Complete Guide to Tib Bar Training

Your home gym setup isn’t complete without a Tib Bar!

The Tib Bar is a truly game-changing piece of equipment that can do wonders to help you “bulletproof" your ankles, shins and knees. 

Below, we’ll take a closer look at what the Tib Bar is, what muscles it works, and the benefits of Tib Bar training. I’ll also share with you some of the best exercises to include in your Tib Bar workout and answer some commonly asked questions.

By the end of this post, you’ll be ready to craft your own Tib Bar workouts and give your knees the love they need to stay strong for years to come.

 

 

Tib Bars 101: Everything You Need to Know

What is a Tib Bar?

The Tib Bar is a piece of weightlifting equipment purpose-built to focus on training your shins and ankles. 

The design features:

• A crossbar that presses against the underside of the feet
• An Olympic weightlifting bar tip (to hold weights)
• A padded crossbar that rests on the tops of the feet

Using the Tib Bar is incredibly simple: just slide your feet between the two crossbars, load up the bar tip with weight, and pull your toes towards your shins (flexion). It’s a piece of equipment you can learn to use with virtually zero learning curve!  

What Muscles Does a Tib Bar Work? 

The “tib” in the name “Tib Bar” refers to the tibialis anterior, the muscle that “originates along the upper two-thirds of the lateral (outside) surface of the tibia and inserts into the medial cuneiform and first metatarsal bones of the foot.” [1] 

Or, put simpler, runs along the front of your leg, from your knee, down over your shin, and connects with your foot.

The tibialis muscle works to flex and extend your foot (dorsiflexion and extension). The bulk of the muscle is located near your shin.

However, what makes the tibialis anterior muscle so important is the fact that it’s linked to the underside of your knee joint. The tibialis anterior plays a crucial role in jumping (both springing off the ground and landing), decelerating after a jump or sprint, and lateral movements (changing direction). 

When the tibialis muscle is weak (which it commonly is, given how little attention it’s paid in standard resistance training), excess force generated by your exercise (be it weightlifting, running, or jumping) can overload the muscle. This can lead to injury.

Most commonly, damage to the tibialis manifests in the form of shin splints. However, it can also contribute to knee pains and stiffness. This is why training your tibialis muscles specifically can help to “bulletproof” your knees and make them more resilient across a multitude of exercises, sports and different movements.

Though the primary focus of the Tibialis Weight Bar is on the tibialis anterior muscles, it also hits the muscles surrounding your ankles. Tib Bar training can increase mobility in your ankle joints, improving your range of motion and making your tendons and ligaments more resilient. 

Types of Tib Bars

There are a number of Tib Bars available on the market, but their design comes down to really two simple types:

Standard Tib Bar – Also called “Tib Bar Pro”, this type of tibialis bar engages both feet at once, focusing entirely on dorsiflexion and extension (straight up and down).

Solo Tib Bar – Also known as the “unilateral” or “one-footed” tib bar, the Solo Tib Bar is a variation that straps onto one foot at a time. Not only does it focus on dorsiflexion and extension of the feet, but also forces your ankle and leg muscles to contract to prevent pronation and supination (twisting side to side).

Like all unilateral training (for example, dumbbell bicep curls or alternating shoulder presses), it targets the muscles and joints around the prime movers (the tibialis and ankle muscles) to strengthen them. It’s less concentrated on the prime movers than the standard two-footed tib bar, so you’ll see slower strength gains, but it’s better for isolating one leg at a time to train up weaker muscles. 

Benefits of Tib Bar Training

Here are a few reasons why it’s smart to invest in a Tib Bar: 

• Strengthen Your Knees – Strengthening the tibialis muscle will aid in the performance exercises like jumping, running, sprinting, high-speed cycling or elliptical training, and the sharp lateral (side to side) movements common in team sports. Even high-impact exercise will take less of a toll on your knees because this muscle will be better able to bear up under the impact. 
• Increase Ankle Stability – People who suffer from ankle problems (including sprained or rolled ankles) will definitely want to take advantage of Tib Bar training for the simple reason that it strengthens the muscles supporting the ankles and increases range of motion in your ligaments and tendons. Stronger ankles are less likely to be injured or damaged during your exercise.
• Jump Higher and Run Faster – This is an awesome side effect of Tib Bar training. You’ll have more explosive power to sprint and jump due to your body's ability to absorb forces better!

