What is a good barbell?

[ClintonBoswell]

Hi everyone here is my first post ... I am looking for a barbell for my home gym. I am looking for one that the weights/ends don't spin around like you just oiled it and put new bearings on it. My favorite one I ever used was a high weight capacity black one at the gym I used to go to. After a quick curl with it the weights may spin 3/4 of a rotation. Anyways I quit going to the gym about a year ago and did a home gym with dumbbells, but doing 50 rep presses of 40lb dumbbells is starting to get boring fast. I usually do 140-300 lbs during a work out(not including bar). Starting with light high reps to heavy low reps. So I need a bar with decent capacity, and won't break my wrists when going beast.

right meow I am looking at this one Body Solid 7-Feet Olympic Bar on amazon, but may just ask the people at the gym what brand their black bar is.

[Farley1324]

Why wouldn't you want the sleeves to spin?

[ClintonBoswell]

When doing heavy sets say 315lbs my wrists tend the shake pretty good if the bars ends spin easily. I don't mind spinning on standing curls or behind head shoulder press. However I like minimal spinning on bench press. Basically minimal spinning means more friction on the ends meaning the bar doesn't move as easily. So I like some spinning, but not so much the bar can twist super easy. The gym had chrome (easy spinning) and black bars(less spinning), most heavy lifters preferred the black ones. It felt more solid and easier to handle.

another way to look at is is say you have your hands above your head and shake them a little back and forth. now take a easy spinning bar with some weights above your head and try to shake your hands like earlier, you'll notice little resistance causing your hands to shake about the same. now take the less spinning bar above your head and try to twist your wrists and you'll notice the more weights the more resistance and less your hands can shake like they did with no weights. In the end the less spinning helps prevent involuntary hand shaking and dropping the bar on yourself.

[ICEcap2]

Maybe a TPB, or learn to get better balance and control of the weights and your wrist.

[daniel327]

This is the best economy barbell in existence today:

http://www.amazon.com/CAP-Barbell-Ol...P+BARBELL+OB86

This:

In the end the less spinning helps prevent involuntary hand shaking and dropping the bar on yourself.

[rlundregan]

This is the best economy barbell in existence today:

http://www.amazon.com/CAP-Barbell-Ol...P+BARBELL+OB86

This:

Agree on both counts.

OP, I'm not trying to come across like a jerk, but it sounds like you are expecting your equipment to make up for shortcomings in either your form or your strength, which is asking for trouble.

FWIW, in my own opinion there is a lot to be said for "just shut up and lift". If you have shaky wrists or whatever, then it sounds like maybe you have some imbalance or weakness (unless you have an injury of some sort). Just lift, and lower the weight if you need to. Eventually you will build strength in your wrists or wherever so that holding the bar won't be shaky anymore.

You might also make a point of lifting with a partner or shooting some video of what you are talking about and posting it in the exercise forum. It is possible that your form is off.

[Domicron]

1) CAP OB-86B costs 130 bucks and is worth every penny

2) research proper grip and form

[zalcrux]

OP, Get an axle and press with it.

[smokeater]

When doing heavy sets say 315lbs my wrists tend the shake pretty good if the bars ends spin easily. I don't mind spinning on standing curls or behind head shoulder press. However I like minimal spinning on bench press. Basically minimal spinning means more friction on the ends meaning the bar doesn't move as easily. So I like some spinning, but not so much the bar can twist super easy. The gym had chrome (easy spinning) and black bars(less spinning), most heavy lifters preferred the black ones. It felt more solid and easier to handle.

another way to look at is is say you have your hands above your head and shake them a little back and forth. now take a easy spinning bar with some weights above your head and try to shake your hands like earlier, you'll notice little resistance causing your hands to shake about the same. now take the less spinning bar above your head and try to twist your wrists and you'll notice the more weights the more resistance and less your hands can shake like they did with no weights. In the end the less spinning helps prevent involuntary hand shaking and dropping the bar on yourself.

The spinning that you are describing, which is bothering your wrists, is actually an indication of problem with your grip placement and how you are holding the bar.

My guess is that you've been working with bars that have not been great quality and have compensated for that fact. Much like when you give a golfer a set of clubs that is not suited to their height and build, they will adjust their form to make those clubs work. The problem with this is that they will usually compromise their technique in order to make the clubs work. Human beings are naturally good at making things work for their anatomy and posture. Barbells are no different. You've likely had less than ideal form with cheaper barbells and when you work with better bars, that gets exploited.

Spend some time working on your grip and placement. Your body is trying to tell you something. When you resolve this problem, you'll be able to handle more weight safely. If you continue along with less than ideal form, you may run into injury. Wrists are something you don't want to chance. I've never known anybody to get a serious wrist injury and not battle problems for years afterwards.

[ClintonBoswell]

Been building for ~7 years. Off and on in there. I have naturally weak ankles and wrists and had to see a doctor about it a while back when playing sports in high school(they'd twist and sprain like crazy, doctor told me to try muscle concentration work outs or yoga and have been body building/yoga since). I always do a 45 or 90 degree elbow out depending on if I do diamond push ups too and touch the bar to my chest without arching my back. I don't do the monkey grip or w/e it is called(don't want the bar dropping on me) and keep my hands straight up with my arms. I just have bad wrists and when hitting my 300 lb max at 3-5 reps my muscles involuntarily shake, but a less spinning bar helps greatly reduce this and the feeling of dropping the bar.

