Did you know that there are more Solo Tib Bar benefits than just working on your tibialis? Having the feature to load your ankles unilaterally gives you space to move them in more planes than just into plantar flexion.
Let’s talk about the Solo Tib Bar, its differences from the regular Tib Bar, and let’s see how you can reap those benefits ASAP.
Table of Contents
What is a Solo Tib Bar?
As the name suggests, the Solo Tib Bar is a type of tibialis anterior trainer (aka shin trainer) that you use with each of your legs, individually. The Hybrid Athlete Solo Tib Bar is made of industrial-grade steel, so it’s built to last. It consists of 3 main parts:
- Loading bar that fits 50mm (2-inch) standard Olympic plates (weight clip is included)
- A slot for your foot to secure the solo tib bar around it
- An adjusting mechanism to adapt the solo tib bar to your foot size
Since you use it with your shoes on, we took special care to design it to last, so we designed it with no textile parts. Usually, hook-and-loop material (e.g. velcro) tends to deteriorate over time.
How is the Solo Tib Bar Different From The Standard Tib Bar?
Essentially, both tib bar types can and will help you develop stronger tibialis anterior muscles. However, solo tib bar benefits go beyond that, since your foot and ankle are “unlocked” for other plains of motion.
Another important difference is the load you need to use these tib bars. Since unilateral work is more on the side of isolation exercises, you don’t need a lot of weights to train efficiently. For example, the regular Hybrid Athlete tib bar handles loads of up to 70kg. This weight behaves differently when handled with both legs, so it makes sense to load it.
The Solo variant, on the other hand, allows you to rotate your ankles, and even do hip flexor raises. So, we can say that the solo tib bar benefits extend to training above the knee joints as well. You can read more about these differences in our Tib Bar vs. Solo Tib Bar guide.
Speaking of benefits…
Solo Tib Bar Benefits
Since you can move your foot in multiple directions, the Solo Tib Bar benefits are more than just in tibialis training. With the Solo variant, you’ll see improvements in several areas:
- Running gait
- Ankle strength and mobility
- Dorsiflexion
- Shin splint prevention
All these solo tib bar benefits sum up to a major reward – injury prevention. To be a successful athlete, pro or amateur, you need to think long-term. The solo tib brings more than one exercise to the table, bulletproofing your knees from below AND from above.
Solo Tib Bar Exercises
Here’s a list of exercises you can do with the Solo Tib Bar:
- Tibialis raises and tibialis holds
- Ankle rotations
- Hamstring curls, aka leg curls
- Hip flexor raises, similar to ankle straps for dumbbells
Solo Tib Bar Benefits - Unilateral Training For Your Ankles, Shins, and Hips
In an ideal scenario, you’d want to use both tib bar variants to reap the most benefits. The regular Tib Bar to load your ankles and tackle both hypertrophy and intensity, and the Solo Tib bar for nuanced work on the deeper muscles of the ankle.
But, if you opt for the solo version, you’ll have the option to do a lot more than just tib raises.
One thing is certain, though – do not miss out on tibialis anterior training if you want to lift, run, and jump well into old age.
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