The Strength Sensei on Buying Barbells

The Strength Sensei on Buying Barbells

What to look for in this fundamental training tool

 

Gym owners frequently asked Charles R. Poliquin what equipment he recommended. For barbells, the short answer would be, “You only pay for quality once, so buy Eleiko!” For those who can’t afford $1,000+ barbells, let’s explore some guidelines to select the best bars for your budget.

Although you would think this information would be common knowledge in large commercial gyms, it’s not. Gym owners would have no problem spending several thousand dollars for an abdominal crunch machine (seriously, there is at least one unit that retails for north of $4,000!) but spending more than a few hundred bucks for a barbell is just too much.

Olympic barbells are broken down into those used for weightlifting, those for a powerlifting competition, and general-purpose barbells that are considered a hybrid of both – more on the distinctions of each in a bit. There are six main features of an Olympic bar:

  1. PSI Rating. The quality of the steel used in Olympic bars is measured by yield strength, which is how much stress is required to bend a barbell so that it stays bent. That stress is described as PSI, or pounds per square inch. The higher the number, the better the barbell quality. The typical entry-level barbell will have a rating of 150,00 PSI. An Eleiko competition barbell, considered the standard in the industry, will have a PSI rating of 215,000.

One famous strongman test was the Apollon Axle, a set of railway car wheels joined by a 1.93-inch-thick axle. It weighed 366 pounds and had a yield strength of something like 26 tons, which is great for trains but not so much for lifting.

Weightlifter John Davis was one of the few lifters to lift the famous Apollon Axle, shown in the top photo of this book cover. Davis won Olympic gold twice and was the first to clean and jerk 400 pounds.

 

  1. Deformation. The quality of the steel as it relates to how much the bar bends is called its level of deformation. Another way to think of deformation is how much “whip” or “spring” the bar has (or, in the case of the Apollon Axle, none). Having more spring is valuable for a weightlifter who can use the elastic properties to assist with the lift, but too much spring is not suitable for powerlifting as it affects stability. If you want a brutal “core” workout, try doing heavy squats on a women’s Olympic barbell, which is considerably springier than a standard barbell.

In the 50s and 60s, York Barbell in Pennsylvania produced what was considered the premier barbell. However, they eventually moved much of their manufacturing to China, and the quality slipped. In 2010, a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research looked at the elastic qualities of the major manufacturers. The Eleiko bar led the field, followed by Useaka. Other barbells studied were York, Uddeholm, Iron Grip, and Mavrik.

A weightlifter can use the elastic properties of a barbell to help them lift heavier weights. (Photo by Ryan Paiva, LiftingLife.com)

 

  1. Knurling. To ensure a firm grip, crosshatch cuts are made in the barbell. The thickness of this knurling varies among manufacturers. The aggressiveness of the knurling varies with the type of barbell. For example, a powerlifting barbell will have thick center knurling better to secure the bar on the shoulders in the squat; however, center knurling is not recommended for Olympic barbells as it can tear the skin on the throat.

For weightlifting, the industry standard is the knurling designed by Eleiko resembles a waffle iron pattern. The Eleiko company was founded in 1927 in the Swedish town of Halmstad. At the time, the company was producing electrical appliances, including waffle irons. In 1957, the company went into the barbell business, and it’s the brand that Charles R. Poliquin endorses as the best in the business.

  1. Sleeve Design. Early barbells used hex bolts on the sleeves that often became loose. These were replaced by other designs, such as snap rings. The sleeves contain bushing or bearings. Bearings enable the barbell to spin faster, which is essential in weightlifting and worth the extra expense for these athletes.
  2. Finish. A barbell’s finish determines how well it is protected against corrosion and rush. The gold standard is polished stainless steel. Other finishes include zinc oxide, nickel, and chrome.
  3. Calibration. Barbells used in international weightlifting competitions have strict requirements on their weight, whereas some commercial bars may be off by a pound or more (not that you would notice). The problem is that an IWF-certified barbell will cost you considerably more than a non-certified barbell – the current cost of an Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Competition Bar is $1,216.

Most commercial gyms will have a standard Olympic bar with a yield strength of about 150,000 PSI. Gym owners often cut corners regarding barbells and are just fine with bushings sleeves and moderate knurling. Seldom will gyms carry specialized powerlifting or weightlifting bars, as often their bars are used for several exercises (and they may not know there is a difference). For example, one barbell might be used for power cleans, squats, and bench presses.

Powerlifting bars enhance performance in the bench press, squat, and deadlift. They will often have aggressive center knurling and bushing sleeves. Powerlifters want to be as stable as possible with the lift, so they don’t want the spin or whip of a weightlifting bar. Often the powerlifting bars have longer sleeves (and shorter distances between the inside collars) so that more plates can fit on them. That said, powerlifters often prefer deadlifting on a weightlifting bar because the elastic properties of the bar will enable the lifter to start from a slightly higher height, and this improved leverage enables them to lift more. Also, specialty deadlift bars are available for this purpose that are more flexible than powerlifting bars.

The weightlifting bar has more spring and rotation than the other two bars, enabling the athlete to turn the bar faster while reducing the stress on the wrists. Also, the weightlifter can use the increased flexibility of the bar to assist with performance, causing the bar to whip more aggressively. To avoid scrapping off the knurling, weightlifting bars should primarily be used on a lifting platform.

In a perfect world, a commercial gym will carry all three types of Olympic bars. If you have a home gym or are a gym owner and need a barbell, approach your purchase with the attitude that “You don’t buy barbells, you invest in barbells!” (TSS)

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