretches along the bar. Knurling is a pattern engraved into the TDS bar’s material, creating more friction between the metal and your hand, so you maintain a better grip.
The padding is comfortable and will reduce the stress on your shoulders and traps. The TDS 1000lb Safety Squat bar is made to move weight and is one of the best heavy duty safety squat bars on the market.
Pros
- Spinning Cuffs reduces instability and is great for training performance
- Knurling Pattern on the bar helps you maintain a better grip
- Feeling olympic bar feel with the Chrome plated bar finish
Cons
- Expensive
- Weight cuffs may not be the best
Best Weight Capacity
#3- [amazon fields=”B002TONKGQ” value=”title” title_length=”100″]
[amazon fields=”B002TONKGQ” value=”button”]Ader Sporting Goods have been the premier importer and distributor of fitness equipment for over 35 years. Providing a selection of fitness products, including fitness and cardio equipment, free weights, bars, and rubber flooring, has become one of the household options for many gyms worldwide.
The Ader Safety Squat Bar is a monster in how much weight load it can hold. Although you may not need the 1500 lb option, it’s great to know that the bar will be able to hold any types of heavy loads.
The bar fits most squat and power racks, unlike some safety squat bar. Their padded shoulders are filled with foam rollers covered with vinyl to provide you comfort for your traps and shoulders while you’re squatting heavy loads.
Suppose you’re an individual with some injuries or problems that hinder from squatting using a standard Olympic bar. In that case, Ader’s Safety Squat Bar can definitely help you squat heavy without loading up your back.
Pros
- Great choice of weight capacity to choose from.
- Comes with pressure collars to secure your plates to the barbell
Cons
- Loading the bar may be difficult
- Reports have mentioned that customer service may be poor
Best Affordable
#4- [amazon fields=”B01NBYHII8″ value=”title” title_length=”100″]
[amazon fields=”B01NBYHII8″ value=”button”]TITAN is known for its quality strength training, strongman, and gymnastic equipment. With an excellent reputation for their customer service, they are always looking to leave you completely satisfied with all your purchases with them.
Their TITAN Safety Squat Bar is similar to an Olympic barbell where it weighs 45lbs and accommodates 2” Olympic plates. The bar dips down around 4 inches and holds the weight to provide a more stabilized center of gravity, so you have more balance when you squat.
This provides a sense of relief for beginners who squat as some might fear that they will lose balance when they increase the weight. The hand grips at the end of the shoulder pads provide additional control allowing you to feel more comfortable as you perform each rep.
With the additional padding that reduces the pressure of the metal pole weighing down on your neck, the TITAN Fitness Safety Squat Bar is the perfect safety bar for individuals starting out. It is affordable and will last for years if you take care of it properly.
Pros
- Cheaper than competitors on the market
- Standard Olympic Barbell weight (45 lbs)
- Comfortable Shoulder and Arm Pads, perfect for beginners
- 4 Inch Hand Drop for increase stability
Cons
- Can’t hold as heavy load compared to other competitors
- Less durable compared to other competitors
Best for Advanced Lifters
#5- EliteFTS SS YOKE BAR
The EliteFTS focuses on making average athletes great and great athletes elite. Their focus is on providing value and information to educate the strongest athletes around the world and making them even better.
And The EliteFTS SS Yoke Bar is no different to that vision. Their dense and longer neck pad provides a perfect cushion for the upper back. With the addition of a shorter but thicker handles, the bar provides the stability you need to squat correctly safely. You may even detach the handles to do the JM Presses exercise.
The longer bar camber increases the weight capacity load it can handle and can withstand heavy loads being dropped onto the ground.
The pads have a warranty if they begin to get worn out, perfect for individuals with home gyms. With a clear coat finish, this safety squat bar is one of the best in the market if you’re an intermediate to advanced lifter.
Pros
- Premium Option for Premium Quality
- Constant years of improves and design quality since 2005
- Created for higher performance, Finished for improved durability
- Pad Warranty
Cons
- Expensive
Best High-Tech
#6- Kabuki Strength The Transformer Bar
Kabuki Strength is known for its innovative equipment, world-class coaching services, and providing researched education. All of their equipment is revolutionary and focuses on helping you train safer and more efficiently.
The Transformer Bar is a re-engineered, patent pending, multi-functional barbel that adjusts the weight’s center of mass relative to your body. This means changing loading mechanics, training effect, and movement dynamics to reduce the loads on certain parts of the body and increase them to others. Beneficial if you have a previous injury or rehabbing.
