Specialty Bars question

[FatButWeak]

Rip:

For a 50 year old intermediate woman, with upper back kyphosis, who keeps experiencing bouts of elbow tendinitis due to upper back and shoulder inflexibility in the squat, what is your opinion on the use of safety squat bars, cambered bars and bowed bars (such as the buffalo bar, bison bar etc.) to lessen the continuing and chronic stress on the shoulder situation and elbow tendon?

Obviously your first answer will be that she should improve her form and flexibility. That has been tried and efforts within reason are exhausted, so lets move beyond that.

Woman is 50, weighs a fairly lean 140 at 5'6" or so; raw PL competitor with numbers at S: 225, B 115 and DL 240. Her current bar is a Rogue B&R bar, which she loves. She wants to continue training, getting stronger and competing BUT has been to hell and back w the tendinitis (not brought on thru chins, however, which I mention bc she doesn't do them).

Specifically: 1) which bar is foolish and a waste? 2) are they all foolish and a waste of time/money? 3) any advices on how to, prior to a meet, get back under a straight bar for the competition. 4) would switching to high bar be a better choice than one of these specialty bars? (she really likes feel of low bar, notwithstanding tendinitis issues) 5) are the specialty bars all so bad and goofy that she should give up squatting and learn to love the leg press?

Really, this question should be: "For an elderly trainee who cannot back squat with a straight bar due to bony changes on the shoulder capsule, what bar is the best alternative to the Starting Strength bar?"

Thanks

[Mark Rippetoe]

A safety squat bar is basically a high-bar squat, so I don't see the reason for the extra equipment. She'll have to try a bent bar to see if it takes enough stress off the elbows and shoulders to make a difference. Do you have access to one for her to try?

[FatButWeak]

A safety squat bar is basically a high-bar squat, so I don't see the reason for the extra equipment. She'll have to try a bent bar to see if it takes enough stress off the elbows and shoulders to make a difference. Do you have access to one for her to try?

No. Unfortunately I was just going to pull the trigger and buy one, hoping to buy the least stupid option. In the past you've noted that abused and bent bars are okay and for squatting and, ideally, I'd just grab one of those and have her try it out, but "these are trying times" and all that, so even bent bars are rare. I was sort of betting on the bowed bar being the best option, since it can sit at the same spot on rear delts but with reduced stress on shoulders/elbows wrist die to the slighly lowered hand position.

[Mark Rippetoe]

That's what I'd do. Bent bar.

[FatButWeak]

That's what I'd do. Bent bar.

Thanks.

[Mark Rippetoe]

And don't expect it to help her a lot. It takes a very bent bar to change the effective position of the elbows.

[Soule]

No. Unfortunately I was just going to pull the trigger and buy one, hoping to buy the least stupid option. In the past you've noted that abused and bent bars are okay and for squatting and, ideally, I'd just grab one of those and have her try it out, but "these are trying times" and all that, so even bent bars are rare. I was sort of betting on the bowed bar being the best option, since it can sit at the same spot on rear delts but with reduced stress on shoulders/elbows wrist die to the slighly lowered hand position.

You can get a cheap one from titan for about $100. If you want a nice one, fringe sport still has them in stock.

[TODD SHELTON]

Just saw this thread and hoping the OP sees this in time. I am also 50 and shoulder issues prevent Low Bar Squats with a 7 foot straight bar, I've had the New York Barbell/Westside Bow Bar for years and it was great a first until my shoulder issues got worse with age. This past Black Friday I bought the Titan Yukon Bar for about $185 it's a true 8 foot Bar with an 8 inch camber. Just use some cloth tape on the smooth parts of the bar and You and Your Clinet will be off and running.

[FatButWeak]

Just saw this thread and hoping the OP sees this in time. I am also 50 and shoulder issues prevent Low Bar Squats with a 7 foot straight bar, I've had the New York Barbell/Westside Bow Bar for years and it was great a first until my shoulder issues got worse with age. This past Black Friday I bought the Titan Yukon Bar for about $185 it's a true 8 foot Bar with an 8 inch camber. Just use some cloth tape on the smooth parts of the bar and You and Your Clinet will be off and running.

Thanks, Todd. I was going to buy the Yukon bar, but they were out of stock. The other titan bent bar has shit reviews. Once the yukon bar is back in stock I think i'll grab iot up.

[Soule]

Thanks, Todd. I was going to buy the Yukon bar, but they were out of stock. The other titan bent bar has shit reviews. Once the yukon bar is back in stock I think i'll grab iot up.

The other titan bar works fine unless she’s squatting over 500