SSB Questions

MMA Maine-iac

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I recently bought a SSB bar for my home gym. I've watched a lot of people describe the benefits, one being salvation for the shoulders, and that sold me right there. Today was my first usage of it, and I noticed right off that my working sets for the SSB were way less than standard bar squats.

So my questions are:

1. Is it normal for your SSB numbers to be lower than standard squats?
2. How do you get tight before descent? I was having lots of problems with that as it felt like I couldn't engage my lats and core.
3. Should you go to depth?
4. Does anyone have any cues for set up etc?
 
Do you normally low-bar squat? Because the bar path with the SSB looks like it would more closely imitate high or front squats...and yeah, your defintdefi losing some weight because of hand placement/lats/setup not being as stable.
 
I high bar squat. My left arm isn't mobile enough to get into position for low bar squats unfortunately. Years of brick laying and an AC joint that doesn't like me at the moment.
 
I recently bought a SSB bar for my home gym. I've watched a lot of people describe the benefits, one being salvation for the shoulders, and that sold me right there. Today was my first usage of it, and I noticed right off that my working sets for the SSB were way less than standard bar squats.

So my questions are:

1. Is it normal for your SSB numbers to be lower than standard squats?
2. How do you get tight before descent? I was having lots of problems with that as it felt like I couldn't engage my lats and core.
3. Should you go to depth?
4. Does anyone have any cues for set up etc?
1. Your numbers should be way lower. SSB is pretty much a front squat.
2. Brace your abs really tight with a deep breathe to build intra-abdominal pressure, squeeze your glutes, break at the knees and hips simultaneously while holding that breathe until the concentric portion of the lift.
3. Always go to depth unless you have a medical issue like hip FAI.
4. See number 2. I also like to hold the handles really straight as it makes the camber mimic a front squat more.
 
One more question.

During the descent, should you allow the bar to carry you forward more, like a low bar squat, or should you try to stay relatively vertical like a front squat?
 
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