anyone experienced with a cambered squat bar?

[rbsmith240]

I purchased one recently without knowing much about it beforehand. I can see that it will take some time to get used to the motion of the movement. My question is concerning the degree of difficulty with this bar as compared to a straight bar. It seems to me that the cambered bar is more challenging as I am not able to handle the same weight as the straight bar. Any input out there? Thanks.

 

[thaOrleanyte]

Ive seen some guys using the cambered bar on the bench. I thought the guy was gonna pop a rotator cuff. I would also like to know what advantages/ differences a cambered bad has vs. a straight bar

 

[pmiller383]

Camber bar squats artificially change your torso length, therefore changing the stress points of the movement. They will increase your posterior chain strenght and stability by forcing your to stay tight throughout the movement. Also by being able to grip the bar on the bottom it will take stress off of your shoulders and your biceps. Some tips for squatting with a camber bar are make sure you keep your lats super tight throughout the movement and make sure you drive your head first when coming out of the hole, otherwise you are going to get bent over.
The cambered squat bar is also great for good mornings and zercher movements.

A camber bench bar has a much shorter camber, usually 2-4 inches where a squat bar has a 14 inch camber IIRC. Did you get a rackable bar or just a normal squat bar?

 

[rbsmith240]

Camber bar squats artificially change your torso length, therefore changing the stress points of the movement. They will increase your posterior chain strenght and stability by forcing your to stay tight throughout the movement. Also by being able to grip the bar on the bottom it will take stress off of your shoulders and your biceps. Some tips for squatting with a camber bar are make sure you keep your lats super tight throughout the movement and make sure you drive your head first when coming out of the hole, otherwise you are going to get bent over.
The cambered squat bar is also great for good mornings and zercher movements.

A camber bench bar has a much shorter camber, usually 2-4 inches where a squat bar has a 14 inch camber IIRC. Did you get a rackable bar or just a normal squat bar?

First of all pmiller thanks for your input. I did feel a change in stress points but I could not put my finger on why it was happening. Also good tip on keeping the lats tight throughout the movement....I was probably a little lax there. Also I love this bar for goodmornings...it was made for goodmornings!! It is a rackable bar. So far nobody in my gym has used it to my knowledge except me. I am gonna continue to work with it until I get my weak points strengthened and then put it to a self challenge.

 

[RMS70]

i've actually used a cambered bench press bar for squats a few times. you can't squat as much because you don't have the same leverage on your lower back. i used it because regular barbell squats were killing my shoulders. i'd use it only for shoulder injuries.

 

[pmiller383]

i've actually used a cambered bench press bar for squats a few times. you can't squat as much because you don't have the same leverage on your lower back. i used it because regular barbell squats were killing my shoulders. i'd use it only for shoulder injuries.

If you get one of the Bench camber bars with a 4' camber it actually isn't to bad for squats if you can fit your shoulders in the camber. I've tried Zerchers and front squats with the bench camber bar and they were absolutely brutal.

 

[thaOrleanyte]

zerchers with a cambered bar just sounds like torture...... as if zerchers werent bad enough with a straight bar