Olympic Barbell vs Standard: Which Should You Select?

Weight training is a favourite pastime that is been around for ages. Since its advent in ancient Egyptian times, the pastime has turn out to be a sport, and the game has evolved significantly. Not only has it seen the introduction of latest exercises, but various recent equipment and innovations have been implemented, including the fashionable barbell. 

The barbell (and the accompanying weights) have significantly evolved, leaving us with multiple styles to select from. Nowadays, you are met with so many selections on the gym that wanting to make use of a barbell requires you to choose  barbell. 

You will probably come across two of the more common barbells in that call: Olympic and standard barbells. So we’re here to dive into the differences, similarities, and all the other details to show you how to pick the perfect one on your training style. 

Table of Contents:

• What Is A Barbell?
• What Is An Olympic Bar?
• Olympic vs Standard Barbell: What Are The Differences?
• Olympic Barbell vs Standard Barbell: Which Should You Pick?
• What Is The Best Olympic Barbell?
• Olympic Weight Plates vs Standard Weight Plates
• FAQs

What Is A Barbell?

The barbell is considered one of the 2 primary pieces of apparatus you utilize in weight lifting, the opposite being weight plates.

Your typical barbell might be one long piece of metal with collars on the tip. These collars hold the load plates while the middle portion of the bar lets you grip the bar. From there, you possibly can lift, push, and pull the bar in various motions to coach different muscle groups.

As you utilize the bar, you possibly can alter the load used as needed and use smaller or larger loads depending in your exercise. You’ll be able to then slowly add weight to implement progressive overload.

What Is An Olympic Bar?

An Olympic barbell is made specifically to perform Olympic lifts corresponding to the snatch and clean & jerk. Each of those movements are explosive movements by which a lifter must powerfully “pop” the bar from the bottom up the chest (clean) and even overhead (snatch).

To do that, each movements use powerful hip extensions to propel the bar up. Consequently, inertia builds in the load plates causing them to need to turn quickly. If the load plates cannot spin, nevertheless, all the bar will spin to beat inertia.

Olympic barbells may have spinning sleeves to cope with this problem.

Relatively than turn with the bar, spinning sleeves can spin freely while still being attached to the barbell. This enables the load plates to spin without affecting the hands and wrists. While that is primarily a priority for Olympic lifting, unwanted spin may cause issues with a wide range of lifts.

Standard vs Olympic Barbell: What Are The Differences?

While each of the barbells may help placed on muscle mass and strength, they’re vastly different from each other. Here’s a detailed have a look at each.

For more information on how these two barbells compare to other specialty bars, try our article on the 12 Kinds of Weightlifting Bars.

1) Quality/Material:

Each bars might be made from steel, various in the standard of steel used. Standard bars are frequently made from cheaper steel that’s unable to face up to a big amount of force. These bars are significantly weaker than most Olympic barbells and max out around 300 lbs, with most having a 200-250 lb weight limit.

In contrast, Olympic barbells use much higher-quality steel with the next loading capability. Fortunately, we are able to measure the strength of barbells, and these numbers are listed on most bars and are directly related to steel and quality (see below).

2) Strength:

Even your least expensive Olympic barbells may have a considerably heavier weight capability than your best standard barbells.

For instance, your average standard barbell may have a max weight of 250-300 lbs. Most guys can lift more weight than this quite easily on each the deadlift and squat, and a variety of women can squat greater than this. As such, standard barbells can limit the progression of most lifters.

Then again, most entry-level Olympic bars max out around 500 lbs, with only the weakest and least expensive ranging around 300 lbs of strength. Nonetheless, you jump into the 1,000lb+ range when you reach the medium range. As it will cover the vast amount of lifters’ needs, you need not worry about advanced options.

As mentioned above, the strength of a bar is measured using what’s often known as PSI or kilos per square inch. A PSI of 180,000+ will ensure the typical lifter can lift heavy weights for a very long time. That said, aim for above 200,000 PSI in case your training level is intermediate or above.

