Another: What should I get thread (Safety Squat Bar vs. Cambered Bar)

[Emevas]

Came into some money when my basement flooded with sewage and soaked all of my boxing gear. I've got some money to spend, and since I've put boxing on hold figured I'd get some new lifting gear.

Deciding between the SSB

http://newyorkbarbells.com/im-0210.html

and a cambered bar

http://newyorkbarbells.com/splbars1.html

I'm mainly interested in using them for good mornings, and to take some stress off of my shoulders during my ME and DE days that I can apply to my benching. I'm trying to weigh the pros and cons of both and wondering if anyone has experience with either.

[TheRuss]

My vote's for the safety squat bar - I'd love to have access to one, whereas I can't see myself ever using the buffalo bar.

[Emevas]

Yeah, I think I'm heading that way. Of the two, it seems the most valuable for the cost.

[SunTzu]

I'd second the safety bar.

[Jack Rusher]

I'd love to have an SSB for days when my shoulder and/or elbow injuries limit my squats. OTOH, I've never used a cambered bar and have no idea why I'd want one. Any desire to explain its utility?

[Emevas]

What's nice about a cambered bar is that, since it's cambered, it won't roll up your back for low bar good mornings. It also removes the upperbody from the equation on squats, and puts more emphasis on the lowerbody/back. The bend can also help inflexible shoulders.

[TheRuss]

Stupid question: are we talking about one of the curved ones, or one of the angled ones?

[Emevas]

Well, I already bought the SSB, but if you got pros and cons of either, go ahead and post it up.

[Raining_Blood]

Cambered bars have the weight lower so the hamstring and posterior chain are worked more extensively during squats. Safety bars on the other hand have the weight higher which causes the quads to receive greater activiation. It all depends on your goals and where you think your weak points are as to which bar you will get the most benefit from.

That said I would have got the safety bar as well.

[Teh El Macho]

Stupid question: are we talking about one of the curved ones, or one of the angled ones?

I think they both work more or less the same (the buffalo being the curved one, and the cambered being the angled one):

-- cambered bar: http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/im-0022camb.html
-- buffalo/bow bar: http://newyorkbarbells.com/splbars1.html

There is also the squat cambered bar: http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/im-0200.html

I've used the safety bar, and I like it. You can load a shitload and/or target the quads more without putting so much pressure on the upper back and shoulders. I've also used the cambered bar (not the squat cambered bar, but the one in the first link).

It is nice for squatting, and I've also used it for bench pressing. It allows you go to lower - you can't go as heavy with that approach though, not unless you want to preserve your shoulders.