Is my new bar decent?

[pryme]

So I am putting together a decent home gym, and just bought an oly bar. a Hampton 700lb rated bar. is this a decent all around bar for the big 3 lifts?

I now have a power rack, over 700lbs of plates, most bought on craigslist, 2 adj. benches, an assortment of dumbbells, db rack and plate tree, an elliptical, a couple stability balls, an ab roller wheel, a plate loadable wrist roller, a few curl bars, ez, and a tri D bar also put down some 5/8in thick rubber horse stall mats that are great.

Going to still build a dead plateform, buy more plates/dumbbells, and a few more things.

[Jason2459]

You want some type of 1500lbs power bar and would be good for you're first all around do everything with bar.

[Torrtrefireto]

You want it to either be 28, 28.5, or 29mm. I've used a hampton before and it was 32mm, hurt like a bitch and sucked for deadlifting

[dan_g_28]

Just start using it and decide it you like it, or if you feel like its worth upgrading. I have a feeling you'll want to upgrade it, tho.

[817boy]

I just got a Buddy Capps Texas Power Bar and i love it.

Got it off ebay for $279.99 w/ free shipping

[Bruce44]

So I am putting together a decent home gym, and just bought an oly bar. a Hampton 700lb rated bar. is this a decent all around bar for the big 3 lifts?

I now have a power rack, over 700lbs of plates, most bought on craigslist, 2 adj. benches, an assortment of dumbbells, db rack and plate tree, an elliptical, a couple stability balls, an ab roller wheel, a plate loadable wrist roller, a few curl bars, ez, and a tri D bar also put down some 5/8in thick rubber horse stall mats that are great.

Going to still build a dead plateform, buy more plates/dumbbells, and a few more things.

700lbs rated bar is meant for 700lbs brand new out of the box. I'm not sure what regular bending, wear and tear would do to it. It seems kind of light to me. Specially with your build you might get close to that 700lbs sooner than you think. How is the bending resistance to it. My gym uses 700lbs bars and they are all bowed after a 2 months. IDK maybe it's just the cheap company my gym goes through.

[pryme]

You want it to either be 28, 28.5, or 29mm. I've used a hampton before and it was 32mm, hurt like a bitch and sucked for deadlifting

I have not pulled with it yet only bench squat and ohp. It does seem thicker than the bars at the gym but has much smoother rolling ends than dumppy gym bars. And the knurling is nice. I like that it has knurling in the center.

[pryme]

700lbs rated bar is meant for 700lbs brand new out of the box. I'm not sure what regular bending, wear and tear would do to it. It seems kind of light to me. Specially with your build you might get close to that 700lbs sooner than you think. How is the bending resistance to it. My gym uses 700lbs bars and they are all bowed after a 2 months. IDK maybe it's just the cheap company my gym goes through.

I do not hit anything in the 700s. Hit 675 rack pull though not with this bar.

[Torrtrefireto]

I have not pulled with it yet only bench squat and ohp. It does seem thicker than the bars at the gym but has much smoother rolling ends than dumppy gym bars. And the knurling is nice. I like that it has knurling in the center.

I know exactly what bar you are describing, worked at a few places that use it

Yeah, its not the best ever, but as long as its not painful (thick bars kill my wrists) then its no big deal. Might want to upgrade someday, especially if you plan on competing in a federation that uses 28-29mm bars, I'd say its probably not your top priority

[Link815]

Hamptons are cheap crappy bars. Basically the reason they're so thick is because they use crap steel and try to compensate for the crap steel by making them thicker. 700lb test doesn't really mean anything. That just means it didn't deform with 700 pounds static on it. Real bar strength is measured by the psi of the steel. When the bar is actually under load the psi rating is the yield strength basically meaning it can handle that much stress without undergoing plastic deformation (permanent bow, bend, etc). I would recommend a Texas Power Bar, they can be found for around $250 and will handle most anything you can do to them. High end bars are going to run $1000 and aren't worth the difference from a TPB.

