Fitness Training with the Olympic Weight Bar
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Strength training and weight lifting are two of the key aspects of fitness training for anyone looking to build up their upper body strength. The one piece of equipment that is vital to a good workout is the Olympic weight bar. A weight bar is your base piece of equipment that you can add on weight plates to when building up your strength. It has 2 inch ends that have roller bearings mounted on to them which allow you to rotate the bar easily as you perform exercises such as lifting it from the floor to your chest or above your head.
An Olympic weight bar is sturdy, made of materials such as chrome or stainless steel and can hold weights of various sizes. All weight lifters use this type of bar if they want to lift large amounts of weights and to build up their power over time. This is because you can start with just the Olympic weight bench bar and then slowly start to add more and more weight until you are lifting literally hundreds of pounds. Although it is perfect for just the home user who is choosing just to tone their muscles as well.
Olympic Weight Bar vs. Standard Weight Bar
There are basically two types of weight bars. You have the Olympic weight bar set and the standard weight bar. There are several differences between the two. The first is whereas the Olympic weight bar has the 2 inch ends that are mounted on roller bearings, the standard weight bar only has 1 inch on the end so it doesn't hold as much weight. Olympic bar sets are also heavier and are made of higher quality which equates to also being able to hold more weight. Lastly, the Olympic weightlifting bar is more for the advanced user whereas the standard weight bar tends to be good for beginners who may not be able to handle as many weight plates.
Sizes and Weights
There are various sizes to choose from when buying an Olympic weight bar. They start at five feet and also come in six feet as well as seven feet. There are separate bars for both men and women. The men's weight bar is approximately 45 pounds with the women's bar weighing in at approximately 33 pounds. The men's Olympic weight bar measures 55mm in diameter on the outer ends and the grip section is about 22 mm. This is the standard when it comes to competitive weightlifting and what is found in most gyms and fitness centers. It can hold as much as 1,500lbs and the women's weight bar holds up to 1,000lbs.
Types of Weight Bars
There are numerous types of Olympic size weight bars to choose from. You have the standard five to seven foot chrome bar that is the most common. It is a straight bar that you add the weight plates to if you are doing general weight lifting. Other bars include the Olympic super curl and standard curl bar which as the name implies is good for curls. Then you have the Olympic tricep bar which works the front and back of your tricep muscles. Finally, you have an Olympic weight bar that has precision knurling which is for more advanced users wanting to build up the muscles in between the tricep and the bicep. The one that you choose depends mostly on which muscles you are looking to improve, how far competitively you want to go in weightlifting and how much power you want to build.
Olympic Weightlifting Bar Exercises
There are many different exercises you can do with the Olympic weight bar, all of which need to have the right technique so that you do not over extend any muscles and hurt yourself. The most basic and important Olympic lifts that you will use in any competition and the ones that are best for building muscle are called the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk. The clean and jerk is the most common that you will see in Olympic weightlifting as well as fitness center lifting. It is in which you take the bar from mid-thigh up to the top of your shoulders where you rest the bar before bringing it down. With the proper Olympic weight bar you can master these exercises and build power that you never thought possible.