Barbells are exercise equipment used in strength training and come in various forms such as Olympic bars, dumbbells, EZ curl bars, and lightweight rubber-coated exercise bars. They are popular in bodybuilding, powerlifting, and Olympic lifting, with different types selected based on the athlete’s goals. Olympic lifting requires a barbell that allows plates to move freely to reduce rotational forces in the wrists and arms.
A barbell is an exercise piece of equipment used in strength training. Typically made of steel, weight bars were introduced as a muscle training tool in the second half of the 19th century. They are available in multiple forms, including Olympic bars, dumbbells, EZ curl bars, and lightweight, rubber-coated exercise bars like those used in exercise groups. The barbell is not only extremely popular as an exercise tool, it is the equipment of choice in the sports of bodybuilding, powerlifting, and Olympic lifting.
As a piece of training equipment, the weight bar is available in a variety of shapes and sizes. The most standard form is the long, straight bar you see in gyms in rack squats and bench presses. Known as the Olympic bar, it weighs 44.1 pounds (20 kg), is 7.22 feet (2.13 m) long, and is designed to be loaded with circular weights that are free to rotate around the bar. Dumbbells are another popular form of barbell. They tend to resemble oversized barbells, featuring a pair of circular, sometimes rubber-coated, dumbbells that are permanently attached to each end of the bar, and come in a wide range of lengths and weights. Those sold in kits for gyms and health clubs generally range in weight from 25-125 pounds (11.34-56.70 kg).
Another form of weight bar is the EZ curl bar. Only about 3 feet (0.91 m) in length, the EZ curl bar is shaped like a zigzag and designed to reduce stress on the wrists and forearms during exercises like bicep curls and French presses, a type of extension lying down triceps workout is back. The exercise bar is another popular variation on the weight bar. Encased entirely in rubber, it tends to be available in lighter weights like 9lbs (4.08kg) and 12lbs (5.44kg) and is commonly used in group strength training classes.
As the weight bar is used as a tool in the sports of bodybuilding, powerlifting, and Olympic lifting, the type selected may vary depending on the goal of the athlete. Bodybuilders focus more on looks than technique, so they will choose any style of barbell that is specific to the muscles they want to train. Powerlifters compete to lift the most weight in three exercises: bench press, squat, and deadlift. All three exercises use the standard Olympic bar with loaded plates at each end to achieve the desired amount of weight, although longer and thicker bars are sometimes used to handle excessive weight loading.
Olympic lifting, named after the Olympic barbell, differs from bodybuilding and powerlifting in that it focuses on lifting the maximum amount of weight in a single repetition of one of two exercises: the clean and jerk, and the start. Both explosive exercises that require strength and speed, require the use of a barbell that allows the plates to move freely to reduce rotational forces in the wrists and arms. The women’s Olympic bar is smaller than the men’s, coming in at 6.73 feet (2.05 m) in length and 33.07 pounds (15 kg).
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