To learn more about weight capability (amongst other things), try our article: What Barbell Should I Buy? The Ultimate Barbell Buyer’s Guide.

3) Size:

Though it’s called the usual barbell, there may be rather a lot more variance than expected. First, the usual barbell length is shorter than the Olympic barbell length. You will often find them within the 5-6ft range, but rarely, they’ll go as much as 7ft.

As well as, your standard bars are generally 25mm across all the bar. The one section that differs is at the tip, where a stopper might be so the plates don’t slide down. As compared, Olympic barbells will range from 28-29mm thick, continuing down until the sleeve.

Finally, you will have the load. An Olympic barbell weight is about at either 20kg (44 kilos) for men or 15kg (33 kilos) for ladies. For more details, take a have a look at our Barbell Weight & Size Chart.

4) Sleeves:

As mentioned above, the defining difference between these two bars is the existence of spinning sleeves on the Olympic barbells. These sleeves allow the collar to spin freely during lifting exercises. Then again, standard bars will only allow a minimal amount of spin, but it surely won’t be smooth in any respect.

As well as, these spinning sleeves add a variety of thickness to the collar. The regulation size for collar width on Olympic barbells is 2′ or around 50mm. This is sort of twice that of a normal bar.

The usual bar’s width is similar from one collar across the center section to the opposite, remaining straight all the way in which across, with the sleeve diameters being only 25mm. Which means the sleeves on Olympic barbells are almost 2x the diameter of the usual bar, and the load plates aren’t interchangeable between the 2.

Take note that because rotating sleeves require more hardware and design, they’ll be a source of cost increase.

5) Cost:

In almost any situation, your standard bars might be cheaper than your Olympic barbells. They use cheaper steel, less material, and simpler parts corresponding to advanced knurling or spinning sleeves.

For details on individual barbell costs, including a table breaking them down by type, visit How Much Does A Barbell Cost?

Olympic Barbell vs Standard: Summary of Differences

Here’s a snapshot view of the most important differences between an Olympic barbell and a normal one.

Olympic Barbell vs Standard Barbell: Which Should You Pick?

When comparing the usual barbell vs Olympic barbell, the winner is the Olympic barbell. The Olympic barbell has now turn out to be the widely accepted “standard barbell” amongst lifters.

An Olympic bar includes a length of seven feet and a typical weight of 20kg (44 lbs) for men’s bars, while women’s bars are lighter at 15kg (33 lbs). A distinguishing feature of the Olympic barbell is its 28mm diameter shaft and 2-inch rotating collars.

These rotating collars make a big difference in comparison with the usual bar. During lifts, the load plates experience inertia, causing them to naturally need to rotate. With fixed collars, this rotational force is transferred to the bar, placing excessive stress on the lifter’s wrists and potentially resulting in dropped weights.

Consequently, the lift becomes less effective and fewer protected when using fixed collars on a normal bar. Nonetheless, with the rotating collars of the Olympic barbell, this rotational force is absorbed, allowing for smoother lifts and reducing strain on the wrists, leading to more efficient and safer weightlifting sessions.

The Olympic bar is the perfect all-around barbell and goes to enable you to lift safely and effectively. And, there is not any need to only take my word for it! Here’s what just a few lifters think when comparing the Olympic bar to a normal one.

“When you’re talking concerning the standard plates with small holes which might not fit the Olympic bar then yes it is unquestionably time to upgrade now if you will have the means. A high quality Olympic bar is value it plus should buy 2nd hand plates fitted to Olympic bars. Along with your mentioned weights your thin bar will start bending soon anyway so sell it while it continues to be in good condition.” (source)

One other lifter added: “When you’re serious with getting stronger, you have to upgrade. When you just need to bodybuild, your standard plates are enough. Especially with the squats, an Olympic size barbell will do wonders on top of your back. An Olympic bar has less tendency to bend, while a normal chrome steel will 100% bend eventually and would cause injuries. Higher to upgrade now to constantly progress, slightly than all the time get hounded with the query when you should.” (source)

What Is The Best Olympic Barbell?

