Yes, we all think about tib raises when it comes to tib bar exercises.
But, did you know that you can do so much more with the tib bar?
Being a Hybrid Athlete isn’t only about getting a new piece of equipment, or following a certain program. It’s about body optimization (for strength, endurance, and longevity – of course).
So, let’s talk about tib bar exercises that’ll help you think outside the box and use the tib bar in more than one way.
Table of Contents
1. Bench Pullover
Let’s start with the uncanny choice. Exercising your upper body with a tib bar – how come?
The Hybrid Athlete tib bar can handle up to 70kg of load. If we combine it with the balanced design, you get a great tool for bench pullovers.
You can either do it with only leaning against the bench (in a glute bridge position), or you can lay down on the bench flat, and engage more triceps.
Tib Bar Bench Pullover Benefits
The benefits of bench pullovers are not in huge muscle gains (although, that’s debatable). Instead, the first thing that develops is the supporting muscles of the shoulders and upper back.
Yes, you will get a great chest pump, but the nature of the movement makes your rotators work the extra mile.
2. Sumo Squats
The part of the tib bar that’s made for stabilizing your feet doubles as a handle! Knowing this, you can see that the world of tib bar exercises is not that limited. The tib bar essentially works as a kettlebell as well.
To do the sumo squat with a tib bar, all you have to do is load it properly. You can use bigger plates since you will be spreading your legs into the sumo position.
Remember, the sumo squat is not an exercise to pursue large numbers. It’s a great way to develop better posture and to work on lower and upper body sync. Sumo squats are also a great way to train your feet (short-foot exercises, to be exact).
Tib Bar Sumo Squat Benefits
Thanks to the nature of the movement, with sumo squats, you will feel benefits in the whole body. The upper body needs to maintain stiffness from the traps down to the lumbar spine, while the lower body utilizes the leverages to move the weight.
This directly translates to better posture, better posterior chain activation, and ultimately – better ankle mobility.
3. Leg Extensions
The tib bar allows you to add weight around your ankles without hurting them. The snug nature of this grip makes it easy to do knee/leg extensions. Keep in mind, tib bar leg extensions are not the same as the ones on a machine. The free weight adds an extra challenge.
To do this exercise, you need a stable elevated surface to sit on, while your legs go over the edge. You can use an elevated bench or some taller plyo boxes.
Tib Bar Leg Extension Benefits
4. Wrist Curls
One more benefit of the tib bar design is the option to use it to train your wrists in multiple dimensions.
If you grab the tib bar with both hands, you can do wrist curls and reverse wrist curls. If you are new to this your range of motion may be limited due to limited wrist mobility.
But, if you grab the tib bar handle with one hand only, you can tackle forearm pronation and supination. Remember, there’s no need to load it with a lot of weight – the wrists are gentle joints and require control over everything else.
The Tib Bar Wrist Exercise Benefits
Besides the obvious benefit of wrist strength, these exercises will help you develop stronger forearms, better wrist mobility, and a firmer grip.
The wrist curls target the bigger forearm muscles (flexors, extensors, and brachioradialis). On the other hand, the pronation and supination exercises help with stabilizers in the wrist itself. For a strong grip, you need to move your wrists in all directions.
If you’re looking for an active way to strengthen your grip, take a look at our toes-to-bar guide.
5. Tib Raises
Last, but not least, we have the tib raises as the staple tib bar exercise. There are a lot of exercises to target the tibialis and the muscles of the shin, but the tib bar tib raise takes the crown.
This is what the tib bar was made for in the first place.
But, it’s not for loading the ankle only. By using the tib bar, you get to work on dorsiflexion and plantar flexion, not only from the perspective of ankle mobility, but ankle strength as well! The key is in controlling the movement, and building up the load as you get used to it.
Tib Bar Tib Rasises Benefits
The biggest benefit of using the tib bar for its original purpose is tibialis anterior development. This muscle was not that easy to target up until recently, but with the tib bar, you should be able to do it easily.
Next to tibialis strength, you will experience development in ankle mobility, foot stability, and knee strength.
The Tib Bar Is Not For Tib Raises Only
As you can see, there’s a bunch more tib bar exercises you can do besides tib raises.
Who would have thought that such a compact piece of steel can prove to be so useful – you can use the tib bar to squat, and train your ankles, knees, and even forearms. Just remember to start slow and factor in the free-weight nature of the bar.
Have fun exploring this wonderful piece of equipment that has helped so many athletes develop their true potential!
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