olympic bar or standard?

[avpt12]

7ft, 2" bar or 5ft, 1" bar?

im building a home gym in my garage and i dont have masses of space..i want to know the benefits of using an olympic bar? is it necessary? they are much more expensive, but if it is worth it, i will spend it.

thanks.

[back-in-da-game]

I believe they are preferred because they will hold more weight and they are what most people are used to from going to gyms. Depending on your needs you may be able to get away with a standard set but I know I much prefer olympic and just plain wouldn't want standard... just my opinion...

[headhuntr]

Depending on the standard bar you get, most only support somewhere near 270 lbs or so (I think that's what a 5ft standard York spinlock bark is at now anyway). Olympic bars support a lot more. That would be one reason to go for an olympic. If you're never looking at lifting that much weight, then by all means you could more than likely achieve all your goals and exercises with a standard.

[Werloc]

All depends on what your doing with it, what bench you'll have, etc. I started off with standard, then while accumulating more equipment, I had to go to Olympic size. Once you start looking at benches/racks, how wide the uprights are, you'll see what I mean.

[IvankoBarbellCo]

Depends upon the quality of the bar. Home stuff isn't what it used to be.
It's difficult (impossible?) to walk into any sporting goods store anymore and walk out with a high quality set.

You used to be able to get 100, 75, 50 lb. standard plates. We have them, and occasionally sell them. We still make a standard bar (the B-86) in the USA, mainly for export, that is made from the same steel as our Olympic bars.

Vinko

[Kion]

Depending on the standard bar you get, most only support somewhere near 270 lbs or so (I think that's what a 5ft standard York spinlock bark is at now anyway). Olympic bars support a lot more. That would be one reason to go for an olympic. If you're never looking at lifting that much weight, then by all means you could more than likely achieve all your goals and exercises with a standard.

A standard bar can only hold 270lbs? Is that at a safe recommended level or is that the max?

[headhuntr]

I had a York standard spinlock barbell and typically that was the weight that was advertized for the 5ft. I had the 6ft, which can hold about the same. It's on their website and other sites too:
http://www.yorkfitness.com/Standard-...rbell-Bar.html
http://www.yorkfitness.com/Standard-...rbell-Bar.html

It would vary from brand to brand and bar to bar depending on the quality I guess.

Cheers!

[Kiz]

i have both, an olympic as well as a standard, but first started working out with only a standard set of weights, THEN after a while and after i got some money saved up, i went and bought a Power Tec leverage home gym which came complete with 250 pounds of olympic weights and the Bar (the bar came free).... bought it all for $800-850.

i used the standard bar and weight set VERY regularly before i bought my gym and got the Olympic bar for free, so much that the Standard bar (the area thats used for grip became completely smooth and was showing wear and tear. so now i use the olympic and leverage gym/weight set VERY regularly =) and im very VERY satisfied with the results ive gotten so far.

[FOOFAC]

I've had over 500 lbs on standard bars and only bent them a little so it's not like they will break and impale you. If they do don't blame me. lol If you are going to be using heavy weights you are better off with an olympic bar but I wouldn't get the cheap crap because I find it bounces around too much. A bar that is rated for either 1000 or 1500 lbs should resolve the issue so look up power bar or texas power bar.

[avpt12]

thank you for your help everyone

i wont be doing weights anywhere in the region of 300 for the time being so that wont be an issue

the rack im looking at buying is almost 50" wide. would a standard bar be ok?

[IUPUI]

Just go to the gym...at least in 2 months when this fad dies out for you, you can just cancel your membership at the gym. (serious)

[smokeater]

7ft, 2" bar or 5ft, 1" bar?

im building a home gym in my garage and i dont have masses of space..i want to know the benefits of using an olympic bar? is it necessary? they are much more expensive, but if it is worth it, i will spend it.

thanks.

What makes Olympic bars different is their strength. A 1" bar will start to compromise when you load anything heavier than 200lbs. If you wish to purchase any machines you may find your options are limited to Olympic sizes. Eventually, when you become stronger, you'll be forced to transition to Olympic plates because the 1" bars just aren't strong enough.

7' bars provide the maximum working area so you can comfortable do any barbell exercise. 5' bars you can still do all exercises with, but it's more tricky because you've got less space to work with. I tried a 5' barbell a few years ago and found it was useful for things like curls and in exercises where I used lighter weights. The only bad part was finding racks that were compatible was hard. When I built my home gym I built it without a 5' barbell.

[avpt12]

in that case i think i might buy a 7ft 1" bar. if i buy a 2" bar ill have to buy a 2" EZ bar, and 2" dumbell handles to go with the weights and it will end up costing a lot more that i wanted...when i am lifting 200+ i will get and olympic...how does that sound?

[deseee]

in that case i think i might buy a 7ft 1" bar. if i buy a 2" bar ill have to buy a 2" EZ bar, and 2" dumbell handles to go with the weights and it will end up costing a lot more that i wanted...when i am lifting 200+ i will get and olympic...how does that sound?

if your squatting or deadlifting with those bars you'll be over 200 real quick. If I was you I'd just buy the best 7ft olympic i can afford first and not worry about it for the rest of your life. then just watch out for a deal on curl and db's on CL. or if you need them immediately Walmart has them for 37.77 for all 3 but they are gold's gym and hollow.