Everything to know about weight barbells

Everything to know about weight barbells

In the world of fitness, many individuals move on with strength training exercises. These help to burn more calories than usual and keep them fit. But, before moving ahead further, are you aware of barbells? Well, check out this article to know more about weight barbells and their various types.

What are the various barbells at the gym?

When you’re doing some exercises at the gym, you will come across many barbells. These are designed for certain exercises and lifting techniques. Once you start using these, you stimulate different muscles. Let’s now check the barbells ahead.

Various Barbell Weights

At the gym, many barbells differ from one another. This can be the case even though the barbells appear similar. But, if the barbell’s weight is not written at the end, then check it out with the trainer. A brief conversation will help you confirm more about the weights.

Standard Barbells

Most of the time, a standard barbell is around 45 pounds. As it’s 7 feet across the length, it can be used for deadlifts and squats. Moreover, you can also carry out overhead presses and bent-over rows. But, as the sleeves are small in diameter, you may need adapters. You can buy these sleeves after observing the place where the weights are loaded. Such barbells can be used by beginners or those who have limited space.

Olympic Barbells

Olympic barbells are quite similar to standard barbells. But, these differ because they have rotating sleeves. These help reduce friction and enable smoother motion during dynamic lifts. Hence, these are ideal for high-performance exercises like snatches and clean and jerks. Athletes and powerlifters also prefer these barbells because they can handle heavy loads.

Women's Barbells

Among weight barbells, you will find a women’s bar weighing 35 pounds. Besides, these are 7 feet across the length. Apart from being thin, these are slightly shorter. The bars are also light in weight and are easier to hold. Individuals who have less physical strength can further use these barbells. But, less stability is required to carry out the exercises. This is because the weight plates are closer to each other.

Trap or Hex Bars

As the name implies, these bars are in the shape of a hexagon. The weight of such barbells is anything between 35 and 65 pounds. Even when these are designed primarily for deadlifts, they can be used for shrugs and squats. The unique hexagonal shape also enables the individual to maintain an upright posture during lifts. The design also reduces the strain on the lower back. This is due to the fact that the design shifts the load to a natural position.

EZ Bars

Such bars appear distinct due to the W-like shape in the middle. While these weigh 20 to 40 pounds most of the time, they are shorter than the standard ones. Athletes also use these to perform bicep curls, rowing movements, and tricep exercises. Once he starts with the set of exercises, he can focus on building diverse muscle groups.

Triceps Bars

Triceps bars are weight barbells designed for enhancing the triceps strength. These are quite smaller than other bars and are compact in size. So, you can perform the tricep moves with a neutral grip and with an ergonomic wrist position. By reducing the strain on wrists, these further help to focus on the tricep muscles. Additionally, you can develop your arms to a considerable extent. The bars are also effective for controlled motions of the arms.

Safety Squat Bars

Safety squat bars are always designed to offer extra comfort and support. This is required when you’re carrying out squats. As compared to conventional straight bars, these have angled shoulder pads. While individuals use these bars, they can certainly maintain an upright posture. These are also preferred when individuals have shoulder mobility issues. The unique design, eventually, helps to attain stability while performing squats.

Swiss or Multi-Grip Bars

If you observe multi-grip bars, then these are nothing but metallic ladders. They are also relatively smaller than standard bars. The weight also lies between 35 and 55 pounds. Mostly, you can use these when you wish to secure your grip for upper body exercises. Bench presses, row exercises, and overhead presses that you can perform with comfort. Its versatility also helps to target different muscles with various grip positions.

Smith Machine Bars

Such types of weight barbells enable you to perform various movements during lunges and bench presses. Apart from this, the weight of such bars is between 30 and 55 pounds. You can also maintain balance because the bars move along a fixed path. As a result, you wouldn’t feel the bar’s weight when you’re lifting in a certain manner.

Why use weight locks and clips?

There are many reasons why you must use weight clips and locks. Let’s check the advantages ahead.

Safety:
Weight clips and locks are used to ensure safety. While these securely fasten the weight plates, they prevent them from slipping off. This reduces the risks of accidents and mitigates the chances of the plates falling off.

Stability:
Using locks and clips offers stability during various exercises. These may include deadlifts, Olympic lifts, and squats. Once the locks keep the weight plates in place, they help maintain a balanced load. The barbell will also not shift unexpectedly while exercising.

Focus on Performance:
When weight clips are used, individuals can focus on the technique and strength. They no longer have to worry about the plates’ safety. This helps in enhancing the overall performance and focus on executing the lift.

Eventually, using weight clips is one of the gym etiquettes. The use can also promote a  safe environment when fitness enthusiasts are busy with exercises.

What are the types of gym weight plates?

When you start visiting the gym, you will observe many types of weight plates. These are suitable specific exercises when you use weight barbells.

Standard Weight Plates:
These are the most common types of weight plates. They feature a 1-inch diameter hole right in the central position. People use these whenever they want to perform strength training exercises. Standard weight plates are generally used in small commercial gyms and home gyms.

Olympic Weight Plates:
The Olympic weight plates are used along with Olympic barbells. These have a 2-inch diameter sleeve and are designed from steel. Mostly, the weight plates are used in gyms where people focus on powerlifting and strength training. They are also available in different sizes that are meant for squats, Olympic lifts, and deadlifts.

Bumper Plates:
Bumper plates are generally made from dense rubber. People also use these for Olympic weightlifting as they can be dropped safely. Performing dynamic lifts with these plates is also common. This is owing to the fact that the plates don’t damage the floor even if they are dropped suddenly.

Powerlifting Plates:
Powerlifting Plates are usually heavier than the standard ones. While these are designed for powerlifting, they can be used for squats. Lifters who are looking forward to lifting maximum weight can also use such plates.

Hex Plates:
These weight plates are hexagonal in nature. Ideally, people use these plates when they have to be frequently carried from one place to the other. Due to the handles, people can also find it easier to carry them to another place.

Fractional Plates:
These plates are small in size, and they range from 0.5 kg to 2.5 kg. Fitness enthusiasts use these plates when they wish to increase the weights during strength training. This helps to proceed with small progressions between the lifts.

In addition to the above weight plates, individuals also use urethane-coated plates. These are quite strong due to the steel core and the urethane coating. The plates also last for a long time compared to standard rubber-coated plates.

Conclusion

Finally, many factors have to be taken into account before selecting weight barbells. You will have to consider the training goals, along with the type of lifts. In case you wish to carry out strength training exercises, consider Olympic barbells. On the other hand, if you’re seeking women’s barbells, then ensure that they are lighter in weight. To target certain muscles, you can even think about purchasing safety squat bars.

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