This page explains the differences between the various types of barbells.
Barbells are broadly divided into three types:
1. Olympic barbell
An Olympic barbell is a straight barbell used in weightlifting and powerlifting competitions, as well as in serious weight training.
It is made of high-quality steel and features a rotating sleeve to prevent injury during training. Due to its durability and safety, it is widely used in gyms for athletes, commercial gyms, and even home gyms for training enthusiasts.
2. Specialty barbells
A " specialty barbell" is a barbell designed to target specific muscle groups or for specific exercises or training styles. Unlike Olympic and standard barbells, there are many different shapes and structures.
Specialty barbells are used for specific training goals, injury prevention, rehabilitation, or simply adding variety to your exercises.
3. Standard barbell
A "Standard Barbell" is a straight barbell that does not have a rotating mechanism in the sleeve.
Compared to Olympic barbells, standard barbells are cheaper and easier to obtain. However, for lifting competitions and serious training, the durability and rotation mechanism of Olympic barbells are required, so standard barbells are mainly used in simple gyms.
*We do not sell standard barbells as they do not fit with our concept of being a "store that sells authentic free weight equipment."
Explanation of various Olympic barbells
・Powerlifting bar

[What is a powerlifting bar?]
This bar is designed for use in powerlifting competitions and the BIG3 (squat, bench press, deadlift), and is called a "power bar" for short.
It has a thick shaft diameter, little flex, and strong knurling.
The rotating mechanisms generally use bushings which are highly durable and have strong rotational resistance.
[Powerlifting Bar Trivia]
In recent years, the number of powerlifting competitors has exploded worldwide, and a variety of power bars have appeared accordingly. However, in the world of competitive power bars, ELEIKO products from Sweden have long reigned as the gold standard, and ELEIKO bars are essentially the only ones used in the World Powerlifting Championships.
Power bars tend to be the most popular in powerlifting gyms, as well as bodybuilding gyms that focus on the BIG3 and bodybuilding gyms that don't often do quick lifts.
Among power bars, there are ones with aggressive knurling for athletes and ones with milder knurling for the general public, and if you are in a gym for casual users, we recommend the ones with milder knurling.
[Standard specifications]
Length: 2200mm
・Shaft diameter: 28mm to 29mm (mainly 29mm)
Weight: 20kg
・Flexibility: Low ・Knurling strength: Strong to very strong ・Center knurling: Yes ・Shaft surface treatment: Raw steel, stainless steel, chrome plating, zinc plating, ceramic coating, etc. ・Grip mark: Powerlifting (40.5 cm from center)
Rotating mechanism: Mainly bronze bushings (highly durable and does not rotate too much)
・Recognized by IPF (International Powerlifting Federation)
・Weightlifting bar

[What is a weightlifting bar?]
A barbell designed for use in weightlifting competitions and quick lifts.
Compared to the powerlifting bar, the shaft is thinner and more flexible, and the knurling is milder than that of a power bar.
Needle bearings, which have low rotational resistance, are generally used for the rotating mechanisms, but bushings are sometimes used to reduce costs and improve durability and versatility.
[Weightlifting Bar Trivia]
There are six IWF (International Weightlifting Federation) certified manufacturers of weightlifting bars around the world : ELEIKO (Sweden), ROGUE (USA), UESAKA (Japan), ZKC (China), DHS (China), and Werk-San (Turkey) . ZKC and ELEIKO are often used in the Olympic Games and World Championships, but ROGUE has also been gaining momentum in recent years.
There are also many inexpensive non-IWF approved products on the market, and while chrome plating was previously the norm for the surface treatment of the shaft, in recent years a variety of options have become available.
The rotational resistance of the bearing part varies depending on the manufacturer, and some products use bushings with high rotational resistance instead of needle bearings.
[Standard specifications]
Length: 2200mm
・Shaft diameter: 28mm
Weight: 20kg
・Flexibility: Large ・Knurling strength: Normal to strong ・Center knurling: Yes ・Shaft surface treatment: Stainless steel, chrome plating, zinc plating, ceramic coating, etc. ・Grip mark: Weightlifting (45.5 cm from center)
Rotating mechanism: mainly needle bearings (low rotational resistance and good rotation)
・Certified by IWF (International Weightlifting Federation)
・Multipurpose bar

[What is a multi-purpose bar?]
A barbell made with characteristics intermediate between those used for powerlifting and weightlifting, and designed to be used to some extent for both purposes.
They are also sometimes called "multi-purpose bars," "hybrid bars," "CrossFit bars," and "cross-training bars."
Barbells are a relatively new category of equipment designed for use in CrossFit gyms, which host a variety of exercises, but their versatility has made them popular among athletes and gyms for the general public.
[Multipurpose bar trivia]
This category of barbells has become increasingly popular alongside the growing popularity of CrossFit, and the Ohio Bar from ROGUE, a leading manufacturer of CrossFit equipment, is highly regarded as the de facto global standard.
If you are looking for just one type of barbell in a gym for athletes who perform both BIG3 and quick lifts with heavy weights, the multi-purpose bar is the ideal choice.
However, since a power bar is easier to use for the BIG3 and a weightlifting bar is easier to use for quick lifts, there is less need for them in gyms that can set up dedicated Olympic barbells for each event.
[Standard specifications]
Length: 2200mm
・Shaft diameter: 28mm to 28.5mm
Weight: 20kg
Flexibility: normal to large Knurling strength: mild to normal Center knurling: Mostly none Shaft surface treatment: stainless steel, chrome plating, zinc plating, ceramic coating, etc. Grip mark: dual marks for powerlifting and weightlifting are the norm Rotating mechanism: bushings are the norm Recognized by: None
・Women's weightlifting bar

