TDL or power bar

[pakos89]

Up until now i ve been deadlifting with a thinner bar(prly26 or 27mm) and doing benches and squats with a stiff olympic bar.I once tried deadlifting with the stiff bar and i didnt like it at all.iam now thinking about leaving my gym,and creating my own home gym.If i had to pick 1 bar for my home gym,should i go with the texas deadlift bar?Or is it completely unsuitable for bench and squats?And what about the ohio or texas power bar?Are these two bars too stiff for deads?

[scotpak1979]

Buy the TPB. Great for all lifts and relatively cheap. Ive had it in my home gym for a few years now and its been solid.

I would only buy a DL bar if I had money to spare, was buying a 2nd bar and competed in a FED which used them.

[pakos89]

does the TPB have good whip?cause its fairly thick @28.5mm..Also,would a rogue bar 2.0 be worth considering?

[itsagoodday]

Buy the TPB. Great for all lifts and relatively cheap. Ive had it in my home gym for a few years now and its been solid.

I would only buy a DL bar if I had money to spare, was buying a 2nd bar and competed in a FED which used them.

^^ Agreed. Either the Ohio or Texas power bar would be a good choice if it's going to be your only bar. They will both be stiffer to deadlift with, but perfect for bench and squats.

Using a deadlift bar as an all-around bar won't work at all, they are optimized for deadlifting only. You really do NOT want bar whip on bench and squats. Also, using a deadlift bar in a rack is a good way to ruin a deadlift bar...

[JiP]

I have a Texas power bar and love it.

[sperez21]

If you're making your own home gym, you'd be better off with an Ohio Power Bar from Rogue. Better quality IMO, I see TPB's getting bent left and right at my gym.

[Garage Rat]

Texas power bar would be your best all around bar.
The TDL bar is basically just for DL and really only if your going to use one in competition.
Years ago when i bought mine through elite fitness Dave Tate told me not to use it for rack pulls specifically or you'll ruin it because of it's flexability it will put a bend in it.
I would suspect the same would be true for heavy squats and BP's.

[NeverEnough89]

I have a TPB, have had it for a couple years almost. People have squatted up to 565 with it and it has some good whip to it. I would buy an Ohio Power Bar, if I were to do it all over again. Unless you plan to compete in a fed that uses the Deadlift bar, it's not necessary at all. OPB is an animal coming from a TPB, no whip.

[Aubelift]

Up until now i ve been deadlifting with a thinner bar(prly26 or 27mm) and doing benches and squats with a stiff olympic bar.I once tried deadlifting with the stiff bar and i didnt like it at all.iam now thinking about leaving my gym,and creating my own home gym.If i had to pick 1 bar for my home gym,should i go with the texas deadlift bar?Or is it completely unsuitable for bench and squats?And what about the ohio or texas power bar?Are these two bars too stiff for deads?

Don't go with a deadlift bar if you are only gonna get one. Stiff bar all the way.

[UncleWade]

If you're making your own home gym, you'd be better off with an Ohio Power Bar from Rogue. Better quality IMO, I see TPB's getting bent left and right at my gym.

I have actually seen quite the opposite in my experience with three different rec centers and two larger powerlifting gyms.

Ohio Power Bars are great bars but if mistreated they seem to bend sooner than a TPB.

OP, definitely would recommend a Texas Power Bar. There will be slightly less whip, but the knurling is solid for deadlifting.

A Texas Deadlift Bar is not suitable for squats - it has no center knurling, which is very important. Get the TPB first and then start saving!

[sperez21]

I have actually seen quite the opposite in my experience with three different rec centers and two larger powerlifting gyms.

Ohio Power Bars are great bars but if mistreated they seem to bend sooner than a TPB.

OP, definitely would recommend a Texas Power Bar. There will be slightly less whip, but the knurling is solid for deadlifting.

A Texas Deadlift Bar is not suitable for squats - it has no center knurling, which is very important. Get the TPB first and then start saving!

Interesting stuff! I think (at my gym anyway) our members treat the texas power bar more as a "general" bar and they don't really care if they get bent or not. Regardless of the bar, it's gonna bend and be crappy if treated like crap. If it's just you using the bar, and your training partners, I have no doubt the TPB will hold up.