December 11, 2020 Admin Home page » Training details
In the article you will learn when it is better to use free weights and a machine, learn their advantages and strengths, important tips and tricks.
Let's get down to business right away - in their form, barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells have not changed much over the past 50 years, which cannot be said about exercise machines. Some fitness and bodybuilding experts say that if you want mass, use only barbells and dumbbells and it’s better not to go near exercise machines, but why then do they improve and modify them?! If they were so useless, their production would have long since been reduced to a minimum.
Remember, you can gain muscle mass both with the help of a machine and free weights , this is influenced by many factors: nutrition, speed and time of muscle recovery, metabolic rate, progression of loads, genetics, lifestyle and much more.
Next, we’ll find out when it’s better to use a machine and a barbell with dumbbells, list the advantages, let’s go:
Olympic bar
This is the basic version of the barbell base , which the Life Fitness catalog could not do without. From the name it is clear that such a bar is standard equipment in “academic” strength sports. Therefore, it is indispensable for a home gym. After all, you have to deal with the Olympic bar at competitions.
During its creation, all parameters were clearly taken into account. Its weight is 20 kilograms, length is 220 centimeters, diameter is 28 millimeters (for mounting bushings for disks it is 50 millimeters). The bushings have bearings that allow them to rotate independently, a key safety aspect.
In addition to the standard 20-kilogram Olympic bar, a lightweight 9-kilogram bar is also offered, used by young athletes.
Lock design
There are three main types of fasteners to choose from: smooth bushing, spring and nut. The most common type is nuts. The only inconvenience is that you have to constantly twist them when changing weight. Springs are easy to put on, but are less reliable. Well suited for light weight training. Locks made as a smooth sleeve are easy to put on, quickly lock and are quite reliable. The best option for training with a barbell, recognized by professionals.
Training bar
This sports equipment is not standardized for competition. It differs from the Olympic bar in design and parameters. Some athletes train only with the “Olympic barbell”, while others find it easier to work with bars that have some differences. The athlete selects sports equipment for home training that will be suitable in thickness, balance, coverage and other aspects.
The Life Fitness training bar reflects the experts' opinion on the ideal bar length for general strength training.
Will it match yours? Try it and find out!
We also note that the use of an Olympic bar is completely irrelevant for powerlifters who do not use it in competition. So they often prefer training bars.
https://youtu.be/tcknxENxlJ0
Professional rods assembled
Among the various weights used by athletes, weightlifting barbells are the most popular, as they can become reliable assistants in the formation of beautiful, sculpted muscles.
Their demand has led to an increase in sales, since such projectiles can also be used at home. They have a fairly simple design: weight plates for Olympic barbells of different weights, painted in standard colors, are attached to the ends of the Barbell bar. Each color corresponds to a specific weight. The pancakes are secured using special locks (bushings). At the same time, the Olympic barbell assembled with colored discs, used in weightlifting competitions, differs from the standard training barbell usually used in gyms by the larger diameter of the bar. Our online store for Olympic barbells also offers equipment with black weight plates. Each weightlifting barbell is equipped with two locks, which are available in the form of:
- nuts,
- screw lock,
- spring clamp.
Professional barbell assemblies are used for strength training along with deadlift racks and squat racks, and can also be used as crossfit barbells. Using a bench press with safety stops will ensure safety and comfort when performing independent exercises.
Powerlifting bar
Although outwardly such a bar is almost no different from an Olympic bar, in reality these are different types of sports equipment . This is due to the differences in the exercises performed in powerlifting and classical weightlifting.
The Olympic bar is flexible, it “springs”, and athletes actively use this property. But for a sport like powerlifting, this characteristic is a disadvantage. A much stiffer bar is required to perform the exercises.
Neck selection
The selection of diameter greatly depends on the initial preparation. The standard neck diameter is 25 - 30 mm. This is enough to comfortably grasp the barbell. There are also more expensive options of 50 - 70 mm. This makes the exercise more difficult and strains the muscles more. One of the most common options is 40 mm (more than standard, which makes training more effective, but working with the barbell remains comfortable).
Popular neck lengths are 1200, 1500, 1800 and 2200 mm. A bar shorter than 1800 mm is, as a rule, inconvenient for training, since it does not allow for a wide grip and many racks. The optimal option is 1800 – 2000 mm.
Types of barbells: “straight”, “w-shaped”, “ez”. Various lengths.
There are 3 types of barbells: straight, ez and w-shaped. In most situations, a regular one will do just fine. The Ez-shaped bar differs from the straight bar in a more comfortable and natural position of the wrists during exercise. W-shaped is a modified version of the previous one. The choice of form also depends on the budget, since you have to pay extra for non-standard types.
The weight of the bar is selected individually for each athlete. But in most cases, more weight indicates quality metal and adds stress during training.
Be sure to look for bars with a maximum weight label , since the seller’s words cannot always be trusted. A worn-out bar breaks from exceeding the norm and can harm your health (for beginners who do not plan heavy loads, this factor may not be so important).
EZ-neck and W-neck
The curved EZ bar seems exotic to the ignorant. But it is also a standardized and classic solution for strength training. The established name EZ, according to one version, is associated with the shape. On the other hand, with the English word easy (“easy”). The fact is that the purpose of such a bar is to make it easier to perform certain exercises.
The main advantage of the EZ bar is that it removes the harmful load from the athlete's forearms when performing biceps presses.
