6 or 7 foot standard barbell?

[hoboy]

I am still a novice lifter and I currently have dumbbell handles with 100lbs of standard plates. I feel like I will need an upgrade soon so I am planning on buying a standard barbell + two 25lb plates. I am choosing a standard barbell over an Olympic one because I am still a novice ~ can't lift too heavy yet, and I don't need to buy new plates if I get a standard barbell.

The question is: There are 6 foot and 7-foot standard barbells available? What are the differences and which one should I get? (I don't have any racks, just a bench. So the main usage will be deadlifts, light squats, floor bench, etc)

[Duplicitous]

The difference is 1'. :P Standard bars are mostly found in 5' and 6' varieties, so you're likely to end up with one of those if buying used. If buying new, you might as well go for the 7' as that's what Oly bars will be (approx) when you eventually transition over.

[radrd]

No harm in adding a standard bar and a couple 25 lb plates if you can find them cheaply, but once you outgrow that set, I would definitely invest in Olympic plates and bar. Buying more standard plates is a waste. I'd also plan to upgrade to adjustable dumbbells from Ironmaster or PowerBlock, rather than add to the 100 lbs you have for the handles.

A 7' standard bar is going to be more similar to a 7' Olympic bar, so I'd echo that recommendation. I know of Ivanko and Troy. Finding either in stock may be a challenge. With 150 lbs of plates, you can probably get by with whatever you find.

If you want to deadlift and are male, you're likely going to outgrow 150 lbs very quickly and going with an Olympic set now would make sense.

[ampire]

I am still a novice lifter and I currently have dumbbell handles with 100lbs of standard plates. I feel like I will need an upgrade soon so I am planning on buying a standard barbell + two 25lb plates. I am choosing a standard barbell over an Olympic one because I am still a novice ~ can't lift too heavy yet, and I don't need to buy new plates if I get a standard barbell.

The question is: There are 6 foot and 7-foot standard barbells available? What are the differences and which one should I get? (I don't have any racks, just a bench. So the main usage will be deadlifts, light squats, floor bench, etc)

Don't sink money into a standard barbell and more standard plates. This is a great time to move towards olympic. The standard dumbbells and standard plates will continue to be useful going forward for dumbbells. Don't worry about not being able to use the dumbbell plates for the dumbbell on the barbell, consider it a sunk cost, keep using the dumbbells, buy an olympic bar and 300 lb weight set combo from somewhere like Dick's Sporting Goods, Walmart, or look around on Craigslist or ******** marketplace for something used. Things are expensive now because of coronavirus, but if you look around you can still find some deals.

[hoboy]

a standard barbell is $50 while an olympic one is $160. 2" plates are also $2.5 a pound while 1" are $2 a pound. A standard barbell can hold around 200lbs and I have no idea when I will outgrow that or when gyms will reopen, which I can also resell it then. If i get an olympic barbell, I will also need to get varieties of weights to accommodate deadlifts and bench = will be costly.

Anymore recommendations?

[KoolDJVader]

I don't think the one foot difference matters too much unless you want to do something with an extremely wide grip like snatches. Especially since you don't have to worry about the bar fitting into a rack. Just get whatever is available, even a 5 ft bar should be okay. I've been using an Olympic 5 ft bar at home and can even do back squats with it.

[ampire]

a standard barbell is $50 while an olympic one is $160. 2" plates are also $2.5 a pound while 1" are $2 a pound. A standard barbell can hold around 200lbs and I have no idea when I will outgrow that or when gyms will reopen, which I can also resell it then. If i get an olympic barbell, I will also need to get varieties of weights to accommodate deadlifts and bench = will be costly.

Anymore recommendations?

If its just temporary thing until gyms reopen, and not a longer term investment, then get whatever is available.

Otherwise I'd get something like this https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p...300lbstwth7brb

[radrd]

If you are serious about building a home gym, I'd scrap the 1" plate idea get this:

https://dumbbellbuddy.com/troy-premi...et-po-455.aspx

Less than $2 per lb with bar included. I had a Troy bar and it was perfectly decent. Eventually you'll probably want a better one but the Troy would be a great beater or easy to sell off.

[TomGallopavo]

I have 805 pounds of plates and the most I paid was 1$ a pound for some 45 pound plates. I paid 0.5 and 0.75 for the others. I paid 50 bucks each for two 7 ft bars, one nice, one beater and a curl bar.. I paid 200 for the rack. Bench, aluminum 15 pound bar, and trap bar from Amazon. All post covid so it can be done. As was said, constantly monitor craigslist and fb marketplace, you will find what you need.