Standard Barbells

Barbells are a very popular form of weight training equipment. Professional bodybuilders to fitness enthusiasts in gyms, fitness classes and at home use barbells with weight plates to support their strength training goals, whether that be to build muscle or generally tone. Used with weight plates, barbells are highly effective in building your strength as they require you to utilise your stabilising muscles to lift the weights, rather than rely on weight machines, which can also be restrictive. You have to use your own power. Training with barbells also provides you with more natural movement so you can perform a wider range of exercises. Additionally, barbells are far more space efficient than weight machines, making them very handy for using at home.

Different types of Barbells

Standard barbells: These are recommended for beginners and non-advanced weight lifters. They are to be used with standard weight plates, which have a 1” diameter hole. Standard weight plates range from 0.5-25kg. A standard barbell maximum weight is approximately 120kg.

Olympic barbells: These are recommended for intermediate and advanced weight lifters. Stronger than standard bars, they are to be used with Olympic weight plates, which have a 2” diameter hole. Olympic weight plates range from 1.25-50kg. An Olympic barbell maximum weight is approximately 750kg.

Some barbells come with knurled handles for improved grip. To secure weights, they either come with spinlock collars, spring collars. Alternatively, fixed barbells will come with a fixed weight included. These cannot be adjusted.