Buying Guide
Weight training with barbells can also help boost daily energy, making you feel stronger and fit. It also strengthens your back, something you’ll be thankful for when you’re older, and it can also alleviate body aches and pains because the body actively repairs itself. Lifting barbells also strengthens your mind and promotes a great sense of discipline in a person.
Barbell weights are often seen as the “go to” piece of equipment when it comes to weight training and/or strength training, but the creation of different types have led to the sophistication of these types of training and exercise. Now, exercises can be more specific to the individual, being designed to address specific needs or goals.
Types of Barbell Weights
1. Barbell
Often ranging from a length of 4 feet to 7 feet, barbells have a central portion that is close to an inch in diameter. A standard barbell is in fact an inch in diameter all the way long, which is why the plates used for them have an inch-wide hole as well.
The first few designs of the barbell had sleek bars, but these were later developed to have an engraved knurled crosshatch pattern, which helps lifters grip the weight. EZ curl bars, which is a variant of the barbell, take advantage of this development and have a curled profile in the grip area to help protect the wrists if the users. Similarly to the EZ curl in use, the triceps bar features two parallel handles mounted in a cage.
2. Dumbbell Weights
Often referred to as “hand weights”, the typical dumbbell weights are fixed weights, meaning you cannot change the weight of the equipment. This is one of the reasons why dumbbell sets are so popular. As people progressed in their training, they needed heavier weights. Recent years, however, have seen the development of hand weights in which the weights can be adjusted by changing the plates on either side of the bar, similar to a standard barbell.
3. Olympic Weight Set
The Olympic weight set was developed help weight lifters lift and lower the bar with ease. Its design, which consists of rotating sleeves, allows the weight discs to spin on axis, eliminating rotational-inertia that is put upon the lifter. Lessening this stress assures longevity of the athletes’ career, as well as lessens the risk for injury.
There are two types of Olympic weights. There is the men’s Olympic bar, which is around 7.22 feet long and weighs around 20 kilos, and there is the women’s Olympic bar, which is slightly shorter, weighs 15 kilos and has a thinner grip. You may also find some Olympic bars (both men’s and women’s) that are slightly longer in length and thicker in diameter. These are usually designed to carry heavier loads and lessen the chances that the bar will deform under the weight. The plates of Olympic bars are color coded to help judges, trainers, and athletes keep track of the weights they are lifting.
Using the many different types of barbell weights to remain healthy and build strength is easy. Because you have plenty of choices which will help you properly build your strength as well as target specific muscle groups. Before proceeding with weight training or strength training exercises, however, be sure to read about how you should begin considering your goals. Though an effective form of exercise, it is very easy to injure yourself.
Check out the 5 Best Barbell Sets on the market right now:
#1. VTX by Troy Barbell Olympic Grip Plate Set GOSS-300V – 300 lbs
- Experience some of the highest quality Olympic & Regular weight sets on the market today
- They carry only the finest affordable weight sets using the best ASTM-Grade 20 iron, precision milled rims & radius edges for a truer shape & dimensions
- All plates are individually weighed, inspected and calibrated to ensure that our sets are consistent in weight, size and quality
- All plates are Olympic 2” VTX grip plates (5 lb. and 2.5 lb. plates do not have grip feature)
Pros: professional weight set, very high quality, solid build, good looking, the bar is smooth without any signs of oxidation, the grip handles are very well designed, the coating on the plates looks very durable, if you can afford a personal trainer it is worth the money, its built to last, overall decent equipment …
Cons: you will not be disappointed …
=> VTX-by-Troy-Barbell-Olympic-Grip-Plate-Set-GOSS-300V-300-lbs
#2. USA Sports by Troy Barbell Olympic Weight Set with Chrome Bar – 300 lbs
- It is a great way to start working out
- The set comes with 14 USA Sports Olympic plates, a 7ft chrome Olympic bar and two spring collars to secure the weight plates on the bar
- Each plate is made from solid cast iron and coated with a tough black finish
- Get in shape with this set!
Pros: arrived fast, good quality set of weights, well constructed, the clips fit tight, the fit on the bar perfectly, the bar is solid with good ribbing on both ends to prevent the weights from sliding around during use, the knurling is nicely made and smooth, professional with their construction …
Cons: kinda pricey but you get what you pay for …
=> USA-Sports-by-Troy-Barbell-Olympic-Weight-Set-with-Chrome-Bar-300-lbs
#3. CAP Barbell Regular Grey Weight Set – 110 lbs
- 4 spinlock collars included as well
- Plates are made of solid cast iron
- Bars are made of steel
- The ideal set for home use
- Dumbbell handles and plates can be used for various arm exercises while the 5′ bar and plates can be used for overall strengthening and sculpting of all muscle groups
Pros: arrived in perfect condition, easy to assemble, quality set for the price, the weights are solid and construction is good, the weights fitting very well on the bar, the bar is very well textured, nice durable coatings on the weights, screw on and off really works well, adequate for the beginner to intermediate levels of lifting, similar products are selling for 3x’s this price, overall worth the money …
Cons: barbell is only 5 feet, the bar locks slip a bit but not all the way off …
=> CAP-Barbell-Regular-Grey-Weight-Set-110-lbs
#4. Gold’s Gym 110-lb. Olympic Barbell Weight Set
- It is geared to help you develop upper body strength
- This classic model, a 7-part piece of home workout equipment includes a 7′ Olympic style bar (3-piece assembly) and three sets of balanced 5 lb, 10 lb and 25 lb round, flat, cast iron plates
- The weights can be easily added to the ends of the bar, removed or combined as needed for the best workout for your fitness level
- Add more weight as you begin to develop strength
- This set is designed to last
- Plates can be secured to the bar for greater stability
- This 110-pound weight set is ideal for any workout enthusiast
- Use it for squats, bench pressing, lifting, or curls
- It will help keep yourself fit and toned
Pros: great value for the price, basic but solid, handles for better grip, great for beginners looking to start somewhere, perfect for the barbell weight bench, the weights come off and on quickly without much of a hassle, this is a nice little set …
Cons: the pins to put the bar together don’t fit the holes in the bar properly in some cases …
=> Gold’s-Gym-110-lb.Olympic-Barbell-Weight-Set
#5. Cap Barbell Weight Set with Threaded Bar 100 lbs
- Ideal starter set for the fitness enthusiasts
- Only free weights ensure all major muscle groups are fully worked
- Shapes your body into proper and symmetrical proportions
- Includes four 10-lb. plates, six 5-lb. plates, six 2.5-lb. plates, 2 threaded collars, 1 threaded bar
- 57L-inch chrome plated bar
- Spin weights onto threaded bar, end with collar
- Black, solid cast iron, 1W-inch hole standard weights
- Weight of machine: 100 lbs.
- Some assembly required
Pros: good deal for the price, great set for a beginner or intermediate lifter, good value for home gym use, good set with plenty of small weights, perfect for adding to a small weight set, you can exchange the weights quickly and easily, the material is sturdy and easy to handle, the spin on connectors very secure, it takes up less space …
Cons: bar is very small in diameter …
=>Cap-Barbell-Weight-Set-with-Threaded-Bar-100-lbs