[What is a women's weightlifting bar?]
This thin and lightweight weightlifting bar has a diameter of 25mm, a weight of 15kg and a total length of 201cm, and is primarily used by female weightlifters.
[Standard specifications]
Length: 2010mm
・Shaft diameter: 25mm
Weight: 15kg
・Flexibility: Large ・Knurling strength: Normal to strong ・Center knurl: None ・Surface treatment of shaft: Stainless steel, chrome plating, zinc plating, ceramic coating, etc.
・Grip mark weightlifting (45.5cm from center)
Rotating mechanism: mainly needle bearings (low rotational resistance and good rotation)
・Certified by IWF (International Weightlifting Federation)
Women's Multipurpose Bar

[What is the Women's Multi-Purpose Bar?]
This multi-purpose barbell is made to the same specifications as women's weightlifting bars, with a diameter of 25mm, a weight of 15kg, and a total length of 201cm, and is primarily used by female CrossFit athletes.
[Standard specifications]
Length: 2010mm
・Shaft diameter: 25mm
Weight: 15kg
・Flexibility: Large ・Knurling strength: Mild to normal ・Center knurling: None ・Surface treatment of shaft : Stainless steel, chrome plating, zinc plating, ceramic coating, etc.
・Grip mark: dual mark for powerlifting and weightlifting ・Rotating mechanism: bushings are the norm ・No recognized organization
・Technique bar

[What is a Technique Bar?]
A lightweight barbell designed for technical training.
They are available in 5kg and 10kg sizes and are suitable for training beginners, women and children.
There are ones with a thinner shaft, a shorter sleeve, and ones made from lightweight metals like aluminum.
It is important to note that these products are designed solely for practicing form with light weights, and many of them are not designed for training with heavy weights.
・Short bar
[What is a short bar?]
These barbells are shorter than normal, primarily designed to make them easier to handle in tight spaces.
Although similar to a technique bar, a technique bar is a lighter bar designed for form practice and is not suitable for heavy weight training, while a short bar is a shorter version of a regular barbell that can accommodate heavy weights.
Most of them are shortened based on power bars or multi-purpose bars, and they are classified into types where both the shaft and sleeve are shortened, and types where only the sleeve part is shortened without changing the length of the shaft.
A type in which only the sleeve part is shortened without changing the length of the shaft part is also called a "short sleeve bar" and has the advantage that it can be hung on a power rack.
Explanation of various specialty barbells
There are even more varieties of specialty bars than Olympic shafts, but we will explain the most common ones here.
・Curl bar

[What is a curl bar?]
A W-curved barbell that is primarily used for exercises such as arm curls and tricep extensions.
They come in two types: a short type that is easy to handle, and a long type that can be hung on a power rack.
・Swiss bar (multi-grip bar)
[What is a Swiss Bar?]
A specialty barbell with multiple handles that allow you to use a variety of grip widths and angles for exercises such as arm curls, bench presses, and rows.
It reduces strain on your wrists and elbows while providing a variety of training that targets different areas of your shoulders and chest.
Some have replaceable handles and some are completely curved.
・Open deadlift bar (open trap bar)

[What is an open deadlift bar?]
This specialty barbell is an evolution of the trap bar and can be used for trap bar deadlifts as well as lunges, carries, and rows.
Deadlifting with an open deadlift bar places the weight closer to your midline, reducing strain on your lower back and making it beneficial for beginners learning proper deadlift form.
It is also superior to a trap bar in that it can stand on its own, take up little space when stored, and the plates can be replaced without the need for a jack.
・Safety Squat Bar (SSB)

[What is a safety squat bar?]
The Safety Squat Bar is a specialty barbell that allows you to perform squats with a load intermediate between front squats and back squats while increasing safety.
It reduces strain on your back and shoulders, and the padding distributes pressure on your shoulders and neck.
This is a very important specialty bar in athletic gyms and powerlifting gyms where shoulder injuries are common.
There are also types that have variable mechanisms built into the handle or sleeve that allow you to adjust the load.
・Loadable dumbbell

[What is a low-loading dumbbell?]
Loadable dumbbells are a type of specialty barbell that allow you to freely add or remove plates, allowing you to customize the functions of the dumbbell in the same way as a barbell.
The sleeves, similar to those of Olympic barbells, have a structure that allows Olympic plates to be attached and detached. This allows you to fine-tune the weight of your training and even use different weights in each hand.
Since the plates can be shared with Olympic barbells, it is space efficient and can be used for a variety of exercises.
・Camber bar
[What is a camber bar?]
A specialty barbell with a curved center, primarily used for squats and bench presses.
This central curve reduces stress on your shoulders and elbows and promotes natural joint movement. On the squat, you can squat deeper, which will more effectively target your quads and glutes, and on the bench press, it increases the stretch in your chest, which will help develop your muscles.
Barbell Basics, Table of Contents, Glossary
1. Differences between various barbells
2. Recommended barbells by type
3. Surface treatment of barbells
5. Barbell sleeves, rotation mechanisms, and removal noise