Elevate Your Performance With the Best Tib Bars

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Make knee, ankle and shin pains ailments of the past with these effective training tools targeting a far-too-overlooked muscle area.

It's an all-too-common occurrence. You begin your fitness journey with the hopes of getting stronger across the board, yet once you really start to see some development in your lower body, you're sidelined with an ankle or knee injury. Outside of the errant accident or strain, which are natural and can happen in anyone's training regimen, these pains could be the result of weak hinges. So, what's an athlete to do in order to defend against these progress-blocking ailments? Train the hinges, of course.

But which exercises can help bolster your knees and ankles outside of heavy compound movements like squats? Well, the tibialis anterior muscle is a great area to start, and there's no better tool for the task than the tib bar. These tib-targeting devices allow you to zone in on this all-too-forgotten area for the sake of helping improve shin, ankle and knee strength in the process.

Tib bars have become a popular workout essential, due in part to the growth of ATG Training championed by "Knees Over Toes Guy" Ben Patrick. While more and more brands are offering tib bars for both in-gym and at-home workouts, there are a few key factors to consider. Before we jump into our favorite tib bars on the market today, let's look at these factors, as well as gain a better understanding of why you should be training with this effective device in the first place.

As stated above, tib bars target your tibialis anterior muscle, located at the front of your shin. This area is primarily responsible for dorsiflexion and inversion of the foot, meaning how your foot bends upwards. The tibialis anterior is also a prominent muscle that absorbs impact when under a load or tension, i.e., what you'd experience when running or performing high-intensity lower-body exercises. Having stronger tibialis anterior muscles can help absorb said impact, taking the strain off your ankles and knees for better performance across multiple training scenarios.

Now, you can certainly train this muscle group through bodyweight modalities, but there's only so much resistance that can be applied to these movements. Tib bars provide easy access to weight-bearing exercises, thus putting more strain and resistance across the area for improved training. The results that can come of this? Better change of direction skills, better resistance to heavy impacts, improved vertical jump capabilities, boosted balance and much more.

While tib bars might seem simple, it doesn't mean they should be shoddy when it comes to construction. After all, you'll be loading these devices with tens of pounds of added weight plates, so it helps to be able to support those loads during training. Additionally, you'll want to ensure the brace points are well built so your feet can confidently control the weights throughout each rep. For these reasons, I recommend a metal construction over less secure materials.

There's no sense in targeting your tibialis anterior if your newfound regimen is going to leave you uncomfortable. Thankfully, many tib bars employ a padding system that covers the top bar across the upper of your foot, leading to more cozy lifting sessions without digging too far into your profile. Pad thickness can vary by brand, but make sure to choose a silhouette that features some form of padding, as well as padding that won't flake or rip easily. Tib bar training can be an excellent cap to your daily routines, so to get the most out of your gear, it helps to look for materials that can withstand the rigors of routine sessions.

The main purpose of tib bars is to add resistance to your tibialis movements, and that means adding weight plates to the accompanying sleeves. To safely add these discs to your tib bar silhouette, you'll need companion collars to lock them into place. While some brands include collars in the initial purchase, others do not, so be prepared to make a separate purchase if your desired tib bar doesn't come fully equipped.

Additionally, tib bar training is not like other strength training regimens that see you loading up plate after plate. With that said, though, you still want to have enough room across the sleeve to house multiple plates at once. Quality tib bars will typically feature a plate sleeve anywhere from 6–8 inches in length, enough space for you to cozily house multiple change plates as well as the safety collar without any compromise or fear. For single-leg devices, try to look for collars ranging anywhere from 4–6 inches — you're less likely to need as much weight when working each individual leg, yet still need some wiggle room to effectively lock your plates in place with a collar.

I've been training with tib bars for a number of months, utilizing a handful of the picks showcased in this roundup. I've made note of the available sleeve length and included collars, as well as how comfortable the padding felt across the upper portion of my feet. Bonus points were also awarded for silhouettes that broke down for better storage and transport, as I often found myself using these picks in a super set fashion to close out my nightly workouts.

Now, let's raise the bar when it comes to effective training and get down to the best tib bars available today.

The Tib Bar Guy makes some exceptional equipment when it comes to ATG training, and the brand's Tib Bar Pro is no different. I really appreciated the durable padding across the top and found no difficulty in loading up the 7-inch sleeve for even the heaviest of sessions.

The Tib Bar Pro is designed for Olympic weight plates, so any weight featuring a 2-inch center will work, regardless of cast-iron or bumper construction. The only callout I have regarding this otherwise impressive silhouette is the welds. The joints feature four separate beads at each corner, leaving some gaps in-between the bars. This could lead to durability issues down the road, but for now, those fears have yet to rear their heads.