The adjustable design allows you to control up to 24 different camber angles and distances from the center, allowing you to perform each lift at the correct bar angle. This is perfect for individuals that have no prior experience in lifting.
The custom high-density injection-molded foam call ensures that you’re always in a comfortable position. This foam core can be easily removed or replaced if necessary. Although the official load capacity is 1500lb, it has been load tested to hold up a 3-ton monster truck.
With lock sleeves that allow horizontal and upright storage, this bar can be taken anywhere. Once you have the Kabuki Bar, you’ll never need another Olympic barbell again. This barbell is the future with the amount of technology, innovation, and effort that has been put into this.
Pros
- The handles are knurled increasing the grip and furthering the stability you have with the bar
- The padding is made out of premium high-density foam making it very comfortable for your shoulders, arms, and back
- Easily disassembled for transportation
- The pad cover is made out of synthetic leather that doesn’t soak up any sweat
Cons
- Very expensive
- May be a bit difficult to change out the position
Best Classic
#7- Crepinsek Safety Squat Bar
Crepinsek specializes in creating strength and fitness equipment. They were one of the first weight products that patented the safety squat bar. Now they have expanded their product line to professional football teams, powerlifters, Olympic athletes, strength coaches, and other individuals looking for specialized bars and fitness equipment.
The Crepinsek Safety Squat Bar is a classic bar that allows people with shoulder issues to work on overloading leg workouts, including squats, without putting as much stress on the back. Often seeing 50 – 250lbs more on your original squat.
The short handles lower the amount of forward lean, reducing the overall stress on your back, shoulders, and knees. If you’re looking for one of the stable, affordable safety squat bar classics, definitely try out Crepinsek’s Bar.
Pros
- Affordable than the other options
- Comfortable cushioning
Cons
- Foam Padding is not as thick as other bars
- Handles are short
Safety Squat Bar Buying Guide
What Is A Safety Squat Bar
The safety squat bar (SSB) is a piece of equipment designed to avoid stressing the shoulders, wrists, and elbows when squatting.
As some powerlifters and athletes have poor mobility or previous injuries in their upper body, it makes it harder for them to maximize their strength as they wouldn’t be able to go the full range of motion.
Most SSB is a regular barbell with handles, cambered design, and pads to support the traps and back. Because of how the bar is loaded on your body, it provides a different postural demand compared to a standard barbell.
What Are The Benefits Of A Safety Squat Bar
Reduce Overload Stress On The Shoulders and Upper Body
The safety squat bar removes the shoulders, wrists, and elbows out of the movement, allowing you to continue to squat if you have an injury on one of those joints. Shoulder pain, tennis elbow, or wrist pain are common in many athletes and individuals as they spend sitting and working on a computer all day.
It also places less stress on the lower back as you are in a more upright trunk angle. An injury that is common when you are squatting with a normal barbell.
Posture and Form
When performing a straight barbell squat, beginners may find it hard to keep the back straight and the core tight when performing the lift.
Due to the safety squat bar’s design, you have to be more naturally upright, or the bar will fall on you. This will help improve your posture and your overall form on your squats.
Comfort
The Safety Squat Bars have big pads to provide a cushioning for your neck and shoulders. For most beginners, squatting with a straight bar can feel uncomfortable against your shoulders and upper back.
If you tend to have pain in these areas, then this bar can reduce the discomfort.
Versatility
The Safety Squat Bars provides some unique exercises that you can perform outside of the back squat that standard Olympic barbells cannot. These can open up new opportunities for your training and work different muscles and loads onto your body.
How To Use A Safety Squat Bar
Begin with the barbel at the top of your traps and shoulder and have your hands on the handles. This will feel less secure than a normal barbell squat because your shoulder blades aren’t supporting the bar.
In this position, take a step back and be in your regular squatting stance position. Keep the entire back and core tight and begin to squat down. Use the quads to push the floor down to keep the hips out as you go back up.
When you return to the starting position, you’ve completed one rep. Make sure to keep your hands in a neutral position while avoiding pulling down to your chest.
What To Look Out For When Your Purchasing A Safety Squat Bar
Padding
Quality padding is important as it provides the comforts you need when you’re squatting or performing exercises at a higher weight. Make sure to look at the stitching and test out the foam inside to ensure that you will be comfortable when you’re using the bar.