I may just go with a smith machine if that's my best solution.

[Farley1324]

I may just go with a smith machine if that's my best solution.

Please no.

Also:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=142333271

[deiphid]

Working on improving your wrist strength is best.

Get some wrist wraps and use them for sets where your wrists are actually an issue. Much cheaper than a smith machine.

Good barbells are designed to spin, even powerlifting bars. If they didn't spin, the rotational inertia would roll the bar right out of your hands.

[zalcrux]

Working on improving your wrist strength is best.

http://www.gripfaq.com/Wrist_Strength_Exercises/

[Domicron]

Is it possible to use a dumbbell or something and show what your grip looks like supporting weight? Or have a friend snap the photo?

[Farley1324]

Is it possible to use a dumbbell or something and show what your grip looks like supporting weight? Or have a friend snap the photo?

Would his grip necessarily be the same?

I think he would need to capture his grip during a heavy workset, the type of which he is complaining about.

[Domicron]

Youre right? Just figured we might see something if he doesnt have someone to snap the photo.

[Farley1324]

Youre right? Just figured we might see something if he doesnt have someone to snap the photo.

I'm betting his cell phone will take video, and anybody can use YouTube or Vimeo or whatever

[Bench905]

and won't break my wrists when going beast. right meow

In the end the less spinning helps prevent involuntary hand shaking and dropping the bar on yourself.

I may just go with a smith machine if that's my best solution.

Troll alarm is sounding.

[Farley1324]

Troll alarm is sounding.

Mine's been at like Defcon 2 (remember, lower is closer to war) since the first post.

Hi everyone here is my first post ... I am looking for a barbell for my home gym. I am looking for one that the weights/ends don't spin around like you just oiled it and put new bearings on it. My favorite one I ever used was a high weight capacity black one at the gym I used to go to. After a quick curl with it the weights may spin 3/4 of a rotation. Anyways I quit going to the gym about a year ago and did a home gym with dumbbells, but doing 50 rep presses of 40lb dumbbells is starting to get boring fast. I usually do 140-300 lbs during a work out(not including bar). Starting with light high reps to heavy low reps. So I need a bar with decent capacity, and won't break my wrists when going beast.

right meow I am looking at this one Body Solid 7-Feet Olympic Bar on amazon, but may just ask the people at the gym what brand their black bar is.

Random new guy with no other posts just throws in that he's repping 345 lbs on the bench.

Yeah that pans out, what...never? lol

[cmarti063]

Mine's been at like Defcon 2 (remember, lower is closer to war) since the first post.

Random new guy with no other posts just throws in that he's repping 345 lbs on the bench.

Yeah that pans out, what...never? lol

Exactly. And weighing 78 kg, he could do a water cut to the 75 kg weight class and set a new American Record in the USAPL. He can rep out 345, so he could surely hit 402 for a single, right guys? Someone sponsor this man quick!

[struckleystrong]

shaky wrists go away in time, if you keep lifting heavy with good form. your body will adjust.

[smokeater]

Been building for ~7 years. Off and on in there. I have naturally weak ankles and wrists and had to see a doctor about it a while back when playing sports in high school(they'd twist and sprain like crazy, doctor told me to try muscle concentration work outs or yoga and have been body building/yoga since). I always do a 45 or 90 degree elbow out depending on if I do diamond push ups too and touch the bar to my chest without arching my back. I don't do the monkey grip or w/e it is called(don't want the bar dropping on me) and keep my hands straight up with my arms. I just have bad wrists and when hitting my 300 lb max at 3-5 reps my muscles involuntarily shake, but a less spinning bar helps greatly reduce this and the feeling of dropping the bar.

I may just go with a smith machine if that's my best solution.

If you are repping 300lbs on the bench then you do not have bad or weak wrists. When your muscles tremble when benching weight that is heavy for you, that is normal and happens to most people. If the bar spins in your hands, it is because you have an improper grip. The grip you are using, which is causing the bar to spin in your hands, is what is hard on the wrists. A proper grip aligns the bar in a straight line down your forearms which takes pressure off your wrists. Fix your form.

[Garage Rat]

Texas power bar by cap is a good barbell to buy.
Its a one time buy and will last a life time.

Work your wrists with plate curls(curling a weight plate with fingers on one side and thumb on the other side).
Barbell or dumbell wrist curls.
Wrist roller.
In the mean time use wrist wraps until your wrist strength catches up.

[2MoreRepz]

You could strengthen your wrists by jelquing to troll porn...

[irongym]

York #32004 Elite Power Bar. I have 4 of them at my gym, and love them.

irongym

[ctgblue]

When I incline 315, the bar never seems to move fast enough for the weights to spin at all.
I've never encountered weights so well balanced that they didn't settle before my initial lift off anyway.
I've got little girl wrists on a 6'2" 235lb frame, had wrist surgery to repair detached ligaments, I use APT Pro Wrist Wraps when I go past 275.

[ClintonBoswell]

Thanks for the advice went to a weight/bike shop and tried wrist straps with heavy weight and it seems to help some. I was doing my grip about an inch too wide also. Just feels weird gripping closer in on the bar since I always used a slightly wider grip so I could go between 90 degree and 45 degree easily, plus prefer it hitting my shoulders than tris. Also I can't do 300 anymore after doing 40lb dumbbells at about 50 reps at 5 sets for about a year they seem to be weaker, but tighter too. Maybe 275 including bar at 2 reps on a good day for now