How Much Does an Olympic Bar Weigh?

When it comes to strength training, one of the most fundamental pieces of equipment you'll encounter is the Olympic barbell. Whether you're performing squats, deadlifts, or bench presses, understanding the weight of the Olympic bar is crucial for tracking your progress and ensuring safe lifting. So, how much does an Olympic bar weigh, and why is it important? Let's break it down.

Why Does the Barbell Weight Matter?

The barbell set, a fundamental piece of fitness equipment, holds immense value when used harmoniously with weight plates and collars. With a loaded barbell, you can effectively train all major muscle groups, regardless of your goals—shedding pounds, building muscle, strengthening your body, or enhancing muscular endurance. Owning a deadlift barbell is indispensable for reaching your fitness aspirations.

Now, there’s a different barbell for every training style or goal. The barbell bar a bodybuilder needs differs from one you get for versatility in your garage gym. On the other hand, CrossFit athletes could get hurt from using the wrong barbell during a snatch.

1. Tracking Progress: Your barbell’s weight is part of your total lifting load. Tracking how much weight you’re lifting, including the bar, helps you monitor your progress over time. For instance, if you’re lifting a total of 100 kg (220 lbs), you should account for both the barbell bar and the added barbell plates.
2. Safety: Lifting without knowing the total weight can lead to overloading or underloading the barbell bar. It's important to calculate the correct weight to ensure you're lifting within your ability and preventing injury.
3. Form and Technique: Beginners often use lighter bars to focus on form and technique before advancing to heavier loads. Understanding the weight of the barbell bars allow for a smoother progression in your lifting journey.
4. Competition Standards: If you’re training for Olympic weightlifting or powerlifting competitions, it’s critical to use the appropriate barbell to match the competition standards. Training with the right barbell ensures consistency when you step onto the platform.

Standard Bar v.s. Olympic Bar

At first glance, you might not notice the difference between the Olympic bars and standard barbell. However, the standard bar is slightly smaller and can handle less weight. Of course, there are more differences between these two weights barbells; below, we get a bit more technical.

Olympic Barbells: An Overview

Length

Olympic barbells typically come in two standard lengths:

• 6 feet, 6 inches (women’s bar)
• 7 feet, 2 inches (men’s bar)

These lengths are used in official competitions, but you can use either bar in your workouts for general fitness. Keep in mind that the Olympic barbell's weight differs from the standard bar's, with each bar's weight based on length and use (more on weight below).

Sleeve Diameter & Rotation

The sleeve diameter of an Olympic barbell ranges from 48 mm to 50 mm (about 2 inches). It’s important that the sleeve doesn’t exceed 50 mm because most barbell plates are bored to this size. If the sleeve is too large, standard plates won’t fit, making it unsafe to add weight as you progress.

Additionally, many Olympic bars include ball bearings between the gym barbell and the sleeve to allow smooth rotation. This feature helps lifters move the bar efficiently during exercises like cleans and snatches, reducing stress on the wrists and elbows while improving grip.

Bar Thickness

The thickness of the gym barbell varies between men’s barbell and women’s barbell:

• 25 mm (women’s barbell)
• 28 mm (men’s barbell)

These thinner bars are designed to facilitate the hook grip, which is crucial for heavy lifts. While regular gym-goers can choose whichever barbell bar feels more comfortable for their grip, if you plan to compete in Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, or strongman competitions, you’ll need to get used to the required bar diameter for that event. Moving from a thinner barbell set to a thicker one can be challenging if you haven't trained with it.

Weight

There are two standards for Olympic barbell weights:

• 33 pounds (women’s barbell)
• 45 pounds (men’s barbell)

The difference in weight between the men’s and women’s Olympic bars comes from the fact that women’s barbells are shorter and made with a slightly thinner shaft. The reduced length and smaller diameter provide a more manageable barbell for lifters with smaller hands and frames, making it easier to grip while performing lifts.

For regular workouts, you can choose whichever sport barbell suits your needs, but it’s crucial to account for the difference in weight between an Olympic barbell and a standard barbell. The extra 12 pounds from a men’s bar can impact your training, especially when calculating total lifting weight for exercises like squats or deadlifts.

Barbell Strength

Olympic barbells are rated by their PSI (pounds per square inch) strength, with ranges from below 165,000 PSI to above 190,000 PSI. A higher PSI means a stronger sport barbell, better suited for heavier loads. For most lifters, a 165,000 PSI bar is sufficient, but if you’re focusing on powerlifting, a bar closer to 200,000 PSI will offer greater durability for heavier weights.

Knurling

Most Olympic barbells feature center knurling, which helps secure the weight barbell  during exercises like back squats. However, with the rise of powerlifting, many manufacturers now offer barbell bars with or without center knurling based on customer preferences. Some lifters prefer bars without center knurling to avoid scraping their shins or necks during lifts like deadlifts or cleans.

Standard Barbells: An Overview

Length

Standard barbell lengths vary, typically ranging from 3 feet to 7 feet. They can even be the same length as women’s and men’s Olympic barbells (6’6” or 7’2”, respectively). However, despite their similar lengths, they aren’t designed for the same purposes. Olympic bar vs standard bar usage differs greatly, as we’ll explain below.

