Olympic barbell set...what to look for?

lporter229
lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am thinking of expanding my home gym equipment (currently just dumbbells) to include an olympic barbell and bumper plates. Any advice on what I should look for? If it matters, I am a 5'0" 100 lb female. I most likely will never need extremely heavy weights, although I would like to purchase something my husband might be interested in using as well.

Replies

  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    All depends of what your budget is. Spend the $ and get yourself a good bar. Weights are weights IMO. If you're going to go with bumpers they are a lot more expensive then regular weights, but it's nice to have weights that are all the small diameter, especially if you're a beginner and you're doing lifts off the floor e.g. Deadlifts, Rows. Also, if you get into Olympic Lifts that's what you'll want.

    I finally purchased an Olympic set this summer after using a standard set for years. This is what I have:

    http://www.roguefitness.com/bravo-bar-bumper-set.php

    Can't go wrong with Rogue Fitness. They're an EXCELLENT company.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    All depends of what your budget is. Spend the $ and get yourself a good bar. Weights are weights IMO. If you're going to go with bumpers they are a lot more expensive then regular weights, but it's nice to have weights that are all the small diameter, especially if you're a beginner and you're doing lifts off the floor e.g. Deadlifts, Rows. Also, if you get into Olympic Lifts that's what you'll want.

    I finally purchased an Olympic set this summer after using a standard set for years. This is what I have:

    http://www.roguefitness.com/bravo-bar-bumper-set.php

    Can't go wrong with Rogue Fitness. They're an EXCELLENT company.

    Thanks for the info. That is very helpful. For some reason, I was under the impression that you needed bumper plates for an olympic bar, but I am not sure where I got that idea. Of course I want to get the most bang for my buck, but I also don't want to be spending money on something that I will need to replace or upgrade in the near future. I was just surprised by the wide range in price on some of this stuff and not sure why there was so much difference.
  • shrekk218
    shrekk218 Posts: 39
    Shop Craigslist I have gotten over 1000lbs for under $500. Their is no real reason to invest in Rogue equipment unless you are doing high volume Olympic lifting. For the most part find some stuff locally to get started and then if everybody is using it then start to invest in better equipment. Here is an example of something I found locally http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/csw/spo/4183353894.html
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member

    Thanks for the info. That is very helpful. For some reason, I was under the impression that you needed bumper plates for an olympic bar, but I am not sure where I got that idea. Of course I want to get the most bang for my buck, but I also don't want to be spending money on something that I will need to replace or upgrade in the near future. I was just surprised by the wide range in price on some of this stuff and not sure why there was so much difference.

    The reasons why you want bumpers are:

    Olympic Lifts (Cleans, Snatches, etc.) because it is common when the weight gets heavy that you drop the barbell w/weight after you complete the lift. Bumper plates are made to bounce. Regular plates not so much :smile:

    All Bumper Plates are the same diameter (around 17.7") so when you're doing lifts like the Deadlift with lighter weights (say 10lbs on each side), the bar will always be at the appropriate height (around 8.5"). If you use regular plates they'll be much smaller, so the barbell will be lower to the floor so you'll have to elevate the plates to the 8.5" height (which is annoying)

    If you don't need bumpers, don't invest in them because they're pricey. Spend your money on a good Olympic bar and just get some cheap plates from Sports Authority or Craig's List
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    Shop Craigslist I have gotten over 1000lbs for under $500. Their is no real reason to invest in Rogue equipment unless you are doing high volume Olympic lifting. For the most part find some stuff locally to get started and then if everybody is using it then start to invest in better equipment.

    Agree about the bumpers from Rogue, but their bars are very good quality and reasonably priced. You don't want to cheap out on a barbell, I don't care if you're a beginner or not. Plus their barbells are guaranteed as long as you own them. Sorry, I'm just a fan of you get what you pay for.
  • danimalkeys
    danimalkeys Posts: 982 Member
    Get them used, unless you can find a set on sale at a sporting goods store. For general home use, you don't need a super high quality set. I think I got my 1st 300lb set for under $100, which included the bar, collars and various plates. I still have that set and supplemented it with a couple other bars and additional plates I picked up used. Now I have a bar that I squat/bench/press with, one that is set up for deadlifts, and one that is set up for rows and Olympic lifts with some inexpensive bumper plates I got (a pair of 25 and a pair of 45's).

    There are definite differences in bars once you get into the specialty gear, A true Olympic bar designed for those lifts has more whip to it. A powerlifting squat bar is stiffer. A powerlifting deadlift bar is a little thinner and longer and has more flex to it. Most people will never need that kind of specialty gear, and the generic set you get at Sports Authority is absolutely fine for daily use in a home gym.

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