Why did I buy REP Fitness Safety Squat Bar for Jiu Jitsu?
I’ve been lifting weights since high school and off and on throughout my adult life. I’m a firm believer that strength is a major component of a healthy and vital life. I also believe that all things equal strength can be a determining factor in besting an opponent in a Jiu Jitsu match. The biggest strength gains I’ve found have come from the three major compound movement lifts bench press, squats, and deadlifts. These three lifts form the foundation of strength for me I believe that squatting is one of the most beneficial and technically hardest lifts to do.
Squatting with a barbell and weight is a full-body exercise as the weight compresses your entire body as it sits on your shoulders requiring every muscle in your body to help stabilize it. Dropping into the hole and pressing back up puts an extreme focus on your leg muscles and up through your back hitting the entire posterior chain. Strong legs and posterior chain come into play with just about every part of Jiu Jitsu including takedowns and the movement of yourself and your opponent throughout a match.
I’ve always found having strong legs and a strong posterior helps overwhelm and outlast opponents on the Jiu Jitsu mat. I also enjoy squatting as it is a hard exercise to do and the results are noticeable as you gain strength in the legs and posterior chain quickly. The problem with the lift is that it can be very technical and if not done correctly can lead to all sorts of issues including pain in the back, wrists, knees, elbows, and hips.
There are primarily two ways to perform a traditional squat with a barbell, high bar and low bar squatting. Each version refers to where the bar sits on the shoulders and back. In high bar squatting, the barbell is closer to the neck while in low bar squatting, the barbell is much lower almost near the bottom of the shoulders where you pinch your shoulders together to create a shelf for the bar to sit on. High bar squatting keeps you in more of an upright position and focuses more on the leg muscles, while low bar squatting puts more focus on the posterior chain. Both methods require practice and set up with out-of-position lifts or the wrong angles are a recipe for pain and possibly injury.
I like to squat and was getting Jui Jitsu strength gains from regular squat sessions. I don’t squat enough to be good technically with the lift though. I would find myself with sore knees and issues with hip flexors when the weight started to get heavy. I experimented with high-bar and low-bar squatting and would find injury issues with both constantly. This led me to research other squat options including using a safety squat bar.
Safety squat bars are designed to stabilize your body under load making the technical parts of the lift less reliant on the skill of the lifter. A safety squat bar is also cambered which keeps the weight in front of the lifter more resulting in a more upright position and focus on the legs. I liked high bar more than low squatting and it sounded like a safety squat bar would be the right choice to continue squatting on a regular basis. After much research, I decided on springing for a REP safety squat bar as it had excellent reviews and looked like an extremely quality product.
About the REP Fitness Safety Squat Bar
The REP safety squat bar is a specialty barbell designed primarily for comfort in the barbell squat exercise. The bar is cambered and intended to keep the weight in a position that forces the lifter into a more upright controlled lifting position. This body and weight position can help improve technique by stabilizing the back throughout the movement. The bar also has a pair of knurled handles in front of the bar which helps take the strain off the shoulders, elbows, and wrists. Another feature of the REP safety squat bar is the padded shoulder rest which makes supporting the weight much more comfortable than a bare standard barbell.
The REP fitness safety squat bar is a full-sized rackable barbell and fits nicely in my Rouge Monster Lite power rack.
REP Safety Squat Bar Specifications
Bar Weight: 68lbs
Length: 92. 5”
Distance between chambers: 49.1”
Camber Drop: 5.5”
Sleeve Length: 15.6”
Sleeve Diameter: 2”
Handle Length: 7”
Handle Diameter: 1.5”
Distance between the handles: 13”
Spacing between the pads: 8.3”
Static rating: 1,500 lbs
Shipping of the REP Fitness Safety Squat Bar
When I ordered my safety squat bar from REP, it was not available yet and the company was only accepting pre-orders. I ordered the squat bar on 6/12/2022 and it was supposed to ship out on 7/18/2022 but there was a slight delay and I didn’t get the full bar until 8/2/2022. Shipping was included in the price of the bar and I paid $329.99 total for the bar.
Unboxing and Assembly of the REP Fitness Safety Squat Bar
The shipment came in two packages. One package was a large cardboard box containing the bar and a smaller package containing the handles and shoulder pad. Packaging was great with the equipment secured well and not damaged in shipment.
Assembly was very simple for the bar. You simply slip the pad onto the bar with a little bit of pushing and pulling effort then screw in the handles.
Finish of the REP Fitness Safety Squat Bar
Bar Shaft Finish: Metallic Black Powder Coat
The shaft is all black and has a smooth glossy finish. The shaft is nice but does have a bit of vulnerability to scratching. I have some nice scratches on the shaft where the bar slams into the cup holders of my rack. The scratches do not bother me and are hard to see unless you look closely at that specific location.
Sleeves Finish Hard Chrome
The sleeves are standard barbell sized in diameter and length accepting standard plates. The sleeves are smooth without any ribbing.
Handles Finish: Bright Chrome
The handles are very nice. They are chunky and fully knurled and allow for an excellent secure grip.
Pad Material: High-Density Foam & Vinyl
The vinyl is black with the REP logo on the back of the pad. The foam is a nice stiffness that is both comfortable and high quality. The foam has not lost its shape thus far.
Eternal Jiu Jitsu’s Recommendation on the Rep Fitness Safety Squat Bar
I’ve used the REP Fitness Safety Squat Bar for a few months now and have had a great experience with it thus far. To me, it feels like the bar locks you into a position that is last hazardous to injury. There seems to be less emphasis on the back and more on the legs. Since using the safety squat bar, I haven’t had any pain in my hips, knees, or back from squatting. The bar also looks nice and will probably last longer than me.
I’m glad to have found a barbell that allows me to continue squatting. As I’ve been able to progressively overload my squat strength I’ve continued to feel the gains on the mats.