It's hard to argue with one of the originators when it comes to tib bar training. The HGG Performance Tib Bar was one of the first silhouettes to hit the market, and since then, the brand has only upgraded its profile for the sake of better, more efficient, more convenient training scenarios. I like how easily this tib bar breaks down for easier transport, making heading to the gym for tib bar sessions a breeze. Simply unscrew the weight sleeve, toss in your gym bag and you’re ready to go.

There are also plenty of smooth loading capabilities across the stainless steel sleeve that easily holds multiple change plates for those taxing tib regimens. If you can stomach the price and shipping time — HGG Performance is based out of Australia — then this is definitely one tib bar worth considering.

Training your tibialis anterior is often a newfound practice to most athletes, and as such, you may be hesitant to invest in gear you may find uncomfortable or underwhelming. Thankfully, though, there are products such as The Tib Factory's Tib Blaster that allow you to experience the benefits of the discipline without dropping any excess coin.

The PVC construction keeps this product budget-friendly, and I appreciate the foot window that keeps your feet in proper placement without any strain. Be mindful, however, that the PVC material is less durable that other silhouettes, which could lead to future replacements. Also, the Tib Blaster is rated for a max weight of 50 pounds, so if your training calls for higher totals, it may be best to look elsewhere.

Okay, so you’re invested in tib bar training enough to go beyond PVC setups, yet are still curious about the discipline enough to warrant less exorbitant spending. I really enjoyed the profile exemplified across the Iron Tib Bar from Freak Athlete Essentials, especially when it came to the padding provided. At nearly 0.75 inches, this was easily the thickest upper padding profile tested, allowing for more comfortable sessions, provided I was able to add my preferred weight resistance.

I say "provided" because the weight-bearing sleeve does feature a thick powder-coated exterior. This can be great for preserving the material itself, but with some change plates, can make for a tight fit. I had to wiggle and maneuver a handful of plates with begrudging effort to get them into the proper seating position. This wasn't the norm with every plate used, however, so the best I can say is this negative is up to chance.

The beauty of tib bar training is that it can be practiced wherever your fitness journey takes you. For these scenarios, I often turn to the Shogun Sports Mr1nf1n1ty x Shogun Tib Crusher, thanks to its portable silhouette that easily breaks down for better storage. The stainless steel weight-bearing sleeve easily unscrews for a more compact profile when tossed in a carry-on or other tote.

I also appreciate the extended pads of this portable tib bar but would appreciate the inclusion of some additional welds. Upon arrival, I had to attach the bottom brace to the top apparatus via an Allen bolt. While I don't perceive this to lead to many durability issues down the road, it would’ve been nice to beef up this angle with some standalone welds.

Sometimes, you just want to target one specific ankle, and the traditional tib bar isn't equipped for those needs. In my testing, however, I found the Solo Tib Bar from The Tib Bar Guy to be perfect for these scenarios, as well as a bevy of other ankle mobility stretches and modalities. Strapping into the device was as simple as sliding into a pair of ski or snowboard bindings, and the tacky platform never jostled or repositioned itself when in the throws of training.

Much like the tib bar from Freak Athlete Essentials, however, I would have appreciated less powder coat across the weight sleeve. This made loading some change plates a bit of an endeavor, delaying my progress and time under tension. Still, though, the versatile silhouette — and convenient carrying case — make the Solo Tib Bar a no-brainer for those looking to beef up their tibialis anterior this year.

Tib bar training might not be for everyone, but that doesn't mean you should negate your ankle strength when it comes to training. Enter MonkeyFeet from Animalhouse Fitness. Thanks to a unique mechanism that connects to any typical dumbbell, you’re able to train your ankle strength with a bevy of movements, whether training in your at-home sanctum, your go-to brick-and-mortar establishment or on the road in a lowly hotel gym.

I also enjoy how easy it is to slide this silhouette on without haste, but I will say this is not an absolute replacement for your normal tib bar. The boot-like profile doesn't let your ankle flex like it would when training with the aforementioned tools, so if you really want to hone in on that tibialis anterior muscle, be sure to combine MonkeyFeet training with another device for the most efficient results.

Maybe your tib bar training is best destined for home gym use. Thankfully, there are machines out there that can help you train at the highest levels, with no better example than the Tibia Dorsi Calf Machine from Titan Fitness. I really appreciate the thick padding and utilitarian design of this mechanism and love the dual-sleeved profile that allows for maxing out this unique lifting discipline.

Naturally, however, this silhouette isn't the most convenient for tib training on the go. If you want to train with the Tibia Dorsi Calf Machine, you’re more locked into a standalone location. While this can be a great resolve for home gym enthusiasts, if you enjoy taking your workouts with you while traveling, consider adding this as well as another tib bar from the list to your growing lineup of effective fitness gear.