Tib bars are relatively new and not well-known pieces of gym equipment, but if you are into team sports like football, basketball, volleyball, or rugby, this simple device may hide the key to better performance and fewer knee and ankle injuries.
A tib bar’s task is simple: It allows you to do weighted tib raises and develop your tibialis anterior, which plays a pivotal role in many athletic movements.
If jumping higher, sprinting faster, and “bulletproofing” knees sounds exciting, then spending 100 bucks on a Tib bar will be a fair deal for you.
But even with such simple equipment and limited choice, there are traps you can fall into. Which is why I’ve curated the best tib bars.
- Best Tib Bar: The TBG Tib Bar Pro
- Runner Up Tib Bar: The HGG Tib Bar
- Best ISO Leg Tib Bar: The Solo Tib Bar
- Best Tib Bar Machine: The Tib Machine
- Best Tib Bar On Amazon: Fitarc Tib Bar
- Best Premium Tib Bar: Rogue TF-1
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Top Pick
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Best ISO Leg
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Best On Amazon
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4.7
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4.3
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3.5
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$79
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$119
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$43.99
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Best Tib Bar
The TBG Tib Bar Pro
Use code "SFS" for a 10% discount
- Commercial grade steel and construction guarantees it will last you a lifetime.
- Super strong weight clips.
- Despite the top quality, it’s one of the most affordable tib bars.
- Detachable weight sleeve.
- Often on special with heavy discounts.
- More expensive than budget options on Amazon.
The Tib Bar Pro is easily my favorite Tib bar. Created by a company called The Tib Bar Guy, this heavy-duty steel bar construction piece of equipment is everything you need in a tib bar while being surprisingly affordable.
The commercial-grade materials ensure the bar will last you a lifetime, the stainless-steel weight sleeve can hold more eights than you will ever need for such an exercise (up to 150 lbs), and it fits Olympic 2″ size plates.
TBG also provide a super secure clamp, so you are certain the weights won’t fall off.
A downside of older versions of the Tib Bar Pro was the non-detachable loading bar, but this has been solved in the current edition, making it easy to carry around in your gym bag.
Some other bars match the quality and features of this one but are more expensive, which is why the Tib Bar Pro is easily the best option for a double-leg tib bar.
Runner Up Tib Bar
The HGG Tib Bar
- Super durable construction and high-quality materials.
- The custom collar is a nice touch.
- Detachable sleeve.
- The original inventors of the tib bars.
- A bit more expensive than the TBG Tib Bar Pro.
HGG Performance (formerly the Home Gym Guys) was the first to start producing tib bars, and their main offer still holds the standard. This is almost identical to the TBG Tib Bar Pro, but its slightly higher price places it in a close second place.
The HGG Tib Bar offers excellent quality materials and build. The sleeve is made of stainless steel to make loading plates easy, and the cushion feels premium. Another small detail giving this a premium feel is the custom rear collar with the HGG logo.
The stainless-steel sleeve unscrews in a second, making the Tib Bar portable. The innovators who were the first to bring the Tib Bar to the market have perfected this simple tool, and you can choose this option if you want to support the original brand and have an excellent Tib Bar.
Best ISO Leg Tib Bar
The Solo Tib Bar
- A lot more versatile than standard tib bars.
- The Solo tib bar offers more adjustability options when compared to other single-leg tib bars.
- The adjustable foot strap can be tightened and loosened very quickly and has 5 position options.
- Often on special with heavy discounts.
- More versatile but less durable than two-foot tib bars.
Single-leg tib bars are designed to work on each leg unilaterally. Instead of inserting both legs under a crossbar, the Solo tib bar is strapped to one leg, which allows you to work in all directions. This not only strengthens the shins but also the ankle inversion/eversion movements.
In addition to the standard tib raises and hip flexor raises you can do with the tib bar, the single-leg one unlocks a dozen new exercises, such as hamstring curls, glute kickbacks, leg extensions, and others.
The Solo Tib Bar features a heavy-duty nylon frame, a stainless steel 50mm loading bar, and a custom locking clamp to hold weights securely. The loading bar can be moved to three different positions to accommodate different foot sizes.
The foot strap setup is by far the best on the market and holds your foot secure with no movement.
