A Biomechanical Comparison between Squatbar® and Olympic Barbell

Abstract

When performing the traditional barbell back squat, athletes may experience discomfort in the shoulders or be limited by shoulder mobility. The Squatbar® is a barbell designed to be ergonomic to the shoulders but has never, in the scientific literature, been compared to the traditional Olympic barbell. Thus, the current study investigated kinematics, kinetics, and myoelectric activity (EMG) between the Squatbar® barbell and the Olympic barbell when performing a one-repetition maximum (1-RM) back squat. Twelve strength-trained men (body mass: 83.5 ± 7.8 kg, age: 27.3 ± 3.8 years, height: 180.3 ± 6.7 cm) performed a 1-RM squat with both the Olympic and Squatbar® barbells. The paired samples t-test revealed significantly more weight was lifted with the Olympic barbell compared to the Squatbar® barbell (148 ± 21 kg vs. 144.5 ± 20 kg) and was accompanied by greater shoulder external rotation (74 ± 7.5° vs. 59.6 ± 9.2°). No differences in joint kinematics of the lower limbs, kinetics, or EMG were observed between the two barbells. The results of the current study indicate the Squatbar® to be a suitable substitution for the Olympic barbell for athletes with reduced shoulder mobility when performing the squat. It was concluded that the Squatbar® induces similar kinetics, kinematics, and EMG when compared to the Olympic barbell, except for reducing external rotation of the shoulder.