Original Manta Ray by Advanced Fitness, Squat Load Distribution Device

Several months ago I began weight lifting. I had tried eating low fat, eating less, etc. etc. and I was getting nowhere. I was up to 280lbs, was tired all the time, and most scary of all was starting to lose effectiveness at work and at home. I didn't like where I was headed.Two books helped change that direction. I read The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite and learned why eating right is such an uphill battle. Gaining the knowledge in that book really helped give me the motivation to eat right, as opposed to following fad diets.Then I read The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle and I thought, YES! Natural movements based on movements we do in nature are very important to avoid injury, and building muscle mass is the only way to improve metabolism, because muscle is so metabolically expensive.One of the major exercises recommended in the "New Rules" is the squat. The squat works BIG muscles, and therefore the metabolic gains you get from building muscle through the squat reap huge benefits. I didn't have a squat rack, so when I began I was doing one dead lift and then lifting the bar over my head to begin the squat. This was fine for the first month or two as I was doing very low weight; I had to start with doing the bar only. However, as my weights have increased through various workouts (the squat or some variation is omnipresent in the "New Rules" no matter what new routine you are on)I began to have problems. Not in my legs or back mind you, but my wrists.I knew I was hurting myself picking the bar up over my head, so I bought a squat rack here at Amazon. Problem solved... for a month or two...Then I began to get more pain. Not in my legs or back (I am VERY careful about form and not overdoing it) but my neck and shoulders. It just hurt like heck to do the squats because of the bar on my neck and I really wasn't looking forward to them.Then I happened upon this little device. I was contemplating buying the very expensive safer squat bar, but this looked so much more reasonably priced and from the reviews I read seemed effective. I had to give it a try.It has only been a couple of days working out with this device but I can tell it is very well made, and my neck and shoulder pain is entirely gone. I am actually comfortable doing squats! I never had pain in the legs or back, but wrist pain and neck and shoulder pain from the bar were really starting to discourage me. This is an awesome and affordable little product and it WORKS. It even changes your form a tiny bit in that it makes it easier to do the squat correctly.Since reading those two books, and putting the ideas into practice I have lost close to 30lbs. I have been lifting the whole time with rest periods built in between phases and have some hard places where I used to have soft and flabby places. That means I have built muscle mass, and that I have put on muscle weight, which means I have lost more than 30lbs of fat off my frame.My pants don't fit and they are falling off my waist. I have had to buy smaller belts. I am putting off buying new cloths for the time being because I know I am not done.It has been about 5 months since I started lifting, and the results have been INCREDIBLE. A big reason for my success thus far has been the squat, and this little attachment for your bar makes the squat MUCH more fun to do, and that is a great benefit. Other things helped as well. If your goal is to get in shape, it helps a lot to get right with God first. There is a book I want to read on the subject that looks interesting: Fit for Eternal Life. I definitely see a connection between getting our souls in order, and getting our bodies in order.Best yet, it is made in the USA (thank God some things still are!)I strongly recommend this product. Squats are a very important part of any lifting regimen. If my experience is any indication you will experience weight loss, an increase in energy, a much easier time going up stairs, and your wife (or husband) will be thrilled with the results. Get a good bar, a decent squat rack (here is mine: Squat Rack and this little device and watch your body change!

Excellent product.I can do low-bar squats without any pad, but I simply cannot find a good bar position for high-bar squats that does not press on my upper back or neck vertebrae. So I use the Manta. It seems perfectly shaped for my upper back region and is very comfortable. Why suffer or damage your back ?!?!? Although it does raise the bar slightly, It seems to make a negligible difference to the squat mechanics.I also have the $12 rubber version of a "Manta" from one of the copycat vendors, and to tell you the truth, it is almost as good. The rubber version is pretty dense rubber, like a basketball or football might be made of, so it is more flexible, but still pretty stiff and functions quite well. Both a virtually exactly the same shape. This real Manta grips the bar much tighter and looks like it will last longer. So it is definitely "better"; but is it enough better to pay 4X the cost ? Tough question. Functionally, they both achieve the same result for me.

My son and I tried the Manta Ray for the first time today after purchasing from Amazon. I've been doing squats for over 20 years but he is a high school freshman who hasn't yet developed sufficient trapezius muscle to protect his upper back from the effects of the weight bar. I've tried to make it more comfortable with commercially available wrap-around bar pads designed for squats but the results have been disappointing. I was skeptical of the Manta Ray's claims and hesitant because of the higher price versus the alternative bar pads. Nevertheless, I decided to give the Manta Ray a try.This simple device takes away all (and I mean all) of the discomfort caused by contact of the weight bar with that portion of the back that it rests upon.Here is how it works. The Manta Ray has a slot into which the weight bar fits rather snugly. The Manta Ray is thereafter held securely in place on the weight bar. Upon returning the weight bar to the squat rack, the Manta Ray remains attached to the bar ready for the user's next set of squats. The Manta Ray performs very much like a saddle in that it effectively redistributes the weight across the entire trapezius muscle rather than the very limited area upon which the bar concentrates the weight.There is enough "play" in the Manta Ray so that, upon positioning one's self under the bar in preparation for the exercise, it swivels and conforms to the shape of the user's back. As another reviewer suggested, I recommend draping a small towel across the area of the back/neck not covered by a shirt to prevent any irritation from contact with the device.At the conclusion of the routine, reach over the bar and grasp that portion of the Manta's wings designed to fit around the user's neck that point toward the floor. Pull upward and rotate backwards and the device will easily disconnect from the weight bar.The alternative to the Manta Ray is one of the less expensive pads that wrap around the weight bar and is typically held in place with Velcro. However, those pads do not redistribute weight. They merely cushion some of the discomfort caused by the bar. The weight remains concentrated in that small area where the bar meets the back. Additionally, the pads lose their cushioning effect over time, can tear, and require routine replacement. The Manta Ray, by contrast, is heavy duty, extremely durable and will probably outlast the user.You'll be amazed at how much more comfortable squats are using the Manta Ray and the added comfort will make lifting additional weight far less daunting. It is worth every penny in my opinion and a far wiser purchase than the alternative bar pad. By the way, the device itself has a shape reminiscent of a manta ray, hence the name.Say hello to Manta Ray and goodbye to weight bar discomfort forever. Squats will instantly become as enjoyable as any other weight training exercise.

Use this in my home gym. It's great at distributing the weight. Snaps tightly on an olympic bar. Much safer than using a pad or towel. Allows the bar to rider higher as it cradles across your shoulders while saving your neck from being crushed.