Barbells

Description

The barbell is the most efficient loading tool ever invented. Nothing else lets you add 2.5kg to a squat, week after week, for years. If you intend to get genuinely strong, this is the purchase that makes it possible, and it is the one component in a home gym where buying cheap tends to be a false economy, because a bad bar is unpleasant to hold, dangerous under load, and impossible to sell on.

Bar specifications, and what they actually change

• Length and weight: a standard 7ft Olympic bar weighs 20kg and is the default for a power rack. A women's bar is 15kg with a 25mm shaft. 6ft bars suit tighter rooms but hold less and flex more.

• Sleeve diameter: 50mm is the Olympic standard, and every plate we sell uses a 50.4mm bore to match. A 1-inch standard bar takes a completely different plate.

• Sleeve rotation: bushings are cheaper, quieter and perfectly adequate for powerlifting. Needle bearings spin faster and smoother, which matters for cleans, snatches and jerks.

• Tensile strength: expressed in PSI, this is the bar's resistance to bending permanently. Higher figures mean the bar survives being loaded heavily and dropped.

• Knurling: the diamond-cut grip pattern. Aggressive knurl holds better on deadlifts; passive knurl is kinder for high-rep and pressing work.

• Centre knurl: grips the shirt during heavy back squats. Some lifters find it abrasive on cleans; it is a genuine preference, not a quality marker.

Choosing by discipline

For powerlifting, squat, bench, deadlift, you want a stiffer bar with bushings, moderate to aggressive knurl, and a centre knurl. For Olympic weightlifting, you want bearings, more whip and no aggressive centre knurl. For general strength training and CrossFit-style work, a well-made dual-marked multipurpose bar covers everything you will realistically do, and is what we recommend to most home gym buyers.

Looking after a bar

A barbell needs less maintenance than people fear, but it does need some. Brush the knurl with a nylon brush every few weeks to clear chalk and skin, wipe the shaft with a lightly oiled cloth to displace sweat, and never store a bar loaded or leaning at an angle for long periods. Store it horizontally on a rack, or vertically in a barbell holder. Loaded storage is what puts a permanent bend in an otherwise good bar.

Completing the setup

A bar needs somewhere to sit, something to load and somewhere to land. That means a power rack or half rack, a set of weight plates, barbell collars to stop plates sliding, and rubber flooring if you deadlift. For curls and triceps work, an EZ bar is a worthwhile second bar.

FAQs

What size barbell should I buy?

A 7ft, 20kg Olympic bar with 50mm sleeves is the standard choice and fits any power rack. A 15kg women's bar has a thinner 25mm shaft that suits smaller hands. Only choose a 6ft bar if your room genuinely cannot take a 7ft one.

What is the difference between a bushing and a bearing barbell?

Bushings are sleeve inserts that rotate steadily, cheaper, quieter and ideal for powerlifting. Needle bearings spin faster and more smoothly, which matters when the bar has to rotate quickly in cleans, snatches and jerks.

Will your plates fit my barbell?

Every plate we sell has a 50.4mm Olympic bore and fits any 2-inch Olympic sleeve, including all bars in this collection. If you own a 1-inch standard bar, you need standard plates instead — the two are not interchangeable.

How do I stop a barbell rusting?

Brush the knurl with a nylon brush to clear chalk and skin, then wipe the shaft with a lightly oiled cloth to displace sweat. Store the bar unloaded and horizontal on a rack, or vertically in a holder, never loaded or leaning at an angle.