The
squat is one of
the best exercises
you can do for
building strength
and muscle mass.
Can the Manta
Ray
make it more comfortable
and even more
effective?
The barbell squat,
as I'm sure you've
heard time and
again, is one
of the most effective
exercises not
only for building
the legs but also
for building muscle
all over the entire
body. The metabolic
effects of the
squat are very
powerful.
One
of the main problems
with the barbell
squat, however,
lies in the placement
of the bar across
the shoulders.
For many, placing
the bar across
the shoulders
can be a painful
experience. If
it hurts when
you do it (and
not in a good
way), chances
are, you're going
to be a lot less
likely to do squats
regularly, if
at all. You'll
be missing out
on an excellent
exercise!
In
the past, you
had fewer choices
when it came to
padding your shoulders
for the squat.
You could wear
a thick sweatshirt
when squatting,
you could wrap
a towel around
the bar, or you
could place a
foam pad around
the bar.
The
sweatshirt, unfortunately,
does little to
cushion the bar
and the towel
or foam pad can
actually allow
the bar to more
easily roll or
slip down your
back. Not a good
thing!
The
"Manta Ray"
squatting accessory
aims to change
all that. It addresses
the structure
of the body with
respect to the
mechanics of the
squat exercise,
claiming to make
the exercise more
comfortable to
perform and more
effective.
The
Manta Ray is a
simple piece of
strong, specially-molded
blue plastic.
It has a groove
for the bar and
is shaped to rest
comfortably over
the trapezius/shoulder
area of the body.
It looks a lot
like the sea creature
it's named for!
But
can it live up
to its claim of
making the squat
more comfortable
and, therefore,
more effective?
I
will cut right
to the chase.
The Manta Ray
lives up to these
claims easily.
It is simply one
of THE most effective
training tools
I've every used
in the 18+ years
I've been training.
Here are the two
major reasons
why:
1.
Effective Load
Distribution
The
Manta Ray effectively
distributes the
entire load of
the bar over a
much larger area
of the body than
you get with just
the bar alone.
It works for the
same reason that
a person wearing
snowshoes can
walk easily where
a person without
snowshoes will
sink down into
the snow: increased
surface area.
I've found the
unique shape of
the Manta Ray
to be very well-constructed
for this purpose.
To
illustrate this
point, I've used
the Manta Ray
to do partial
top-range squats
with more than
1100 pounds. If
I tried this weight
with just the
bar, I'm sure
I'd be missing
a few vertebrae!
The Manta Ray's
extremely effective
distribution of
load will allow
you to use more
weight more comfortably.
2.
Prevents the Bar
From Rolling or
Slipping
|
Barbells
are round.
I'm sure
you've noticed
this. What
better shape
to roll
with? One
of the hardest
things to
deal with
in the barbell
squat is
in fighting
the tendency
of the bar
to slide
or roll
down your
back.
Even
a slight
roll of
the bar
can throw
off the
balance
of the exercise
and compromise
your form
and safety.
Worst case,
if the bar
rolls or
slips too
far, you
may even
have to
ditch the
bar to avoid
serious
injury.
|
 |
The
Manta Ray effectively
arrests this tendency
to roll or slide.
The molded shape
of the plastic
locks the bar
into position
on your shoulders
and stops the
shifting of the
bar.
In
comparison to
the positives
of the Manta Ray
(load distribution
and roll prevention),
the negatives,
in my opinion,
are minor.
The
negatives of the
Manta Ray are
a small price
to pay for the
exceptional benefits
and value you'll
get from it. Not
only will the
Manta Ray help
make your barbell
squats more comfortable
and more effective,
it can also very
easily be used
for other exercises
such as barbell
calf raises, barbell
lunges and more.
Priced
at $39.95, I've
found the Manta
Ray to be one
of the BEST
investments in
training equipment
I've ever made.
If
you're interested
in improving your
squat, I highly
recommend either
getting one for
yourself or talking
to your gym owner
or manager about
getting one for
your facility.
I've been using
mine for more
than 10 years!
To
learn more about
the Manta
Ray
or to get one
for yourself,
click
here.
Return
to Fitness Equipment
Reviews Index
Page