Time to learn a few of the best tib bar exercises you can incorporate into your Leg Day training sessions!

Your Tib Bar Workout: The Best Tib Bar Exercises You Can Do

Trainer’s Note: Before you do any Tib Bar workout, make sure to warm up your legs and ankles. Start off by sitting on your knees for 30 seconds to stretch out your tibialis anterior muscles, and roll each ankle 15 times clockwise and 15 times counter-clockwise to loosen your ankles. 

Walk, jog, or run for 5 minutes to get the muscles warm and your blood flowing before moving on to the exercises below. 

Exercise #1: Standard Tib Bar Raises 

This is the basic exercise you’ll do using the standard (two-footed) Tib Bar. You’ll find they’re beautifully easy but highly effective at shredding your tibialis and ankle muscles.

The Workout:

• Set your desired weight onto the Tib Bar and lock it in place with a weight clamp. Insert your feet between the crossbars and raise the weight off the ground.
• Slide backward on a bench so your legs are fully extended and your ankles are hanging off the end. 
• Inhale as you flex your forefoot to bring your toes toward your shins. Lift as high as you can, hold for a 1-count, then exhale as you lower the weight once more (extension). 
• Lower until it reaches the “starting point”, and pause for a 1-count to finish your rep.
• Repeat for 10 to 15 reps, and 3 to 4 sets. 

Exercise #2: Solo Tib Bar Raises

With this variation, you’re using the solo tib bar that works just one foot at a time. You’ll have to pay closer attention to your form and movement to make certain you’re doing it right, but the isolation will do wonders to help you focus on each leg individually and work on any strength or mobility inequalities.

The Workout:

• Load and lock your desired weight in place. Insert your right foot between the crossbars, strap it in place (if strap is provided), and raise the weight off the ground.
• Slide backward on a bench so your legs are fully extended and your ankles are hanging off the end. Bend your left leg and plant your foot on the ground.
• Inhale as you flex your right forefoot to bring your toes toward your shins. Lift as high as you can, hold for a 1-count, then exhale as you lower the weight once more (extension). 
• Lower until it reaches the “starting point”, and pause for a 1-count to finish your rep.
• Repeat for 10 to 15 reps, then switch to your left foot. Repeat for 3 to 4 sets per side.

Exercise #3: Tib Bar Raise and Hold 

This exercise focuses on holding the weight in place while your foot is flexed, emphasizing strength when your ankles are at the fullest extent of their range of motion. 

• Load and lock your desired weight in place, insert your feet, and raise the weight from the ground. Slide backward on the bench so your ankles are hanging off the end. 
• Inhale as you flex your right forefoot to bring your toes toward your shins. Lift as high as you can, then hold the weight in place for a count of 4. 
• Exhale and release the weight once more (extension). Try to lower slowly, counting to two as you lower.  
• Lower until it reaches the “starting point”, and pause for a 1-count to finish your rep.
• Repeat for 10 to 15 reps, then switch to your left foot. Repeat for 3 to 4 sets per side.

Conclusion:

By now, there’s no doubt that it’s clear to you why the Tib Bar deserves a place among your workout equipment. It’s amazing for your knees, will strengthen your ankles, and can help to prevent shin splints (which is a real pain for runners!). Add to that the fact that it’ll help you run faster and jump higher, and you can see why it’s such a game-changing piece of gym gear.

Tib Bar FAQs:

Does tib bar help shin splints?

The Tib Bar absolutely helps to combat shin splints! The tibialis anterior muscle runs along the front of your shins, which is where shin splints develop (the result injury or sudden or high-intensity exercise after long periods of inactivity). Research has shown that strengthening the tibialis muscle can help to reduce shin splints.

Do tibialis raises help you jump higher?

The tibialis anterior muscles play a significant role in jumping and landing—primarily to cushion the impact when you land or resist the force in your planted leg just before a jump. Strengthening this particular muscle will not only help you jump higher, but reduce the strain of your landing.  

What else can I combine with Tib Bar training to strengthen my knees?

Tib Bar raises focus on the muscles in the front of your knees, but you’ve also got to strengthen the muscles behind your knees (antagonistic muscles that provide stability and support) in order to build serious resilience. The Nordic Hamstring Curl is one of the best exercises you can do along with Tib Bar raises to “bulletproof” your knees.