Are all lifting bars the same? That’s what Google told me you guys often ask when I did a search for specialty bars. The answer to that question is definitely not! But an even better question regarding lifting bars is What do you NEED to start a home gym? The short answer is not as many as you think but depending on your goals, your available space and any injuries you might be need to work around either temporarily or for the long term, you might need a few bars that are more than your standard seven foot Olympic straight bar. Let’s answer the question “Are all lifting bars the same” and along the way figure out which of them might come in handy if you’re starting a home gym.
What Are The Different Types of Barbells for a Home Gym
- Standard Olympic Barbells – these bars got their name because this was the general type originally used in weightlifting events in the Olympic Games. They’re typically about seven feet long, have 2 inch thick rotating ends called sleeves and varying degrees of a grippy surface called knurling on the shaft between the sleeves. These bars typically weigh about 45lbs and the thickness of the shaft ranges from 28.5 – 39mm. The bars become more specialized depending on if you want to focus on general lifting, CrossFit style workouts, Olympic weightlifting style workouts or powerlifting style workouts and you can select different barbell thicknesses depending on if you’re a man or a woman and whether you plan to compete or not. Regardless of how strong you are, it’s best to buy barbells that are rated for several thousand pounds so they can handle the wear and tear of repeated abuse. Cheaper barbells often start to bend over time and can lead to injury. Here’s my favorite powerlifting barbell for a man and my wife’s favorite general lifting bar for a woman.
- Axle Bars – Axle Bars are a throwback to the original barbells lifted in competitions and the key difference is that the sleeves of a typical Axle barbell don’t rotate which makes any overhead movement a LOT tougher! You’ll find Axle Bars in use in strongman and some CrossFit competitions but they’re also good to use if you have joint pain in the elbows and hands because the two inch diameter shafts don’t dig into the palms of your hands quite as much. Most Axle bars are smooth but there are a few, like the Gorilla Strength Knurled Axle Bar which have knurling similar to that of Olympic Standard Bars. Axle Bars are typically around 30lbs and the sleeves are a smaller diameter than the sleeves on a Standard Olympic Barbell which means they require a special size collar to keep the weights from sliding off.
- Multi Grip Bars – Multi grip bars have several vertical handles which is great for people who have shoulder issues because they allow you to lift with a vertical or neutral grip. That takes a TON of pressure off of sensitive shoulders and may allow you to continue to train even if you have a current shoulder injury. There are several variations of this type of bar but my personal favorite is the Z.E.E. and Ferrugia Bar which has slightly angled handles to take pressure off of the shoulders but also has thicker handles to also reduce pressure on the joints. If I could only use one specialty bar for pressing, this would be it.
- Safety Squat Bars – I was speaking with Teresa Burkett, the founder of Silver is the New Strong yesterday and she mentioned that since she began lifting weights at age 51, she hasn’t squatted with a straight bar on her neck and upper back because of some issues with arthritis. I recommended that she try some variation of a safety squat bar (SSB) which not only has thick padding around the area which would rest on your neck and shoulders but also doesn’t require that you even hold the bar to squat safely! Most SSBs have cambered shafts and sleeves that are similar in diameter to an Axle Bar. My favorite SSB is the EliteFTS SS Yoke Bar which was designed to allow founder, Dave Tate, to continue to squat despite severe rotator cuff injuries in both shoulders. That’s the one I personally own and although it was a gift from my mom, I would have happily paid full price for it having used it on several occasions when visiting other home gym owners. My other recommended safety squat type barbells are the Marrs Bar and Kabuki Strength Transformer Bar. The Marrs Bar has long, curved handles and it redistributes the weight to take pressure off of the shoulders, elbows and wrists. The curved handles make it a natural for front squats as you can point them towards your back and use the bar comfortably that way. The Kabuki Transformer Bar has multiple settings allowing you to adjust it depending on where you want to feel the load the most. According to Kabuki, this bar “is the industry’s first multi-function, adjustable squat bar designed to make squatting more comfortable and easier to learn. Its proprietary adjustment mechanism allows users to replicate common squat movements like the front squat, back squat (low and high bar), goblet squat, safety bar squat, and the hinge”. Of the three, I only have personal experience with the EliteFTS SS Yoke Bar but I know several people personally who swear by both the Marrs Bar and the Transformer Bar so feel free to ask around and even contact the companies to talk to the customer service reps about their bars to determine which one best fits you.
- Trap Bars/Hex Bars – Hex Bars and Trap Bars are essentially the same thing, a bar shaped like a hexagon or diamond with handles on the sides and sleeves similar in size to those on an Olympic straight bar to hold the plates. The original hex bar was the Gerard Trap Bar, designed by a powerlifter named Al Gerard, to help him continue to train his lower body despite some nagging lower back injuries he sustained in his 40s. There are various iterations of the Trap Bar from “rackable” Trap Bars with longer sleeves that allow you to set them in the J Cups on a power rack for loading to Open Trap Bars which allow you to stand the bar itself up on feet for loading. I currently own the Bells of Steel Open Trap Bar here in my home gym and it’s a definite upgrade from the older style Trap Bars which required a lot of impromptu engineering to figure out how to load more than one plate. Teresa Burkett, who I mentioned earlier, has deadlifted over 300lbs for multiple repetitions with a trap bar and with zero lower back problems.
Check Out This Primer on Specialty Bars
Are All Lifting Bars The Same Or Not?
Obviously there are a lot of different kinds of barbells for lifting and multiple companies making very good ones. The important thing is to do your homework and never hesitate to reach out to a brand to ask them questions about their barbells. The best companies will respond to you quickly and will have no problems answering any and all of your questions because they want to provide you with the best product for your needs. NEVER be shy about reaching out to a brand! Remember, if they don’t have time to answer questions when they’re trying to get your business, they DEFINITELY won’t have time for you after they’ve got your money already if you have an issue with the product. So ask and ask again! By the way, I’m currently testing out an Axle Bar here in my home gym so watch for my final verdict on it by subscribing to Garage Gym Life on YouTube today!
So Which Type of Bar Is Best For Starting A Home Gym?
Figuring out which type of barbell is best for starting a home gym depends on your training goals and available space as well as budget. I lifted for years with just a straight bar but after a few injuries, I found that adding a safety squat bar and a trap bar were just what my body needed to be able to continue to train safely and give my joints regular breaks from a straight bar. Hope this helped and hey, if you’ve got questions, join my discussion group on Discord and we’ll help you get them figured out!