A guide to choosing and buying the perfect weightlifting bar

Weightlifting is an ordinary kind of muscle training program for enhancing the energy and magnitude of skeletal muscles, which has millions of passionate people, including men, women and youth, investing their time, energy and money into it. This has also given rise to the buying and selling of weightlifting equipment such as barbells and dumbbells, etc.

Barbells, and the regular exercises we perform using them are much more efficacious, so far, than all other muscle strengthening equipment and approaches that have been introduced as of today. Some people even go as far to say that barbells are the heart and soul (as well as one of the most essential purchases) of a home gymnasium.

But, picking a barbell is a process that can get difficult as there are many options and varieties offered and unless you are an experienced lifter, it can get hard to know which setup is the perfect one for you. This essay can direct you through the decision-making process so you can figure out the best barbell for your needs and goals.

BARBELL BASICS:

The size of the shaft of a commonly used barbell for men is around 28-29 mm diameter and for women, it is 25 mm. Barbells are available in a number of various kinds and sizes, but the model length for barbells for men is 7.2 feet and for women, it is 6.5 ft. They weigh 44 pounds 20 kg) for males and 33 pounds (15kg for females).

The primary thing we notice is the bar or the pole itself, which is also known as the shaft. The bar has to go through a significant machining procedure, which results in proper dimensions such as the length and width.

Then, on the handle itself, we see a kind of pattern etched into the bar called knurling, which is typically the coarse, crosshatched structure and design that we see on the barbell and is extremely important because it is primarily there so we can be capable of getting a firm hold on the pole. The knurls of the bar are machine-pressed and may be exceptionally rough, or smooth. This texture entirely depends on the manufacturer.

Next, we see the knurl marks, which are small sections towards both ends of the shaft where there’s no knurl, which indicates legal/illegal grip width to competitive powerlifters and weightlifters.

Then, we have the sleeves, the place where we simply put the weight plates, also known as just weights. Sleeves are produced from drawn-over-mandrel (DOM) tubing, a machining process which ensures that the sleeves are upright and firm.

You have to make sure the gyration, or how the sleeves turn on the pole, is the way you prefer it. Along with the sleeves we have collars, which are separate components that go on the sleeves and secure your weight plates to the bar.

Then we have the weight plates themselves, which are available in many different kinds including two major ones – bumper plates and metal plates. These plates must be 450mm disks with a 50mm opening. If powerlifting (squat, bench press, and deadlift) is your thing, then you will be just fine with iron plates.

But if you plan on making use of the barbell very frequently when you are performing a CrossFit drill exercise or are training for Olympic weightlifting, bumper weights are what you’re going to need as recommended by Fitnessator.

Then, obviously, we come to the main thing: the barbell strength. The power of a barbell is extremely important. In simple terms, tensile strength is the maximum amount of weight your bar can hold before it breaks. It is estimated in pounds per square inch (PSI), or usually, we measure in kilopounds per square inch (KSI). And yield strength can be explained as the quantity of weight which we can put on a bar for it to bend and stay bent.

KINDS OF BARBELLS

There are two broad types of bars and everything you buy will depend on which category you go with:

1. Standard bars

   Standard bars are barbells which have a sleeve opening that is 1″ thick, and the weight plates that integrate on to these barbells will evidently have a 1″ gap cut into them. The shafts of standard barbells are usually 27 – 28 mm in diameter. The knurls are seldom machined with any actual intent in mind, and can differ considerably from bar-to-bar.

   The sleeves of these bars can be smooth, or on the other hand, they can be threaded. The length of standard bars will probably vary between 5′, 6′ and 7′, and the load of the handle will also range between roughly 4.5 lbs. – 26.5 lbs., depending upon who the manufacturer is.
   A standard bar should be invested in when scheming to do some low impact exercising at home so you can build some muscle and get into shape; or when you plan on indulging in weighted cardio.

2. Olympic bars

   In comparison to a standard bar, a good Olympic bar may look positively superior. The primary dissimilarity between a normal bar and an Olympic bar is that Olympic bars comprise of thicker, 2″ sleeves which spin around the shaft. This gyration is created by either bearings or lining.

   Another major difference is that you cannot use standard weight plates on Olympic bars because Olympic bars only receive ‘Olympic’ plates with a 2″ hole. The handles of the bars are more accurately fabricated, and are made from much better quality.
   These bars are used in power lifting and weightlifting competitions, obviously including the Olympics.

Price

You can get an Olympic barbell for as less as $100, and as much as $1000. It’s important to remember that you get what you pay for. For beginners, an excellent quality multi-purpose barbell is the best call, and these usually cost around $200 to $400.

We know that sounds a bit pricey, but trust us when we say that you’ll regret going cheap on your bar. Save up when buying weight plates, collars, etc. Frankly, if you’re serious about your muscle training, then spend your cash because there’s nothing worse than training with a crappy bar, especially when buying a good one can last you a lifetime.

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