Modify a Safety Squat Bar

[AndyHammer]

I originally posted this on Rip's forum. He had not used a Safety Squat Bar (SSB) so he declined to comment which I admire him for.

Now I put the post to the SS Coaches cadre.

The SSB is great for getting trainees with inadequate shoulder mobility under a bar to squat. But because the SSB shifts the weight forward of the bar the back angle becomes more vertical as the weight increases. I was thinking cutting off and re-welding the handles so the weight would hang straight down instead of forward. This would move the weight back so it more resembled a low bar squat. Do you see any issues with this idea?

Additionally I wonder why the SSB is crooked. Why didn't they just weld handles on a standard bar?

[Michael Wolf]

I'm trying to picture all this but think I need to see it.

[Michael Wolf]

I see there is an active discussion about this in Rip's forum. No need for a redundant thread - anyone here can comment there.