[4America]

Would recommend a Texas Power Bar like Link815 said. Great bar for a good price

[HamburgerTrain]

You want it to either be 28, 28.5, or 29mm. I've used a hampton before and it was 32mm, hurt like a bitch and sucked for deadlifting

I do all of my training on a 32mm bar. It makes a competition DL bar feel like I'm going to snap it in half.

[Bruce44]

Hamptons are cheap crappy bars. Basically the reason they're so thick is because they use crap steel and try to compensate for the crap steel by making them thicker. 700lb test doesn't really mean anything. That just means it didn't deform with 700 pounds static on it. Real bar strength is measured by the psi of the steel. When the bar is actually under load the psi rating is the yield strength basically meaning it can handle that much stress without undergoing plastic deformation (permanent bow, bend, etc). I would recommend a Texas Power Bar, they can be found for around $250 and will handle most anything you can do to them. High end bars are going to run $1000 and aren't worth the difference from a TPB.

That's what I was thinking. Static weight is very different from weight that is moving or bouncing during squats or deadlifts. It's a weird analogy but it's kind of the same as fishing line. You can have a 10lbs test line but thats static weight. If you were to take 10lbs tie it with the same line and drop it making a yanking motion, the line would break.

[Torrtrefireto]

I do all of my training on a 32mm bar. It makes a competition DL bar feel like I'm going to snap it in half.

A 32mm bar makes me wrists snap in half squatting, but we squat different

[pryme]

I do all of my training on a 32mm bar. It makes a competition DL bar feel like I'm going to snap it in half.

The thicker bar probably limits the amount you lift a small amount too?

[Jason2459]

The thicker bar probably limits the amount you lift a small amount too?

That's kind of the point. I'm with Hamburger on this too. The jessup gym 1500 power bar is my favorite training bar. Its cheap, awesome knurling, extremely stiff, and is around 31-32mm thick. It makes training harder which makes you stronger. Its not how much you lift in the gym but how much you total in a meet. I absolutely love going to meets and using the bars there. Feels so much easier and that's where I want my PRs.

[pryme]

That's kind of the point. I'm with Hamburger on this too. The jessup gym 1500 power bar is my favorite training bar. Its cheap, awesome knurling, extremely stiff, and is around 31-32mm thick. It makes training harder which makes you stronger. Its not how much you lift in the gym but how much you total in a meet. I absolutely love going to meets and using the bars there. Feels so much easier and that's where I want my PRs.

Makes sense. I doubt it matters much on squat and bench though. For sure I cant see it lowering squat totals.

[Jason2459]

Makes sense. I doubt it matters much on squat and bench though. For sure I cant see it lowering squat totals.

I don't feel much of a difference in squats but I don't fully grip the bar like turtle might. But you'd be surprised at the bench. I feel going from thicker to thinner bar on the bench makes it easier in a meet as well. The deadlift is definitely the biggest benefactor.

[pryme]

I don't feel much of a difference in squats but I don't fully grip the bar like turtle might. But you'd be surprised at the bench. I feel going from thicker to thinner bar on the bench makes it easier in a meet as well. The deadlift is definitely the biggest benefactor.

yeah I can see it helping bench some. Good info

[nsurdis]

At this point don't sweat the bar. Focus on making the lifts. A good lifter will lift strong with a $49 Walmart bar or a $1000 bar. Yes whippy bars add to your deadlift.

I train on **** YMCA bars and pull with their crappy 15.75" 45lb plates. Every pull is like a 1" deficit.. But then when you get to meet day.. You use the real stuff.

Taking the time to improve ones form and strength will make much more difference in ones total than worrying about what damn bar to use.

"Oh gee I missed that lift because my bar is bad"

No, you missed the lift because either you aren't strong enough, your form broke down, or you lost focus.

My 2.65 cents lol