Rogue Chan bar vs Safety Squat bar
This is a comparison of the Rogue Chan bar and the Safety Squat bar including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details
Overview and review of the Rogue Safety Squat bar
This overview of the Rogue safety bar was originally published in my comprehensive guide on which Rogue barbell to buy. If you are currently considering to buy a Rogue barbell it is worth a read to get input on the latest models. I update the guide on a yearly basis depending on Rogue's new releases.
Price: 395$
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Overview of the Rogue Safety bar
The
Rogue safety bar is tested at 1000lbs and 70lb/35kg. It has a frame and padding attached to it so that you can fully focus on your legs. There will be less balancing needed as with a
normal barbell. Also, your elbows will not suffer as much as with extensive heavy squatting.
Safety bar squats are not ideal for beginners. You need to build basic strength first to be able to progress to this beast. Do not think that 140kg of
back
squat with a barbell is the same as with the safety
bar. The name can be a little misleading.
Pros of the safety bar
The safety bar is very popular with seasoned powerlifters. The older you get the more wear and tear your body shows. Especially when you have been lifting heavy for decades.
The safety bar addresses these issues. You can lift heavy weights without taxing your ligaments and shoulders as much.
Cons of the safety bar
This bar can only be used for squats. If you only have a budget of 400 USD for the
bar in your home gym do not get this
bar. The same goes for gyms. Most of your clients will be
intimated by the size of this beast and not know how to use it. You probably will only need one unless you are
specialised
in powerlifting. It is also huge and awkward to store. It fits on the lowest position of the gun rack. Know exactly why you want this
bar before purchasing it. Otherwise, you have 395USD gathering dust in your basement. If the price tag is too high you can also opt for the
camber bar. The
camber bar comes in at a lower price and has a similar effect to the
safety bar with less material protecting the lifter.
Conclusion
The Rogue Safety bar is a great tool for seasoned powerlifters to take stress of their lower backs and still train hard. You will also be able to mix things up a little more. You can also look int the Rogue Rhino Belt Squat as an alternative.
Overview and review of the Rogue chan bar
This overview of the Rogue Chan bar was originally published in my comprehensive guide on which Rogue barbell to buy. If you are currently considering to buy a Rogue barbell it is worth a read to get input on the latest models. I update the guide on a yearly basis depending on Rogue's new releases.
Price: 395$
Overview of the Rogue Chan bar
The
Matt Chan bar was the first
Rogue barbell to be introduced with an athletes name.
Matt Chan and
Rogue have been working closely in the last few years. You can see this in the many equipment demos done by Matt.
Matt Chan is a former firefighter and finished multiple times in the top ten of the Crossfit games. Since
Rogue updated their Cerakote range they had another go at the
Chan bar design.
The
Chan bar is an
Ohio bar on steroids. You get a better design, a
centre
knurl and a stainless steel shaft for 395$. If you want to spend the extra 100$ USD compared to the
Ohio bar this is the all-purpose
barbell to get. The design was created to fit Olympic and powerlifting needs alike.
The bar comes in at 20kg of weight, 200K tensile strength
and
a Good whip. The diameter is 28.5mm and the sleeves spin via bushing.
Rogue offers two variations on the sleeves, one being
cerakote
the other chrome. It seems that cerakote does not respond well to metal to metal contact. If you want to use
steel plates with the
chan bar maybe opt for the chrome sleéves. The loadable sleeve length is 16.5 which is a bit longer than the other standard bars.
Pros of the Chan bar
This bar has a lot of pros and only a few cons. You get a
stainless steel bar for 100$ USD less compared to the
oly
options. The bit of extra knurling helps with front squats. This is
the best value for money bar you can get above 300USD from
rogue. In addition, you also get a cool design. If you want to do everything in your home gym, this is the one to go for.
Cons of the chan bar
If you have to fit out an entire gym with 10 - 20 barbells 100$ a piece does make a difference.
This bar is also too pretty to be used in military installations or with beginners. For these scenarios, you are probably better off buying the
Ohio,
Castro,
C-70 or
operator bar. The training bar might also be a better option if you only want to do Oly lifts, as it has a better whip at a lower price. The bushing might also not be ideal if you are a competitive weightlifter. The bars you will use in your competition have the bearing.
Conclusion
Matt Chan has been with Rogue barbell and CrossFit for years. If a bar is allowed to carry his name you can rest assured that it is the best you can get for CrossFit or all purpose barbell training. This bar is a good value for money option in the Rogue line up. If you have to buy in bulk there is always the Rogue Ohio bar.