Specialty Bars for Combat Professionals and First Responders
Specialty Bars for Combat Professionals and First Responders

Discover why these specialty bars are indispensable for first responders and military personnel, providing unmatched value that extends far beyond the gym.

Specialty Bars for Collegiate Baseball and Softball Athletes
Specialty Bars for Collegiate Baseball and Softball Athletes

These sports require a high degree of mobility and stability through the shoulder, place a great deal of stress on the shoulder and elbow, and require an effective and efficient synchronization of the upper and lower limbs—the perfect storm for a specialty bar to keep you safe and sound.

My Favorite Bar, So Far...
My Favorite Bar, So Far...

A straight bar is a straight bar is a straight bar, right? WRONG!

Specialty Bars and Sports Programming
Specialty Bars and Sports Programming

Why do strength coaches persist in using the traditional bar now that there are many excellent alternative bars available?

The Villain Bar
The Villain Bar

If you’re a Marvel fan, you might know that Ant-Man and The Wasp produced an evil offspring, Red Queen. Likewise, elitefts’ heroic Rackable Cambered and SS Yoke bars came together and created the nefarious Spider Bar. What makes this bar so villainous? Read on if you dare…

Rugby Top-5 Strength and Conditioning Equipment Picks
Rugby Top-5 Strength and Conditioning Equipment Picks

For Ashley Jones, being at the S5 Compound is like being a kid in a candy store, meaning he needs some moderation. Rather than use all of the equipment, Ashley shows off his top-5 pieces of equipment that should be in every strength and conditioning program for rugby.

The Best Damn Specialty Bar on the Market
The Best Damn Specialty Bar on the Market

I can’t get over how versatile the American Cambered Grip Bar is. You can use it forward and backward, giving you a total of 8 grip options. Flip it over, you’ve got a total of 16. I’ve found 250 options, and I’m sure there are more to find.

Ocham’s Razor and the Pareto Principle in Weight Training Programming
Ocham’s Razor and the Pareto Principle in Weight Training Programming

According to the Pareto Principle, 80% of results come from 20% of your time. Ocham’s Razor states the simplest solution tends to be the best one. Simplicity is the missing ingredient in most training programs. Hence why I return to the famous paradigm of the pull-push-squat.

C.J. Murphy's Specialty Bar Car Show #2
C.J. Murphy's Specialty Bar Car Show #2

In my second Specialty Bar Car Show, I’m going to teach you everything I know about the Tsunami Bar, Bandbell Bar, and — one of my all-time favorites — Safety Squat Bars. If I haven’t sold you on any of these bars, remember this…

C.J. Murphy's Specialty Bar Car Show #1
C.J. Murphy's Specialty Bar Car Show #1

I get a lot of questions about bars from people. As someone who loves car shows and learning more about cars, I decided to teach people about specialty bars in a similar type of format. I call it: the bar show. (Get it? Bar show? Car show? OK, fine, I’ll see myself out for that pun.)

How to Squat for Strong(wo)man
How to Squat for Strong(wo)man

Even though squatting is rare in the lower levels of strong(wo)man competitions, I believe it’s something we still need to work on as an accessory movement. Grab some of your elitefts specialty bars, and I’ll show you the ropes.

WATCH: Must-Have Equipment for Any High School Weight Room
WATCH: Must-Have Equipment for Any High School Weight Room

Board of Education President Josh Hobbs recounts what he’s learned and shares his checklist of must-have equipment for any high school gym or weight room.

WATCH: How Would You Program for a Deadlift Only Meet?
WATCH: How Would You Program for a Deadlift Only Meet?

Many lifters will be tempted to reduce their squat intensity to preserve energy for the deadlift, but that might not be the best idea.

WATCH: Table Talk — Using Specialty Bars for Dynamic Effort Work
WATCH: Table Talk — Using Specialty Bars for Dynamic Effort Work

Can you alternate specialty bars for different dynamic effort waves? What about for different weeks within the same wave?

Sequencing Assistance Work
Sequencing Assistance Work

How and when should you perform assistance exercises? What protocols are used for assistance work? Should exercises be changed or rotated? What about bands, chains, and specialty bars?

Overhead Pressing for a Bigger and Safer Bench Press
Overhead Pressing for a Bigger and Safer Bench Press

After two pec tears, I needed to try something new. Not only did training the overhead press make my bench stronger, but it also solved all my pec injury problems.

4 Powerlifting Trump Cards You Should Hold Onto
4 Powerlifting Trump Cards You Should Hold Onto

Just like a game of euchre, there is an optimal time to play these trump cards in powerlifting.

Matt Smith’s PR Westside Program
Matt Smith’s PR Westside Program

Out of 16 years at Westside, this is the program I used for my PR 1160 squat and 2673 total.

The Rationale Behind Specialty Bars, Grips, and Angles
The Rationale Behind Specialty Bars, Grips, and Angles

With a variety of unique, specialized equipment, you can program to address a multitude of player strengths and weaknesses.

Three to the Fourth Power Program
Three to the Fourth Power Program

Using these specialty bars, rotate your most effective set and rep protocols for stronger, more explosive athletic performance.

How and Why I Add Specialty Bars to My Programming
How and Why I Add Specialty Bars to My Programming

These two specialty bars will not only push you to new levels of strength and muscular development, they reduce wear and tear on soft tissues.

Specialty Bars Revealed
Specialty Bars Revealed

We incorporate two of the specialty bars from elitefts™ into our regular training cycle.

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