In order to end up with the barbell best suited to your needs, you have to clearly understand what you are looking for and what options are available to you. This is done by researching in two areas.
Firstly, you research the market to find out what kinds of barbells are available, familiarizing yourself with the different features, styles and price ranges etc. Secondly, you examine your own unique requirements in a barbell.
Research the market: Barbell essentials
When considering your home gym choices, barbells are a “must have” addition. Not only do barbells offer a number of exercise options, they are considerably less expensive than high-end home gym units and can help you to accomplish the same fitness goals.
The first part of the research step is to investigate just what's available in the barbell market. The range of options can seem overwhelming, but you can make a good start by understanding the following major features:
Type: There are two main types of barbells: Olympic and Standard. The Olympic bar is a long heavy duty bar which weighs 45 pounds. Standard bars can come in different weights and tend to be shorter. Olympic bars are ultra accurate weight-wise while Standard bars are less accurate but also less expensive.
There are two other types of common barbells. These are fixed weight bars on which you can't change the weights and short light-weight bars (usually made from plastic) that are used in classes.
Configuration: There are variations on the barbell theme. You can get contoured bars, bars with special handgrips, smaller bars designed for arm work, and bars that you can actually stand in to do dead lifts or shrugs. These can be good additions if you already own an all-purpose barbell.
Quality: Barbells come in three general levels of quality: Low-end consumer, Mid-range, and Commercial. Low-end barbells will have a lower initial cost, while commercial barbells last longer and take more abuse.
Plates: Your bar (Olympic/Standard) determines the type of plates you get. You also have the choice between fixed plates (the weight stays on) and the more standard removable.
Tip: Some plates have cut outs which you can use as hand grips that make putting on and removing the plates much easier. Also plates can either come as sand filled, solid iron or rubber coated. Iron is much more durable but rubber-coated are easier to handle and make less noise. Sand filled is the least durable.
Research your needs: Questions to ask yourself
Now it's time to determine what your requirements are in a barbell. For example, will you use the barbell only for a few exercises or is it an integral part of your fitness routine?
You can start this process by considering the following questions - as well as any others you think of yourself - and recording your answers.
| What exactly do you want to get out of your barbell purchase? |
| | Are you looking to bulk up? Increase your strength? Gain muscular endurance? Or a combination of all of these? Perhaps you are looking to lift weights competitively. |
| What areas of your body do you want to work on? |
| | Most people will recognize a barbell being used in the classic chest bench press. However, barbells can also be used to work the shoulders, back, biceps, triceps, forearms and legs (quadriceps, calves). |
| Have you used a barbell before? |
| | Are you familiar with the different exercises you can do with a barbell? Have you been shown how to do barbell exercises properly? Barbells are usually used for more advanced resistance training. If you've never used a barbell before you may want to go to a gym or use a friend's equipment before you invest in any of your own. |
| How strong are you now? |
| | Can you lift or press 45 pounds? The bar itself can weigh up to 45 pounds before you put any extra weight on it. |
| Where will you store your barbell? |
| | A barbell can be over 6 feet long. Have you got a designated space for your barbell and plates? Perhaps you will need to put them away each time you use them. |
| Do you have any health conditions that need to be factored into your purchase? |
| | If you are over 40, more than 20 pounds overweight, have high blood pressure or are just beginning an exercise regimen, it may be a good idea to speak to your doctor first. |
| Do you have any joint injuries? |
| | Barbells are designed for lifting heavy weight. Using one can produce quite a lot of stress on your joints. Ensure you avoid exercises that can irritate existing injuries and use proper form when lifting. |
Understanding your needs is the key to a successful purchase and you can revisit your list of needs at any time during the buying process.
Once you complete this Research step, having informed yourself about the essentials of barbells and identified your needs, you are ready to move on to the next step: Evaluation.
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