Why the kit matters...

Since March 2020 many of us have gone out and spent a decent whack on weightlifting bars, plates, squat racks and so on. For most of us it was the first time we had realised just how expensive it all is, but also the huge price difference there is between an ‘OK’ barbell and a top of the range one. But what is the difference in price reflecting and why should you care?

Does more expensive = better?

Not always, but in the majority of weightlifting kit providers, yes quality is more expensive. There are some fantastic cheaper options out there but when you compare the top end to the bottom end of the market, materials and production methods are very different.

How can you tell?

How sharp a new bar feels, or how well it spins in a rack is fairly deceptive. The quality really only tells over many uses. The coating will either corrode quickly or discolour and even flake on a cheap bar, good ones should last a decade or more. Go for a hard chrome or stainless steel shaft (or even cerakote) and it will last longer, especially if you’re using it in your garage or outdoors.

The collars should spin freely when lifting - not just when you test it in isolation. A better way of judging this is if you can spin the shaft when the bar is loaded and on the floor. Choose a bar with needle bearings if you can afford it, but bronze bushings are also found in many decent bars. Avoid anything else.

A true weightlifting bar will have one knurling ring and a centre ‘ghost’ knurling section (in a 20kg male bar anyway, not a 15kg female bar). There are however some great mixed use bars that have the now common double knurling ring (one powerlifting and one weightlifting) and have no centre knurl as it’s seen as a bit aggressive in the front rack for most people.

A great bar will have a little spring in it when dropped and when loaded up very heavy but always return to straight. A cheaper bar could bend if not taken care of well. No bar should really be left loaded in a rack after you’ve trained.

I don’t think you can get a really good bar for under £250 and I’d be looking in the £150-250 range if I was just looking for something to use once in a while at home. Anything cheaper will need replacing too often to make the saving worthwhile.

I highly recommend the full Eleiko range, I’ve used all of their current range of bars and many of their old ones. I’ve never been let down other than at a commercial gym that didn’t take good care of them. They are however, the most pricey. For much less you can get a bar like the ones from weightlifting house for a third of the price. There are often deals to be found on Rogues website on bars that are pre-used at competitions and usually (when lockdown hasn’t sent the market crazy) you can pick up a decent bar second hand.

What about plates? Surely they all just have to weigh the same?

I’m less fussy about plates. The look doesn’t really matter to me, although a bar loaded with red 25kg plates looks cool whatever the brand…

In my experience though they can change how lifting feels and can also affect your bar and the flooring you lift from. Again, Eleiko and Rogue stand out as good brands with the latter being quite a bit cheaper. I’m also keen to see what Weightlifting House bring out with their new range of plates - again at what promises to be a more wallet friendly price tag.

Good plates will be more accurate to the 100g, fit the sleeves of a good bar more tightly (thus prolonging both lifespans) and take a beating for longer without breaking.

Cheaper plates like BodyMax or Mirafit all work fine for squats and pulls but I’d be worried they won’t hold up over time if you’re snatching and jerking. Maybe crash mats / drop pads will save them? Not sure..

Virtually everything else I would try and hunt around for the best deals on. You don’t need a squat rack rated to 600kg unless you’re lifting those insane weights. Homemade storage solutions for bars and plates will do just fine and there are some great vids to help you build your own - even a platform.

Just remember, don’t take the kit you get to train with at your gym or club for granted. It’s likely very expensive and designed to be treated well in order to last. I’m a bit precious about my kit. I don’t let lifters use the competition spec bars in squat racks, and I insist on chalk being brushed off after training. You’d be surprised what a difference it can make to the life of a bar. Treat them well and they’ll serve you well. Unfortunately you can’t make them feel lighter…