TIME STAMPS 0:05 660lb/300kg SSB Squat 0:30 Most useful, versatile, loved specialty bar in the gym 1:02 Lots of gyms have these but people still don’t know how to use them 1:26 Where do you place that Big Pad on the Bar? 2:22 Engage Your upper body or you will be punished 2:58 Big Failure - Got Folded in half 3:17 What do You do with the Handles? 4:08 You cannot Say SSB Bar or people will laugh at you. 4:54 Push Knees out to Descend so you can stay more upright 6:01 Shove Upper Back into the Pad coming out of the hole 6:41 It is Super Versatile - Use it as such 7:30 Some other things you can do with it 8:41 Which Brand’s are good And for What Purposes? 10:22 Small Framed Males or Females should consider this 11:07 I am NOT making any SSB Money off this - Just trying to HELP! 11:55 Outro
This is a great video, but how is it out of all the SSB videos I’ve seen, I have yet to find a single one that ACTUALLY explains what to do with the handles. Most of the people watching SSB videos are people coming to find out if they put the SSB on the rack BACKWARDS. I know people who stay away from it for life because they were so afraid of looking stupid. Everyone talks about positions of the handles, and versatility, but somehow they all still miss the biggest and foremost obstacle of all: putting it on the rack backwards.
This bar absolutely blew my squat up after swapping it out completely over the straight bar. Heaviest single I worked up to was 425 on the SSB and hit a 500 lowbar the week after
I'm 52 and just had a rotator cuff repair. This bar is all I'm able to use anymore. As much as I hate squats, I realize how necessary they are for overall strength. This is a game changer for me and so glad my gym has one. Great video!
I have the Titan SSB. It is essentially a copy of the Elite FTS Yoke bar, which I have also used. While I wouldn't say it's just as good as Elite FTS, it is half the cost, and the Yoke bar is not twice as good as the titan. If you're absolutely on a budget, I'd say the Titan is good enough for a home gym.
I bought mine about a year ago and i love it. In my opinion, the low bar back squat is the single biggest destroyer of shoulders in a gym. I use my elite fts ss yoke bar almost exclusively so that my bench day isn’t ruined by my squat day.
Adore you Brian. Thank you for maintaining your positive attitude and providing informative and supportive videos for us viewers. My hubby practically worships you - and I watch your videos to support him (and you) and help him with his cues when he struggles with the heavier weights. I’m always so happy when I receive a new video notification.
Crazy how yesterday I was watching your previous vid about the SSB ! This new one confirms that I need to buy one for my home gym ! As always very informative Brian !
I've been squatting the Elie FTS Yoke Bar on the SS Novice Linear Progression MWF for 6 weeks. This is extremely helpful, thank you. It's interesting how the balance changes as the weight goes up. I find the pad on this bar to be really responsive to small or slow adjustments of placement and pressure. It transfers force really well but keeps securely cushioning. I've been pushing my knees out and touching them with my elbows to establish consistent form and depth. I didn't realize until you pointed it out that my glutes are going back after the knee break, not with, so thanks for pointing that out. Hitting the pad hard with the upper back right as the feet drive the floor away is definitely the way to go. Ciao!
Great video. My son went in to the Marine Corps and gave me his FTS Yoke bar a couple days ago because my straight bar bent. I've never seen these before and had no clue how to use it correctly. I havent used it yet but now I can do so correctly. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this video.
Ever since your first "case for the ssb" video I've tried to use the ssb as much as possible, and had some great results. Also, uncle Nics video about using the ssb has helped me a ton. His tip about trying to spread the handles to engage you back has done wonders for me. You guys are awesome, thank you for all the free knowledge. You have changed my whole lifting career 👊
Thanks Brian! I just bought my SSB a couple weeks ago. I'm sure it's coincidence that you made this video a week after I asked for it but I'm telling myself you made this for me haha! Thanks again!
We had a Rogue SSB bar but the foam pads flattened out after about a year which made the actual bar rest on our client’s shoulders (not comfortable!). We then got the Transformer Bar from Kabuki Strength and love the pad thickness and versatility of this bar. Would love to try the Elite FTS Yoke bar one day. Thanks for the video Brian. I love your content.
Love my SSB (got one from strength shop), I've switched over completely to using the SSB and mainly just use it for box squats and lunges right now (due to knee/shoulder pain and it enables me to train my quads with little pain). Often enough I'm not 'holding' onto the bars, rather just touching it (If that makes sense? Just to ensure I'm not gripping it tightly moving it upward/downward)
Man my gym has this bar and I used it for the second time today and this shit humbled me lmao. Went from 6x8 495 on the Texas Squat bar to 275 feeling like hell.
I like pushing my elbows slightly forward and tucking them into my lats like I’m holding an OHP at the bottom. Doesn’t lift it up too much (which could negate the purpose) and helps me stay tight. Still figuring out the difference in my knees/hips tho, this vid definitely helps. Nice tips! Thx!
