Anyone who has ever squatted a barbell knows how uncomfortable the bar (weight) can feel on the neck and shoulders. Not only can this be painful but also exposes you to potential injury.
Difficult as it is, though, we can’t get rid of our lower body training, and so we must find a solution.
Comes in the “Safety” Squat Bar!
Safety Squat Bars are a good alternative to the traditional gym barbell, in that they make squatting generally more pleasurable and reduce the risk of injuries. Overall, users often relate a less difficult and less painful gym experience.
Unlike regular barbells, safety squat bars come with thick padding at the neck, shoulders, and arm regions. This helps take pressure off these areas, so that you can carry even more load with relative ease and security. It also features two curves at either end of the bar and two handles shoulder-width apart, both of which force your body to maintain proper stance all through your reps.
Makers and users alike agree that (more than the traditional barbell), the safety squat bar provides the following benefits:
- Reduces overload stress on the shoulders and upper body
- Improves posture and form
- Increases user comfort
- Offers more versatility
Having said all that, how can you find the best safety squat bars on the market? Luckily for you, we’ve done all the work by putting together this comprehensive list. Below, we’ve reviewed the seven (7) best safety squat bars you can find on the market. For this article and for your peace of mind, we’ve chosen Amazon as our trusted vendor for reliable gym products.
Let’s dive in…
1. Gronk Fitness Safety Bar
Gronk Fitness is a family-run fitness equipment brand and a popular name in the industry. Their safety bar under review weighs 45 lbs, making it similar to a standard barbell based on weight and length. This is a welcoming quality for users transitioning to this kind of specialty bar.
The bar is built to handle weights up to 1000 lbs, making it perfect for anyone from beginners to advanced lifters. If you own a commercial gym, you should put this one on your list. The neck and shoulder padding are a step above most other models from competing brands we checked out. This gives you that much needed extra control, balance, and safety when performing each rep.
Talking about design, it will be hard not to spot this Gronk bar among other similar gym accessories. It’s been meticulously designed to give as much esthetic value as functional. We’re sure you’ll be impressed by its overall quality, look, and feel.
Don’t let the quality deceive you—it’s not as expensive as you might think.
Noteworthy features:
- Weight capacity: 1000 lbs
- Bar weight: 45 lbs
- Bar length: 81”
- 30 degrees sloping weight sleeve
- Thick shoulder and neck padding
- Stainless steel frame
2. Synergee 25kg Olympic Squat Bar
Quality meets affordability in the Synergee 25kg Olympic Squat Bar. The beautiful squat bar has been optimized with so many ergonomic features to make your gym experience unique and worthwhile. Now you can squat with better form and more comfort.
Features include an 86.5” long bar with diamond knurling at the handles for firm and comfortable grip, a bar weight of 55 lbs for added weight advantage, and a load bearing capacity of 1000 lbs for the heaviest of lifters.
Unlike the average safety squat bar, the Synergee model allows complete shoulder and wrist mobility, as well as more upright squat that places less pressure on your lower back, so that you can achieve all the gluteus and quad gains your body is capable of. Thanks to the well positioned and properly spaced 14.75” handles. It also comes with a thick shoulder and neck padding to reduce uncomfortable rubbing and ease stress off those areas.
The first thing you’ll notice about this Synergee bar is the appearance. In a commercial gym with a diverse collection of squat bar brands—our money on it—you’ll likely pick this one. It’s a beautiful piece! The black phosphate coating provides a sharp, sleek and professional esthetic that will suit the color palette of any gym.
Whether you love to do Back Squats or Front Squats; Zercher squats or Good Mornings; Split Squats or Lunges; the Synergee Safety Squat Bar can provide an amazing gym experience and a chance to take your form and strength to a whole new level.
The best part: it’s really affordable.
Noteworthy features:
- Weight capacity: 1000 lbs
- Bar weight: 55 lbs
- Bar length: 86.5”
- Diamond knurling
- Thick shoulder and neck padding
- Affordable
3. Happybuy Olympic Safety Squat Bar
Designed with a unique user experience in mind, the Happybuy Olympic Safety Squat Bar will live up to its name—happy buy!
The Olympic-grade safety squat bar is made of solid steel construction and measures 44 lbs in weight. This gives it the much-needed sturdiness and durability to handle loads up to 700 lbs. Commercial gym owners (and goers) will find it especially useful.
This safety squat bar takes comfort and safety seriously. The handgrips on the bar feel strong and secure, courtesy of the anti-slip knurl pattern. The bent bar lowers the weight plates to stabilize your center of gravity. As an extra measure, the PVC pads come in 3X cushioning to ease the pressure off your neck, shoulders, and arms for improved comfort. Now, you can focus on your workout without any worries.
We also find this piece versatile. It works well with squat stands, racks, and bench press. With this one multitasking piece, you can perform any one of the Rack Pulls, Bench Press, Back Squat, Zercher Squat, Good Morning, among others.
Covered in a protective chrome coating, this long-lasting piece of equipment will be a valuable addition to your daily routine at the gym.
BIG takeaway—it’s cheap!
Noteworthy features:
- Weight capacity: 700 lbs
- Bar weight: 44 lbs
- Bar length: 87.12”
- Steel construction
- 3 comfortable PVC pads
- Budget-friendly
4. TDS 1000lbs Safety Squat Bar
This is a slightly higher option than the previously mentioned Gronk Fitness bar. If you’re serious about powerlifting, this sturdy and heavy-duty TDS 1000lbs Safety Squat Bar should be on your list of options.