He also helps you do a popular triceps exercise called the French press.
Sometimes W-shaped bars are referred to as EZ bars, but this is incorrect. The difference is that the curvature of W-shaped bars is stronger. This means that the load on the forearms is even lower. But the angle of the hands to the fingerboard is close to 45 degrees.
General conclusion
Many people who first thought about doing physical exercises at home believe that dumbbells are a simple tool with nothing special about it. This is partly true. Dumbbells are one of the basic sports equipment. However, their choice has many subtleties that you should familiarize yourself with before purchasing.
Read more: Seated dumbbell press technique, working muscles mistakes
In order for home workouts to be effective and not bring unnecessary discomfort, it is necessary to understand the characteristic features of the equipment. After this, you can already think about which dumbbells to buy for home workouts. When choosing them in a store, you should pay attention to 3 key points in the design:
What dumbbells are best for a man to buy for his home? For independent training, collapsible dumbbells are most suitable for a number of reasons. Firstly, you don’t have to buy several pairs at once for effective training. This will save money. Secondly, in the case of collapsible dumbbells, you can control the working weight by increasing or decreasing the number of weights. The only disadvantage of this type of equipment is the inability to quickly change their weight, which will reduce the intensity of the workout.
Which dumbbells to choose for home? It is highly advisable to choose them with a rubberized neck and rubberized pancakes. In this case, the handle of the dumbbell will be securely held in the hand, and the weighting discs will not ring against each other and scratch the floor. For beginners, the ideal weight of the projectile is 10 kg, while the working weight is calculated individually during the training process (3 sets of 10 repetitions).
Trap bars and T bars
Trap bars are bars that have special transverse handles for holding. Thanks to the handles, the athlete's hands are positioned perpendicular to the barbell. Such bars can be used in various specific exercises. A striking example is the “military bench press”. Typically trap bars are shaped like a hexagon.
T-bars are another unusual, but popular type of bar for advanced athletes. It has a T-shape, with the disks being attached not to the sides, but to the perpendicular end. The result is the ability to perform new exercises. These bars sometimes have handles on the ends, making them look like trap bars.
Which barbell to choose for your home?
When selecting a bar for a barbell, you need to pay attention to the following parameters: the shape of the product, the mounting diameter, the type and design of the lock, as well as weights and other additional factors.
Depending on the form, they are:
- straight - if you are new to training and don’t know which bar to buy for your home, then you can give preference to this type. This is the simplest option. There are universal, Olympic and Olympic women's events. The universal bar has a length of 1.25 to 2 meters, and its weight varies from 6 to 10 kg. This is what is most often purchased for the home. In sports clubs, the Olympic version of the barbell is more common; it has a length of up to 2.2 meters and weighs more than 20 kg. It is considered a more durable product, capable of withstanding a large weight of pancakes. The women's version of the Olympic bar weighs about 15 kg and is shorter;
- curved - modern options for sports equipment that are suitable for both sports clubs and home use. There are EZ, W, T-forms. The EZ barbell model weighs about 7 kg and is no more than 1.2 m long. It is especially convenient to train biceps and perform French bench press with its help. The W-shape model helps better cope with the development of biceps and triceps. Has slight differences in length and weight from the previous model. The T-shaped bar is fixed at one end and does not have a lock on the other side, so you can hang a different number of weights on it.
If you don’t know how to choose a barbell for your home , then it’s better to purchase a straight model.
Curved types of equipment are chosen for training by professional athletes who, with their help, strive to pump up a specific muscle group. And with the classic version of the barbell, you can perform almost all exercises.
Taking into account the landing diameter
You need to choose a bar in such a way that it not only ideally suits the anatomy and needs of the athlete, but also structurally matches the weights. Although often the latter are selected to match the diameter of the rod.
According to this parameter there are:
- American models 25 mm;
- European rods with a diameter of 30 mm;
- 50mm Olympic bar models for heavier weights.
Beginner athletes are recommended to first purchase straight bars. And only then, if you like doing exercises with a barbell, you can buy a more advanced model with a W or EZ type. But you need to make sure that the neck diameter of the two models matches. In this case, you do not have to buy a new batch of disks.
What are they needed for
The ability to play the guitar is the key to regular training and practice. If you are at home and the tool is always at hand, then problems can arise simply due to a lack of desire. However, it is worth considering that in the absence of regular exercise, your skill may decline significantly. Let's say if you leave home for a long time, or your instrument breaks down for some reason. This is when similar guitar simulators will come to the rescue.
They don't take up much space and you can take them with you anywhere. In addition, to practice with them, as a rule, no special preparation is required. You can train with a resistance band while watching a video on YouTube. This won't distract you, but it will be a good exercise for developing string pinch strength.
In addition, some of the simulators imitate a guitar neck, which will help you train fingering, pinch strength, and finger dexterity, even without having a real guitar at hand.
Presence of “knurling”
Knurling improves the grip of the bar by making its surface rough. This significantly increases the comfort when performing exercises such as deadlifts. However, with prolonged training, calluses can form on your hands. A smooth bar forces you to unconsciously put in a lot of effort while developing your forearm muscles. In store rods, as a rule, knurling is present.
The main requirement for any barbell is convenience. There are no clear and specific guidelines for selection. Each detail is selected individually for the individual athlete. This is the only way to achieve comfortable and effective training. If the components you need are not available, it is possible to make a barbell to order.
