Maximal Strength, Muscle Activation, and Bar Velocity Comparisons Between Squatting With a Traditional or Safety Squat Bar

Vantrease, WC, Townsend, JR, Sapp, PA, Henry, RN, and Johnson, KD. Maximal strength, muscle activation, and bar velocity comparisons between squatting with a traditional or safety squat bar. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2020-The purpose of this study was to compare strength, muscle activation, and bar velocity between the traditional (TRAD) and safety squat bar (SSB) back squat. Thirty-two men (21.94 +/- 3.1 years, 1.78 +/- 0.8 m, 81.7 +/- 10.1 kg) volunteered to complete this randomized, crossover-design study. Subjects completed 2 separate 1 repetition maximum (1RM) sessions using either the TRAD or SSB. Subsequently, subjects completed 1 session of 3 repetitions at 65 and 85% of their 1RM for each squat condition (SSB & TRAD). Peak muscle activation of 7 muscles from the lower body and trunk was recorded through surface electromyography (EMG), and mean velocity (MV) was recorded by a linear transducer. Electromyography and MV were analyzed by a 2 x 2 (bar x load) repeated-measures analysis of variance. A Pearson correlation was used to determine the relationship of 1RM load between bars. Squat 1RM was significantly higher (p 0.05). The SSB produces similar muscle activation and bar velocities compared with the TRAD at relative intensities. However, absolute loads should be adjusted when changing squat bars during a training cycle.