So, I decided to get a barbell cover pad, because my shoulders were getting pretty banged up from all those squats and hip thrusts. I hit up a few sports stores in my area, but honestly, their options were kind of meh, and the prices? Don’t even get me started. So, I figured, why not try making one myself?
First things first, I needed something to use as the padding. I thought about using an old yoga mat, but then I remembered I had a bunch of pool noodles lying around from last summer. Perfect! They’re soft, they’re squishy, and they’re about the right shape. I grabbed one of those and a sharp knife.
Next, I measured the length of the barbell where I usually grip it, which was about 16 inches, give or take. I marked that length on the pool noodle and started cutting. It wasn’t the cleanest cut, but hey, it’s a pool noodle, not a piece of wood.
After that, I made a slit along the length of the pool noodle piece. This was a little tricky, I had to be careful not to cut all the way through. The goal was to create an opening so I could slip it onto the barbell.
Once the slit was done, I tried to put it on the barbell. It was a bit of a tight fit, but I managed to wiggle it on. It looked kind of funny, a bright blue pool noodle on a metal barbell, but I didn’t care, I was excited to try it out.
I loaded up the barbell with some weight, not too heavy, just enough to test it out. I got under the bar, positioned the pool noodle on my shoulders, and did a few squats.
- Comfort: Man, what a difference! It felt so much better on my shoulders, no more digging into my skin.
- Stability: The pool noodle stayed in place pretty well, didn’t move around too much.
- Durability: This is something I’ll have to see over time, but for now, it seems like it’ll hold up.
I did a few more sets, trying out hip thrusts too, and it worked great for those as well. I was really happy with how it turned out. I mean, it’s not the prettiest thing in the world, but it does the job, and that’s what matters.
My Takeaway
If you’re looking for a cheap and easy way to make your barbell workouts more comfortable, give this a try. It’s not rocket science, and you probably have most of the stuff you need lying around the house already. Plus, you get the satisfaction of making something yourself, which is always a good feeling.