Same here, but I've heard great things about their SSB. Most people say it's the best product they make. It's identical to the Elite FTS bar that Brian has.
Eh, they may have fallen apart but they're good in terms of customer service and replacing things. I personally am cheap, so the V2.0 SSB from Titan fits the bit.
0 complaints here for the Titan 2.0. except maybe that they put the logo on the side facing in instead of out, which caused me to use it backwards for the past 4 months 😁
@@stoptheflashing6856 not criticizing but are you sure about that? Because my logo faces out. When you rack the bar the handles should be pointing a bit forward. You may be setting up on wrong side of the bar
Man. Today I am going to start lifting again after about 3 weeks off. I needed your deadlift video you uploaded today and this one and they played back to back.. Great info as always. Thank you so much.
I asked my gym to get one a few months ago since my shoulders issues have made regular back squats a non starter for quite awhile and it's been nice to have it but it's been a bit rough since I haven't figured out the balancing so this was a video I definitely needed. Ironically enough, my shoulders have gotten better and I actually did regular squats for the first time in a long time last week.
Just bought one and it came yesterday, I’m trying it now! And I love it, I noticed that I had to bring the weight down pretty significantly, the balance is amazing, I would also suggest keeping the hands exactly where the Ssb is balanced.
I have one of the Titan Fitness SS bars. It has a really thick pad and removable handles like the Elite FTS bar. I haven't had any performance issues with it but I also don't squat the kinds of weights that Brian squats. Like what Brian described in the video regarding the EFTS bar, the TItan bar's pad is very dense and rides high. I've had it for a least a year and the pad has not broken in (dented, etc.), at all. If you're an average Joe and / or you have budget constraints, I recommend the Titan bar.
When I first started using an SSB I didn't take into consideration the fact that it's a little heavier than a regular straight bar. So by mistake I was overloading the bar by about 15 pounds and my squat numbers went up considerably. The gym I go to has a Titan Fitness SSB. It's fine. I seems similar in design to the EliteFTS Yoke bar with the big pads probably not similar in quality but it gets the job done.
I love my SSB bar. Its great for just squatting in general. But if you have a home gym you can use it to do somethings you might not be able to do normally. Split Squats, lunges and calf raises are all things I wouldn't be able to do without it.
Love the Elite FTS, our gym has a couple and it is the most comfortable. We also have he kabuki transformer bar which is ice for variations but not as comfy
Would this be a good option for someone with terrible shoulder mobility? I have hard time reaching back to hold a regular bar, which causes me to lean forward during squats
I bought the strength shop riot bar. Because of fucked up shoulders regular squat are now impossible for me. The ssb is the best investment i've ever made.
I’m a very lowbar squatter for powerlifting and if I put the pad far back I still get crushed under the weight considering i squat bent over is that ok
The Titan SSB is supposed to be ok. It may be on my list. Elite FTS has them on sale from time to time. So maybe if they have a good deal. I also want a Rogue Olympic Bar as well. May get the cheaper SSB and spend on the Oly bar.
Resently switched to it full time, my quads are very weak and i always end up good morning the squats up. Sure being able to muscle through a set of 5 with 315 is great, but my form looks like shit and it hinders my deadlift (since my lower back take the heat) :P
Always avoided the SSB because it felt horrible (and doesn't actually fit properly in the rack at my gym) but I tweaked my elbow yesterday and I'm programmed a 1RM today, so I'm gonna have to quit being a little bitch about it Came to the one person I learned literally all my form and approach to training from, Brian Alsruhe
Hey Brian! Would love to see you make a video about the Kabuki Transformer Bar - somebody visit & loan Brian a Kabuki Transformer Bar for a video (so he doesn't have to wait several weeks to get one.) 'Garage Gym Reviews' on RU-vid has yet to release a video on the Kabuki Transformer Bar... just saying...
Hi guys, a quick question if any of you can answer, So I have a fractured wrist and the recovery will take at least 3 more months therefore I cant do anything leg related except bodyweight or weighted vest squats, lunges etc. I m thinking about buying a SAFETY SQUAT BAR but I never squatted with one before and I don't have access to one. Do you know if you can squat with 1 hand on the handle, stability wise ( not gonna go very heavy < 100 kg) since I would like to manage my hand? I don't want to spend my money on something I cant use. Thank you very much !
So it looks like I've been using my SSB backwards... So that the weight is WAY forward. Seems like this would be preferable since I'm using this in place of front squats, but seems odd that I can't find anyone talking about this online. Anyone here purposefully switch the bar around to this position?
AWESOME VIDEO! Please make a video on how to do the stiff leg deadlift and the romanian deadlift correctly, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!! It would be awesome if you can teach these lifts and explain whats the difference etc. PLEASE!