Sleeve Diameter

Standard barbells have a sleeve diameter of 25 millimeters (1 inch). Unlike Olympic barbells, they don’t feature rotating sleeves, and the diameter of the sleeve and the sport barbell itself is the same throughout. This difference makes standard vs Olympic barbell less suitable for exercises like cleans or snatches, which require smooth rotation during lifts.

Bar Thickness

Standard barbells are consistently 25 mm thick across their entire length. If you opt for a standard barbell, keep the following in mind:

• You’ll need barbell plates with a 1-inch hole to fit the sleeve diameter.
• These barbells are not designed for extremely heavy lifts or advanced weightlifting movements.
• They are not suited for Olympic lifts, where the bar needs to rotate or your grip needs to adjust mid-movement.

Weight

Unlike an Olympic barbell, which has a barbell set weight (33 lb barbell for women and 45 lb barbell for men), this sport barbell weight is between 11 pounds and 22 pounds, sometimes more. There are no strict weight guidelines for standard barbells, which makes the Olympic barbell vs standard comparison crucial, especially for lifters looking for consistency in their equipment.

Barbell Strength

Due to their thinner diameter, standard barbells have significantly lower PSI ratings compared to Olympic barbells. A standard barbell may only support up to 200 pounds before bending or breaking. While this might be sufficient for beginners, more advanced lifters will quickly surpass this weight threshold and need to upgrade to a stronger bar, making it important to understand the differences in Olympic bar vs standard bar weight and strength.

Making an Informed Choice

There are many factors to consider when buying an Olympic or standard barbell, and we've listed some above. In general, your preferences, training needs, and budget will determine the best barbell you end up with. If you ask us, the proud owner of a home gym should also be the proud owner of a quality Olympic barbell.

RitKeep Olympic Barbell Powerlifting Bar is made of high-quality alloy steel, which is extremely strong, and the durable structure guarantees longevity. In addition, it has flexible whipping and dynamic rotation functions to bring an Olympic weightlifting experience. At only $175, it is a great choice for your home gym.

Weight Differences in Olympic Bars

While the standard 20 kg (45 lb) men’s barbell and 15 kg (33 lb) women’s barbell are common, some variations exist:

• Powerlifting Bars: A powerlifting bar typically weighs 20 kg (45 lbs), but it’s often stiffer and has slightly different specifications. It’s built for squats, deadlifts, and bench presses, with a thicker diameter and more rigid construction to handle heavy loads.
• EZ Curl Bars: EZ curl bars, which are often used for arm exercises, generally weigh around 10 kg (22 lbs), though this can vary depending on the manufacturer.
• Specialty Bars: Some gyms offer specialty bars like trap bars, safety squat bars, or axle bars. These often have different weights, with trap bars typically weighing 20–25 kg (44–55 lbs).

How to Calculate the Total Weight of Your Barbell Setup

When you're planning your workout or lifting routine, remember that the weight of the barbell weight set is just the starting point. You’ll need to account for the weight of your weight plates as well. Here’s a quick guide to help you calculate the total weight:

Determine the weight of your barbell bar (e.g., 20 kg or 44 lbs for a men’s Olympic bar).

Add the weight of the barbell plates you’re using. For example, if you’re using two 45 lb plates (each), that adds up to 90 lbs.

Total weight = barbell weight + weight of the plates. So, in this example, it would be 44 lbs (barbell) + 90 lbs (plates) = 134 lbs.

Olympic Bar: FAQs

How to Compare the Strength and Quality of Barbell Bars?

The Olympic and standard barbells share shafts, sleeves, bearings, bushes, and other components. However, the Olympic barbell uses other manufacturing processes like heat treatments to increase its tensile strength. This is what makes the load-bearing capacity of this gym barbell higher.

Asides from these, Olympic barbells are also made from better quality stainless steel, which is rust-resistant.

Standard bars are made from cheaper steel and then coated with nickel or zinc to prevent rusting. In cases where an Olympic barbell is made with mild steel, it’s coated with ceramic coating, which is more rust-resistant and feels better.

Why Professional Lifters Prefer Olympic Barbells?

Professional lifters prefer Olympic barbells because they offer many benefits and advantages in competitive scenarios. Using the wrong bar could contribute to failure. They meet competitive standards and will perform better when you powerlift with them. They support the rotational movements you'll need to do and have the right load-bearing capacity.

Olympic barbells also come with aggressive knurling, which is recommended for professional lifting as it offers a better grip. Medium knurls are better for functional training, CrossFit, and compound lifts. The center knurling on Olympic barbells also helps maintain your grip when lifting your shoulders or in the front rack position.

Why are Olympic barbells more expensive than standard barbells?

Olympic barbells carry a higher price than standard barbells. This results from the high-quality materials used and the many production processes it undergoes. One of these is the case hardening heat treatment mentioned above.

But Olympic barbells offer value for the money. The hardening and straightening that they undergo improves their strength and longevity. However, the standard barbell might be more cost-effective if you're looking for a simple barbell to do lightweight training around your house.