barbell pad

T

thinsgreat

Cathlete
i'm having shoulder pain from having the barbell rest on my shoulders doing legwork--- can anyone recommend something that might help. i read some reviews on bar pads online and said they weren't very effective.
 
I bought one at Big 5 a few months ago. The brand is Harbinger and it has a Velcro closure the full length of it. It has made all the difference in the world for me -- well worth the $20. Although I should point out that it was not my shoulders that were horribly uncomfortable, but the back of my neck.
 
I bought a pad at fitnessfactory.com - we don't have a good selection of stores in our small city so I had to get it on line. Anyway I would recommend it, I use it for all the Cathe videos where there are squats, lunges etc. with a barbell over the shoulders and I think it makes it a lot more comfortable.

~ Ann ~
Aim for nothing and you'll hit it everytime --- anonymous
 
Before I got my barbell pad I used a hand towel wrapped around a couple times held in place w/ rubber bands. Not pretty, but it worked. Then I went out and got a barbell pad and it drives me nuts. yes, its comfortable, but somehow it always rotates around and the velcro comes undone and my hair gets stuck in it. Like the velcro isn't sticky enough. The towel, although not cute, worked better!!

Nan
 
I got a barbell pad at Walmart (though I haven't seen them in the stores lately).

I've also used a towel doubled over and draped over my shoulders. t helps alleviate some of that 'metal on skin' discomfort.
 
I have a barbell pad, and I did away with the little wrap-around bonnet with the velcro at the outset because it too drove me nuts (not that that's a long trip for moi). It helps some when I'm doing sustained barbell lunge and squat work, but it also gets turned around during my set and sometimes pops off, which also drives me nuts. Also, it is so thick that it has gotten very clumsy to control as I hike the barbell from the floor over my shoulders and head, and then back over my head and shoulders to put the barbell back on the ground. Major-league trade-off here.

I've suggested a couple of times that Cathe's partnership with the fitness equipment company design a thinner pad (about half the thickness of the brand I have and the other brands I've seen) for overall ease of use. Hope they can / will come up with something!

A-Jock
 
Okay, I have no clue how to put the links here, but I think I found what you all are looking for at HarbingerFitness.com. The pads are made of simple sueded foam you just slip over your bar. They com in both Standard (item #29300) and Olympic (#29000) sizes. Though they don't sell directly, the site tells you which stores and online retailers carry the merchandise. I didn't see prices but I doubt they cost much. Since the rubber pad just slips on there's no velcro to scratch your neck or pull on your hair. Hope this helps.
 
My DH bought some foam pipe wrap that he cuts to size and slits down one side so you can fit it around the bar. It is cheap, and comes off and on in a second.

Deb:)
 
What a great idea. I don't know if that will work with an Olympic but I'm using a Standard until I can afford a complete switch and I'm sure that would work for mine. It's pretty much the same principle.
 
thanks for all the great suggestion--- i bought the foam pipe pad--- works great--- cheap too-$3.50 :)
before you go-- measure diameter of bar--- comes in different sizes!
 
I use a Manta Ray that I had with my original lifting equipment. Its probably *over-kill* but it works so good for me. I lift heavier when doing Cathe's squats, usually 50 to 60 pounds and this device just snaps on and off instantly. So if I want it off for rows, its like 1 second and its on the floor. When you lift the bar onto your shoulder you can seat it very quickly and its just very comfortable. It costs more, but this is where I bought it:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/adfit/manta.html


It was a couple of years ago when I bought it and I've always used it with a standard-sized bar. Now I snap it onto my Troy-Lite 5-pound bar very easily. I don't think they have changed, but I would ask if this is only for an olympic-sized bar or can it also be used for a standard-sized bar.
 
I bought my wrap at Walmart. Its a nice one and works well although I find it a pain to put it on and take it off when swtiching to exercises with close hand grip (ex. from squats to bent over barbell rows).

Carmen
 
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