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Best Barbell for Lifting

Updated Jun 30th, 2021 1:18PM EDT

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While getting your “swell” on often requires a gym membership that requires both your time and recurring monthly payments, this doesn’t always have to be the case. With the right equipment, like a barbell for lifting, you can get a great workout in your house without having to constantly wipe down other people’s sweat from equipment, wait 20 minutes for the last machine of your workout, or deal with pointless small talk. It might sound a bit cynical, sure, but getting yourself a barbell for lifting for your home could immediately solve all of these nuisances. While the idea might sound unorthodox at first, there are plenty of great barbells you can use to get lifting. So whether you simply don’t have the time for the gym anymore or just prefer to workout in solitude, let’s take a look at some of the best barbells for lifting. You’ll be happy that you did.

An Olympic straight barbell for lifting

Best Olympic Straight BarbellImage source: Body-Solid/Amazon

For a classic, Olympic straight bar that can facilitate a bevy of workouts, the Body-Solid Tools Olympic Straight Bar is a great choice. The seven-foot chrome bar weighs 44 pounds and has a 600-pound capacity so you can lift heavy weight without a problem. The triple-plated chrome finish helps protect against chipping, rusting, and scarring, while the knurled grips on the bar provide the user with additional grip to properly secure the barbell. So if you’re looking for an Olympic-style bar you’d typically find at the gym that you can easily use in the comfort of your own home, this high-quality piece of equipment is the way to go.

Key Features:

  • Weighs 44 pounds
  • 600-pound capacity
  • Triple-plated chrome finish
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Do more curls with this best barbell

Best Curl BarbellImage source: Cap Barbell/Amazon

Suns out guns out. If you’re simply looking for something to give your arms a much-needed pump, the Cap Barbell Olympic Super Curl Bar is a great bar for curls and other arm-related exercises. Made with solid steel with a chrome finish, this bar provides a medium-depth diamond knurling for enhanced grip, an angled shaft designed for comfort, and revolving sleeves to reduce pressure on the wrists and forearms. The bar itself weighs 16.75 pounds with a shaft length of 33.25″.

Key Features:

  • Made with solid steel with a chrome finish
  • Angled shaft designed for comfort
  • Weighs 16.75 pounds
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Use this barbell for more than just lifting

Most Versatile Barbell SetImage source: Yes4All/Amazon

If you want a bar that is a bit more versatile, the Yes4All Adjustable Dumbbells with Connector Options is a fantastic choice. Here, you’re getting adjustable dumbbells that have the ability to transform into a single barbell in a whim. The package comes with a pair of 40 lbs. adjustable dumbbells along with four 3 lb. plates, four 5 lb. plates, four collars, and a connector to connect the dumbbells into one full-length barbell. If you’re someone who likes to move between barbell and dumbbell exercises, this is a great, simplistic option for you.

Key Features:

  • Comes with multiple dumbbells and a connector to make it a barbell
  • Getting adjustable dumbbells to become a barbell
  • Simplistic option
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Choose a barbell that fits your life

Best VarietyImage source: Sporzon/Amazon

There are plenty of options when you pick the Sporzon! Olympic Barbell Standard Weightlifting Barbell. You’ll be able to get multiple diameters and multiple lengths, so you’ll find the one that’s best for you. They come in one- or two-inch diameters and then lengths that are five, six, or seven feet. The multiple knurling positions and lengths are there for your safety. This can hold up to 700 pounds and the bar is chrome-plated with solid steel construction. Made for repeated use and long-lasting credibility, this includes the bar only. This works with dumbbell and barbell plates.

Key Features:

  • Multiple knurling positions
  • Multiple diameters and lengths
  • Solid steel construction
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Barbell for lifting for new users

Best for BeginnersImage source: Rage Fitness/Amazon

If you’re a beginner learning to lift, try the RAGE Fitness Olympic Training Barbell. This has durable, rotating sleeves with bushings and the aluminum barbell can help you perfect weightlifting basics. It is six feet in length and the grip area measures 49″. The bar itself weighs 15 pounds, so picking it up to clean, jerk, or squat gives you enough weight to hold while you’re getting your technique down. The medium, diamond knurling with center knurl makes this safer to use. The maximum amount of weight on this barbell is 300 pounds.

Key Features:

  • Weighs 15 pounds
  • 49″ in the grip area
  • Perfect for learning basics
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