Standard Weight Bars and Olympic Barbell for Sale

You might be exercising with different barbells in the gym, but have you ever wondered how they differ except for weight and height? There are two different types of bars; standard weight bars and Olympic weight bars. Barbells are long straight metal bars that can be used for strength-training exercises like squats, deadlifts, presses, curls, and rows. Many of our clients ask us about the differences between a standard and an olympic barbell while buying the perfect bar for their fitness. Below, we have compiled a knowledgebase to describe different types of barbells.

Standard Weight Bar

Standard weight bars are normally 7ft long. These bars have locks  on both sides that stops the weight plates from slipping to the center. When best practices are followed, the bars don’t usually bend. The standard bars are versatile enough to be used for various exercises like bench presses, squats, deadlifts. If you are a beginner, then you will learn various new weightlifting skills with this standard bar and if you are intermediate, gradually you get stronger, learn different patterns of workout, and will require a more specialized bar later.  

Olympic Weightlifting Bar

Olympic weightlifting barbells are slightly different from standard bars. There are two lifts that make up Olympic weight lifting; ‘Snatch’ and ‘Clean and Jerk’. The structure of both the barbells looks similar but the sleeve of the Olympic barbell is wider at 2 inches in diameter, and usually has bearings and bushings to reduce stress on wrists and making it easy for the lifter to hold the grip. The knurling varies by barbell type, for example, some power bars have aggressive knurling for deadlifts.

Lastly, the ends of Olympic barbells are thicker than standard barbells and designed for different weights. So, if you plan to get add Olympic barbells in your training, make sure you have a look at our collection to find your best match.   

Difference in Technicalities 

• Standard barbells are shorter and lighter compared to Olympic barbells due to which they acquire less space. However, the Olympic bars have traits like better quality, functionality, and several others.  
• Olympic bars are easier to catch and spin due to the bearings and bushings which make them less stressful on arms and wrists.