What is a barbell pad?

A barbell pad is a thick foam cushion that is designed to be wrapped around a barbell (or a dumbbell-converted barbell) to protect your neck and shoulders during squats and hips during hip thrusts. A standard barbell pad can cushion weights up to 120 KG, whereas a barbell pad for hip thrusts provides extra cushioning and can cushion weights up to 250 KG (This also depends on personal pain handling ability).

Why do you need a barbell pad:

A barbell pad allows the weights you are training with to be distributed evenly across the barbell and protects your neck and shoulder (or your hips if you are doing hip thrusts). When the padding is 3 cm, the risks of neck, shoulder and hip injury are reduced by 90%. Amonax barbell pad is ergonomically designed to fit your neck and shoulder to further reduce injury possibilities.

If you train with a lot of weight for hip thrusts (over 120 KG / 260 LBS), it is better to opt for Amonax barbell pad for hip thrusts, which is 3.3 cm thick and can definitely provide more comfort during hip thrusts.

The thick barbell pad foam cushioning is a magic tool to take away any pain and discomfort during your workout training session. This allows you to stay very focused, and train with even more weights. A good barbell pad should have a high-quality foam cushion so the cushion does not get thinner over time.

To summarize, the best barbell pad should have the following features:

• Allows weights to be evenly distributed across the barbell.
• Wide enough to cover your neck, shoulders, and hips.
• Thick enough to cushion the weights you are using.
• Can be fastened tightly around the bar so that the barbell pad doesn’t move from side to side.

Amonax barbell pad has all the above features and is definitely one of the best sports equipment to buy online and add to your fitness accessories. Click here to view all our fitness accessories.

How do you use barbell pad for barbell squat?

Equipment Needed: Barbell pad, barbell, barbell weights of your choice.

Muscles Worked: Glutes, legs, back and abs.

• Wrap the barbell pad onto the barbell you are using.
• Fasten the velcro straps onto both sides of Amonax barbell pad.
• Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart – an even stance will allow a deeper squat, getting your glutes and hamstrings involved.
• Hold a barbell across your upper back with an overhand grip – avoid resting it on your neck. Hug the bar into your traps to engage your upper back muscles.
• Take the weight of the bar and slowly squat down – head up, back straight, buns out. Lower yourself until your hips are aligned with your knees, with legs at 90 degrees. Drive your heels into the floor to push yourself back up. 
• Keep the form until you stand up, this is 1 barbell squat.

How to do hip thrusts? – The best tips to do a barbell hip thrusts.

Equipment Needed: Bench, barbell, barbell weights of your choice.

Muscles Worked: Glutes, hips, core.

• Wrap the barbell pad onto the barbell you are using
• Fasten the velcro straps onto both sides of Amonax barbell pad
• Lie with your upper back resting on a bench and your feet flat on the floor in front of you.
• Rest a barbell on the crease of your hips and raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Hold for a count and then slowly return to the starting position. This counts as one.