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Best Barbells for Olympic Weightlifting
GYMSPORTZ PTE LTD | 16 Aug 2024
Welcome to that smooth, sleeve spin life.
Olympic weightlifting exercises are difficult enough. Picking the perfect Olympic weightlifting barbell doesn’t have to be.
REP makes several different barbells specifically designed for weightlifters, whether you’re just starting out or competing at the highest level. Here’s a look at those bars and how to pick the right one for your training.
REP’s Olympic Weightlifting Bars
REP’s Olympic barbells are:
• Mesa Technique Bar
• Teton Training Bar
• 15kg Teton Training Bar
• Alpine Weightlifting Bar
• 15kg Alpine Weightlifting Bar
What’s an Olympic Weightlifting Barbell?
A typical Olympic weightlifting barbell has the follow characteristics:
• The diameter of an Olympic barbell is about 28mm wide for men and 25mm wide for women (yes, Olympic weightlifting has different standards for men and women).
• As for its other dimensions, a typical Olympic bar has a 50mm sleeve diameter (that’s compatible with standard weight plates).
• A weightlifting bar usually has medium-depth knurling – enough to assist with grip but not as aggressive as some other power bars.
• It has bearing sleeves, which provide a smooth spin (useful for the clean and jerk and snatch).
• It may have more whip than a standard powerlifting barbell.
How Much Does an Olympic Bar Weight?
A weightlifting bar for men weighs 20kg or about 45lbs. A typical weightlifting bar for women weighs 15kg or about 33lbs.
How Long is an Olympic Barbell?
A standard Olympic weightlifting barbell is 7’2” long.
How to Pick an Olympic Weightlifting Barbell
Not sure which weightlifting barbell to pick? Here’s a quick breakdown and guide.
Beginner Weightlifting Bar: Mesa Technique Bar
The Mesa Technique Bar
The lightweight Mesa Technique Bar is ideal to help you learn the proper techniques of Olympic weightlifting. As a training bar that’s built for beginners, the Mesa weighs just 15lbs – but it’s long enough to fit on a standard power rack. Although it’s a beginner bar, the Mesa remains high quality, with a bare aluminum shaft and steel sleeves coated with durable Duracoat® finish.
It features slower-rotating, bushing-construction sleeves, light knurling with no center knurl, knurl markings to help you know where to put your hands, and is rated to handle 50lbs.
Intermediate Weightlifting Bar: Teton Training Bar (15kg and 20kg)
Teton Training Bar
The Teton Training Bar is a high-value, Olympic weightlifting barbell. The 20kg bar features a 28mm diameter shaft and comes in full bright zinc or a black chrome shaft with bright zinc sleeves.
The bar has International Weightlifting Federation knurl markings, medium-depth knurling, and ribbed sleeves to keep the plates secure during explosive lifts. The Teton features high-performance needle bearing sleeves for a fast, smooth, quiet spin -- ideal for Olympic-style lifts. This bar can handle 1,500lbs.
The 15kg bar comes in bright zinc with a 25mm diameter and no center knurl.
High-End Bar: Alpine Weightlifting Bar (15kg and 20kg)
The 20kg Alpine Bar
This is the best of the best, in terms of weightlifting bars. The Alpine Weightlifting Bar is it, from its hybrid needle-bearing sleeves to its high-end details. The bar comes in various finishes, including fully stainless steel (swoon). You can also get it in hard chrome or with a black chrome shaft and hard chrome sleeves. The knurling is medium-depth and the weight rating is 1,500lbs.
If you’re a competitor, the 20kg Alpine follows IWF specifications, including a 28mm diameter and knurl markings to help you determine proper hand placement on the barbell. The 20kg Alpine features a “passive” center knurl, which is smoother to accommodate high-volume training, while still providing some extra stick during back squats.
The 15kg Alpine adheres to IWF specifications for female lifters, with a 25mm shaft diameter and IWF markings. It does not have a center knurl.