Weight Capacity
The more weight a bar is able to hold, the more expensive the bars usually are. With that in mind, it’s crucial to consider what you’re squatting now and how much you could squat in the future.
Also see the size of the barbell as some bars may not be designed to fit the 2” Olympic bumper plates.
Quality
To ensure you are getting a quality safety squat bar, make sure you look at the padding and material. Most quality barbells are made from steel, a chrome plating, knurled, and a finish that prevents rust and erosion.
What Are Exercises That You Can Do With a Safety Squat Bar
For a safety squat bar, you can get creative. Here are a few exercises that you can do and the main muscles that they target.
| Lift | Muscles Worked |
| Back Lunge | Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes & Calves |
| Front Lunge | Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes & Calves |
| Front Squat | Quads & Upper Back |
| Good Morning | Glutes, Hamstrings & Lower Back |
| Hip Thrusts | Glutes, Hamstrings & Quads |
| Seated Good Morning | Lower Back & Obliques |
| Single-Leg Good Morning | Hamstrings & Glutes |
| Split Squats | Glutes, Hamstrings, Quads & Calves |
| Step-Ups | Quads & Hamstrings |
| Overhead Press | Deltoids, Pectorals, Traps & Triceps |
| Triceps Press | Triceps |
| Zercher Squat | Quads, Upper Back, Glutes, Abdominals & Biceps |
FAQs for Safety Squat Bar
How Much Does A Safety Squat Bar Weigh
Safety Squat Bar Weights vary from brand to brand, but you can expect them to weigh between 45lbs to 70lbs. Traditional straight barbells weigh 45lbs.
Are There Any Additional Safety Squat Bar Attachment
Safety Squat Bars may come with a pair of weight collars. These clamps that hold the weights in place so it doesn’t move when you perform your exercise.
How Often Should I Use A Safety Squat Bar
Squatting is one of the most basic functional movements and should be incorporated into all programs. The frequency you should use the safety squat bar depends on your experience and current goals.
The bar can be incorporated into several different exercises that you can see above. With that being said, for a standard athlete, once or twice a week will be enough to get your legs looking big and strong.
Difference Between Safety Bar Squat Vs Front Squat
Front Squat is a variation of the squat where the bar is front loaded on the collarbone instead of your traps. This forces you to be more upright and teaches you to have correct back posture when you squat.
The difference between a Safety Bar Squat and a Front Squat is the position in the load. You can think of the Safety Bar Squat as a Front Squat; however, the load is on your traps like a standard squat.
Front Squats require extreme mobility for the wrists, elbows, and arms. At the same time, Safety Bar Squats focuses on the stability of your core, back, and legs.
Difference Between Safety Squat Bar Vs Barbell
Squats are one of the best exercises to build leg strength. It is one of the most natural movements and activates most leg muscles.
When you load the weight with a standard barbell and squat, the barbell’s position is different in comparison to the safety squat bar. You are more naturally leaning forward than the safety squat bar where you will be more upright like a front squat.
They are both beneficial in their regards; however, as a beginner, you’re able to refine your squat form faster than using a standard barbell.
A study done in 2019 found that the safety squat bar uses more upper back while standard squats use more hamstrings, abdominals, and lats. However, both were beneficial in training leg strength.
Conclusion
Safety Squat Bars are one of the ways that you can safely squat without putting stress on your upper body. They are great for beginners who are starting out to squat because it forces you to be in the right position, have the right posture, and move in the correct movements. This results in less injuries and better squatting form faster than you would with a standard olympic barbell.
Out of the seven Safety Squat Bar that was tested and researched, we recommend the EliteFTS SS Yoke Bar because their clear improvements of over 15 years have made this one of the best safety squat bars on the market.
Their dense and long neck pads provide you the cushion you need to squat heavy weights without the upper body strain. If needed, you can detach the handles to perform more different exercises.
With the longer camber, it can withstand more weight being slammed or dropped onto the ground.This bar is the perfect tool for intermediate to advanced lifters.
If you’re looking for a beginner friendly bar, a great alternative to the EliteFTS Safety Squat Bar is the TITAN Fitness Safety Squat Bar because it’s weight is the same as a normal olympic barbell.
It weighs 45 lbs and accommodates standard 2” olympic plates. With the cambers down to 4 inches, you have a more stabilized center of gravity. This is perfect for beginners who have trouble with proper squatting form.