The downside of the Solo tib bar is it has moveable parts that can wear over time, while the standard two-foot tib bar is basically indestructible.
Best Tib Bar Machine
The Tib Machine
- Commercial-grade materials guarantee lifetime durability.
- Allows for the most focused TA work.
- Affordable and lightweight for a machine.
- More expensive and cumbersome than a tib bar, without providing any significant benefits over it.
The Tibial Machine works the same way as other gym machines do in relation to free weights like dumbbells and barbells.
While the tib bar is portable and the single-leg tibial bar offers the most versatility, the Tib machine is a more stable device strictly isolates the effort on the tibialis anterior.
Is this a good thing or a bad thing? It depends on your needs.
The Tib Machine has only one use—doing Tib raises. The small machine uses the same high-quality materials as the Tib Bar Pro, and I if you buy one, you will never need to get another.
Despite being a machine, the price is not drastically higher, and its size and weight still make it a worthwhile addition to any home gym. I prefer the standard and single-leg tib bars, but the machine is a solid choice if you value isolation.
Best Tib Bar On Amazon
Fitarc Tib Bar
- Much cheaper than the rest of tib bars on the list.
- You have the option to choose between 1” and 2” sleeves.
- You need a key to assemble the bar.
- All the materials and overall quality are noticeably inferior to the top models.
If you are not entirely sold on the idea that you need a dedicated piece of equipment to work on your shin muscles, you can go to Amazon and pick a tib bar for half the price of the other options on the list.
Since tib bars are generally straightforward, the Fitarc version is not much different from the TBG and HGG bars at the top of this list. However, the lower price means you will be making a significant compromise with the quality.
The Fitaric tib bar does the same job as its more expensive counterparts, but every material is of lesser quality- the metal, the foam, the welds, and the clamp.
Another downside of this model is you need to screw some bolts to assemble it, which takes much more time than with the HGG Tib Bar and The Tib Bar Pro.
But this is a solid option if you want to try out a tib bar and not spend $100 on it.
Best Premium Tib Bar
Rogue TF-1 Tib Bar
- Highest quality materials.
- Made in the USA.
- More expensive than the TBG and HGG, but it doesn’t provide anything objectively better.
Rogue Fitness offers a tib bar aimed at the most demanding customers. The Rogue TF-1 is the most expensive bar on the list (excluding the machine).
The TF-1, constructed in the United States from SCH 40 pipe and 11-gauge steel, features a machined acetal loading pin with the same 1.96-inch diameter as an Olympic barbell sleeve. This allows using any standard plates and collars during the setup process.
The Rogue tib bar is a genuinely premium product that looks stylish and recognizable. But is the extra price worth it? I don’t think so. It does not offer anything more than the top two tib bars on the list neither in terms of quality, nor in practicality.
But if you are a fan of Rogue and want to use the TF-1P, go for it, you won’t be disappointed.
How To Use A Tib Bar
The tib bar is a beautifully simple but effective piece of equipment.
There are ways to add more variables to exercises and to use a tib bar to work on your quads or hip flexors, but its main use is to work on the tibialis anterior, and there are two exercises you can use:
Two Feet Tib Bar Raise
The standard exercise is the two-foot tib bar raise. Put the desired weight on the sleeve (2-10 kg for beginners) and insert your feet between the crossbar.
Then, sit on a bench so your legs are fully extended and supported and your ankles are off the edge.
Dorsiflex your feet to bring your toes towards your knees, hold for a second at the end position, and slowly lower the weight back down, which is the plantar flexion portion of the exercise.
Aim for 8-20 repetitions and 3 to 4 sets per session.
Single Leg Feet Raise
For the single-leg raise, you will need a single-leg tib bar, which allows you to work each foot separately. Otherwise, the usage is the same as the normal tib bar.
Strap the weight to your foot, sit on a bench, couch, or box that supports your entire leg, and hang from the edge with only the ankle and foot (with the single-leg tib bar strapped) hanging from the edge.
Dorsi and plantarflex the foot to work on the tibialis anterior. The single-leg tibia bar’s biggest benefit is the ability to work on rotational movements.
Benefits Of Using A Tib Bar
As the name suggests, the tib bar works on the tibialis anterior, which is the meaty part of your shin.