It comes with a pair of “J hooks” to offset the extended span of the bar, which is longer than most other choices on our list. Weighing in at about 65 lbs, the bar is also slightly heavier than the average barbell, which typically weighs 45 lbs. Even though this doesn’t seem like a big deal, it still comes at an extra benefit to you, for two main reasons. Firstly, if you love to go heavy, you will be squatting a little more weight with this bar than with the standard type. Also, it’s reassuring to know that the load you’ll be lifting above your body will not fall.
Like all the best safety squat bars, the TDS comes with knurling that covers almost the entire length of the bar. It also features shoulder and neck padding for reduced stress and enhanced comfort. Squatting won’t seem like so much work.
Noteworthy features:
- Weight capacity: 1000 lbs
- Bar weight: 65 lbs
- Bar length: 86”
- Thick shoulder and neck padding
- Knurled chrome bar
5. Ader Safety Squat Olympic Bar
Built for advanced lifters, the Ader Safety Squat Bar comes in two weight capacity options: the 1000 lbs bar and the 1500 lbs bar. Chances are you might not even need the 1500-lbs model, but it’s a good thing to know about such flexibility of choices. And for those of you who love lifting crazy amounts of weight, you will never have to worry about the bar not being able to meet your weight choices.
The two options each have a length of 86” and 94”, allowing for more flexibility according to user height. Both bars work well and fit perfectly with all the racks tested with it: squat and power racks, bench press stations, and any other piece of equipment that can accommodate a traditional Olympic bar.
Ader takes security up a notch with extra thick foam padding with vinyl for shoulders and neck, so that users can maintain a safe and comfortable tempo at the gym without injury worries.
Noteworthy features:
- Weight capacity: 1000 lbs and 1500 lbs
- Bar weight: 45 lbs and 59 lbs
- Bar length: 86” and 94”
- Padded grip
- Thick vinyl padding for shoulders and neck
- Alloy steel construction
6. PopSport Olympic Safety Squat Bar
If you’re looking for a top-quality safety bar on a budget, this is a pretty great option. The Olympic safety squat bar from PopSport weighs 46 lbs and has a weight capacity of up to 700 lbs. While this isn’t the heaviest on the market, it’s still high enough for most of your squatting needs at the gym. In kilograms, that’s around 318 kg! For the average Joe in the gym, this is not bad at all. You may only need heavyweight capacity bars if you’re an advanced lifter. And for a low-budget option, 700 lbs is just very high.
Among the major wins of this product is that, as with all PopSport equipment, this squat bar will be stored and shipped from the US. This gives you two things to be happy about. One: you won’t have to pay all those high shipment charges common with this kind of product. Two: you will get speedy delivery of your bar, ideally in a couple of days.
Noteworthy features:
- Weight capacity: 700 lbs
- Bar weight: 46 lbs
- Bar length: 86.6”
- Fits 2” Olympic weight plates
- Cheaper option
7. Titan Fitness Safety Squat Olympic Bar
With the Titan Fitness SSB, average athletes can become great while great athletes become elites. You can make titanic strides toward your gym goals with this Olympic-class safety squat bar if you’re willing to put in the work.
Like a traditional barbell, this specialty bar weighs 45 lbs. It has a weight capacity of 700 lbs, making it suitable for all your squatting and other applicable heavyweight training programs. With an impressive tolerance of 2-inch plate weights, the bar allows you to use your own equipment with it. Load up and enjoy your favorite variations of squats and lunges.
Squatting has to be safe and comfortable, and that’s what this squat bar does. It dips down and holds the weight at a 4-inch drop, allowing for a lower, more stabilized center of gravity for improved balance. This is especially important for beginners who might not yet have all that leg strength and body balance to remain steady on the floor when the weights are increased.
The squat bar also features pads for your neck, shoulders, and arms, so that you can have a more comfortable and safe lifting experience. The 6-inch handgrip is firm and comfortable, effectively providing extra control to your reps—no-slip worries.
All in all, we recommend the Titan Fitness Safety Squat Bar for athletes at all levels, from beginner to advanced.
Noteworthy features:
- Weight capacity: 700 lbs
- Bar weight: 45 lbs
- Bar length: 86.5”
- Fits 2” Olympic weight plates
- Low-cost
Final Thoughts
A safety squat bar is a great option for both gym newbies and advanced lifters, as it comes with a lot of non-discriminatory benefits. It conforms to your body shape to help you maintain proper form during squat reps. This is especially important for newbies who have to first learn proper stance while starting out with a standard Olympic barbell. For advanced lifters, this specialty bar helps you squat heavier weights than a regular barbell. With forced correct posture and elevated comfort from neck and shoulder padding, you can lift weights easier and safer.
If you want these benefits for a better squatting experience as well as a little more variety in your gym routine, do add one of these amazing pieces to your gym collection today.
What’s your number-one pick? Let us know in the comment section below.
Daniel Amankwah is a fitness expert for 4EvaFit Lifestyle, personal fitness coach, personal trainer, blogger, and a motivational speaker living in Acton, Massachusetts. His affection for a healthy lifestyle has penetrated through the noise in the health, fitness industry and empowers people to create sustainable prescriptions for lasting health, happiness, and confidence.
A background as a business researcher coupled with a personal passion for fitness help brings our readership a thoughtful curation fitness guide and fitness product review. His burning desire is to share his fitness experience and offer some encouragement to anyone that is working to better themselves physically through healthy eating habits and being active.
As a visionary, his vision is a world where daily acts of self-love and care are a regular part of life.
