Olympic lifts with regular barbell?

[Akos89]

I have plates that aren't good for an olympic bar, and I can get a regular bar for much cheaper.

I know that the rotating sleeves save your joints, but what are the exercises that can be done safely without them,
and which are those that absolutly require them?

I can choose between 180cm (~70,8inch) and 210cm (~82,6inch) barbell.
What do you think, the shorter would still be ok?
I'm just 175 cm, so I'm not a long guy.

Thanks for your help!

[olyw8lifter]

Personally, I would choose the 210cm barbell, as that is standard length and that would be the best to learn to use.

Rotating sleeves are an absolute must in any barbell you choose, especially if you're learning the Olympic lifts. Sorry, but you will develop incorrect technique and most probably injure yourself using a barbell with sleeves that don't rotate. However, the amount and speed of rotation won't make as big of a difference until you're moving appreciable weight. So, the sleeves should spin freely, but not necessarily fast.

Hope this helps.

[renlok]

Without a rotating bar it will throw you off balance constantly, also a non-olympic standard bar has a thinner bar so unless you tiny hands it wouldn't be great for your grip

[supramax]

Akos89,

Focus on the muscles being affected, rather than the tools being used.
I use dumbbells for all my lifting. https://www.t-nation.com/training/ol...-and-dumbbells

[MarkPrater]

Not sure if by rotating bar you mean standard olympic barbell and the outter parts rotate independently from the barbell. Standard barbells don't have this mechanism but personally I don't see the big fuss over it. I used to train with home equipment using a standard barbell, and did olympic lifts as well. Of course this was early high school. Didn't use any major weights over 140lb for cleans and 250lb for squats.