It’s near unimaginable to choose the “best” Olympic barbell as so many products exist, and everybody has different needs. With that in mind, I believe I discovered one which can fit the needs of nearly everyone, from first-time beginners to those pulling 600 lb+ deadlifts.

Designed specifically for Olympic weightlifting, the BoS Bar 2.0 boasts a great spin and rugged construction, standing out as considered one of the highest selections out there as a result of its exceptional performance across all key metrics. As well as, the barbell is crafted from high-quality steel and includes a formidable 240k PSI strength rating, enabling it to handle maximum weights of over 1500 kilos, making it a powerhouse within the weightlifting world.

Featuring 4 needle bearings and one chrome steel bushing on each sleeve, this barbell guarantees smooth and unrestricted rotation during lifts. Its premium design facilitates effortless sleeve rotation, supplying you with peace of mind during intense workout sessions.

Plus, the aggressive knurling on the bar provides a secure grip, reducing the danger of injuries, while the omission of center knurling protects the bar from unnecessary wear and tear during Olympic lifting. And, the sleeves are thoughtfully designed with machined grooves, enhancing friction to forestall plates from slipping off during dynamic lifts.

I believe the BoS Bar 2.0 is undoubtedly considered one of the top-tier barbells available out there today, offering exceptional performance and sturdiness for all of your weightlifting needs.

Occupied with seeing more great options? Take a look at the 15 Best Barbells!

Olympic vs Standard Weight Plates: Key Differences

When comparing the different sorts of weight plates, Olympic plates and standard plates are going to be considerably different as a result of the scale of the collars. Essentially the most obvious difference is the diameter of the opening. Your standard weight plates might be considerably smaller at just 25mm in diameter. As compared, your Olympic weight plates might be twice that to suit over the larger collars.

One other difference is the form of weight plates available. Olympic plates seem to return with more variation of their construction.

For instance, bumper plates are extremely popular, especially in garage gyms. The plates are comprised of hardened rubber and designed not to break the flooring. Finding standard-sized bumper plates could be very hard, and even grip plates will be tough to seek out for normal bars. So your flooring or plate needs may determine which form of barbell you select.

Lastly, when you plan on joining any weightlifting competitions, you will definitely use Olympic weights.

All this to say is that you could easily find weight plate options for an Olympic barbell, and innovation tends to be focused on Olympic weight plates, meaning cheaper plates of upper quality.

Occupied with purchasing weight plates for your property gym? Take a look at our article on the 8 Best Bumper Plates For Home Gyms!

FAQs

The usual and Olympic bars debate is far larger than the few concepts we discussed. Due to this fact, listed here are a number of the more common questions people have about these bars.

Are all Olympic bars 45 kilos?

The usual weight for Olympic bars is 20kg (44 lbs) for men. As well as, the ladies’s bars weigh 15kg (33 lbs).

Can you utilize an Olympic bar for bench press?

Yes! While Olympic bars were designed for Olympic lifting, you should utilize them for any barbell exercises. 

Is an Olympic barbell good for beginners?

Generally, yes. Nonetheless, it relies on how old the person is, their skill level, and sex. For instance, a full-size bar could also be too large or heavy for some people to handle at first.

Do most gyms use Olympic bars?

Yes. Generally, industrial gyms may have various Olympic bars.

What’s probably the most common barbell size?

Essentially the most common barbell is your standard men’s Olympic barbell at 7ft and 44lbs.

Olympic Barbell vs Standard Barbell: Final Verdict

Let’s be clear. Any bar that lets you put weight plates on in a progressive manner will get you strong and construct muscle. Yow will discover groups of fellows lifting in gyms with equipment comprised of concrete, coconuts, and water jugs. It really works, and we like it! 

That said, weightlifting innovators have gifted us with barbells that make your setup seamless and lifts snappy. When comparing standard barbells to Olympic bars, unless you will have no other option, Olympic is the brand new “standard.” No matter whether you are involved with Olympic weightlifting, anyone serious about lifting should go for an Olympic barbell.