While this may not seem like a particularly important muscle, it is responsible for ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion (moving your toes toward your knees and in the opposite direction, respectively), and it takes part in all ankle movements to a degree.
The tibialis anterior also plays a significant role in athletic movements like jumping and suddenly changing directions.
The primary purpose of a tib bar is to make your tibialis anterior stronger, which leads to the following more specific benefits:
Improved Ability to Decelerate and Change Direction Faster
One of the main functions of the tibialis anterior is deceleration. The ability to quickly stop your forward movement is critical in many sports, such as soccer, football, basketball, tennis, rugby, and many others.
The same goes for the ability to change the direction of movement rapidly. Stronger shin muscles influence one’s ability to change direction, which is equally important for athletic performance.
Jumping Higher and Running Faster
The tibialis anterior plays a massive role in your ability to jump laterally. The muscle is a stabilizer for both the ankle and knee joints and assists in positioning the quads to produce maximum jumping power.
The tibialis anterior is also the primary cushion of the impact when landing from a jump. Strengthening the muscle reduces the strain from landing, which is one of the primary factors for knee injuries in jump-heavy sports like basketball and volleyball.
Superior Ankle Mobility
In addition to the tibialis anterior, the tib bar works on the smaller muscles, tendons, and ligaments surrounding the ankles, strengthening, and mobilizing them. Stronger and more mobile ankles will drastically reduce the chance of injuries like sprains and rolled ankles.
Better Knee Health
Strengthening and mobilizing the muscles surrounding the knee joint is one of the main ways to avoid knee injuries. The muscles below the knee include the tibialis, which will alleviate stress and pressure from the knee during explosive movements.
Training with the tib bar can potentially help with shin splints, although load management and dedicated work on the calves will also be necessary to settle shin splints down.
How To Pick The Best Tib Bar
Tib bars are not overly complicated or have significant variety, but there are still a few factors to consider when choosing one.
Type
There are two types of tib bars: the standard two-foot tib bar and the single/one-foot/unilateral tib bar. The names are self-explanatory about the difference.
With the standard tib bar, you use both feet simultaneously to flex and extend with the added weight. The single tib bar is strapped only to one foot, and in addition to dorsiflexion and extension, it allows for rotational movements, strengthening all possible ankle ranges of motion.
In addition to the full range of motion ankle exercises, the single-leg tib bar can be used for other exercises, such as leg lifts, hip flexor lifts, hamstring curls, and others.
The single-leg tib bar is generally more versatile, while the standard two-foot version allows for more focused work on the tibialis anterior and potentially faster strength gains.
In my experience, the versatility of the ISO or single leg tib bar isn’t worth it. The movements like hamstring curls are awkward because of the loading and you can’t get full extension.
Keep the tib bar for tib raises. Therefore, the tib bar that trains both legs simultaneously is my recommendation.
Load Capacity
All tib bars work with standard 2″ Olympic plates and with sleeves around 7″, they can hold more weight than you will ever need to lift.
Build Quality
The materials and build quality will determine how long a tib bar will last. Standard bars are made from heavy-duty steel and are welded together well, guaranteeing almost lifetime durability.
Single-leg bars have more adjustable parts and materials, making them more susceptible to wear and tear.
Price
Tib bars are inexpensive because they are simple. This is why I’ve chosen the Tib Bar Pro over the HGG Tib Bar and the Rogue product. All of them are almost identical, but the Tib Bar Pro is the cheapest, hence providing the best value.
With significantly cheaper products, you are making a sacrifice with the materials and build quality.
Frequently Asked Tib Bar Questions
Summary
The TBG Tib Bar Pro offers everything you would want from a tib bar: function and high-quality materials at an affordable price.
The HGG bar, from the original creators of the tib bar, is comparable in every way, but it is slightly more expensive, which leaves it in second place.
The Tib Machine from TGG offers excellent value and quality if you want a machine for better tibialis isolation. If budget is your main concern, the Fitarc Tib Bar you can find on Amazon will save you some money and still allow you to train this important muscle.
Use code "SFS" for a 10% discount
- Commercial grade steel and construction guarantees it will last you a lifetime.
- Super strong weight clips.
- Despite the top quality, it’s one of the most affordable tib bars.
- Detachable weight sleeve.
- Often on special with heavy discounts.
- More expensive than budget options on Amazon.
