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Olympic Barbell (45 lbs / 20 kg)

The standard for powerlifting, Olympic lifting, and most commercial gyms. These bars are 7 feet long with 2-inch diameter sleeves that accommodate Olympic plates. They're designed to handle heavy loads and have rotating sleeves for Olympic lifts.

Women's Olympic Barbell (33 lbs / 15 kg)

Lighter and shorter than men's Olympic bars, designed specifically for women's competition lifting. The reduced weight and smaller diameter make it more comfortable for smaller hands while maintaining the same plate compatibility.

Standard Barbell (35 lbs / 16 kg)

Common in home gyms and smaller facilities. These bars typically have 1-inch diameter sleeves and are shorter than Olympic bars. They're suitable for general strength training but not designed for maximum loads.

Specialty Bars

EZ curl bars, trap bars, and safety squat bars each serve specific purposes. EZ curl bars reduce wrist strain for arm exercises, trap bars allow for more natural deadlift positioning, and safety squat bars provide additional support for squatting movements.

Loading Order

Always load plates from heaviest to lightest, with the heaviest plates closest to the center of the bar. This provides:

• Better balance and stability during the lift
• Reduced stress on the barbell sleeves
• Easier plate removal after your set
• Compliance with gym etiquette and safety standards

Safety Considerations

Proper plate loading is crucial for safety:

• Always use collars or clips to secure plates
• Load both sides evenly to prevent tipping
• Check that all plates are fully seated on the sleeve
• Never exceed the barbell's weight capacity
• Have a spotter when attempting heavy weights

Gym Etiquette

Follow these guidelines to be a considerate gym member: strip all plates from the bar after use, return plates to their designated storage areas, load plates in the correct order, and help others when they're struggling with heavy plate loading.

Standard Gym Set

Most commercial gyms stock 45, 35, 25, 10, 5, and 2.5 lb plates (or 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5, 1.25 kg). This configuration allows for precise weight increments and can accommodate most training needs from beginner to advanced levels.

Home Gym Basic

Home gym setups often start with essential plates: 45, 25, 10, 5, and 2.5 lb plates. While this limits some weight combinations, it covers the most common training weights and provides good value for space and budget constraints.

Competition Sets

Powerlifting and Olympic lifting competitions use precise plate sets including fractional plates (1.25 lb / 0.5 kg) for exact weight attempts. These sets often include 55 lb plates and change plates for record attempts.