As with many other athletic activities, Olympic weightlifting is far from an inexpensive undertaking. There’s a wide array of equipment to choose from, and you have to be discerning about how you invest. Among the items to consider are:
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But even with an arsenal full of equipment, you cannot train as a weightlifter without a proper bar. The bar is the fundamental piece, so much so that it is recommended to start training with only the bar and no weights on it when you first start out.
While any old bar will do for neophytes, serious weightlifters training with the goal of Olympic competition will need to invest in an Olympic-grade bar. For such a centrally important piece of equipment, it is a wise investment.
The Bella Bar
In women’s Olympic weightlifting, the bar weighs 15 kg, while in men’s competition it weighs 20 kg. But even for those training with Olympic dreams in their heads, they may want versatility from their bar, and the Bella Bar offers precisely that.
The Bella Bar has no center knurl, but also features dual hybrid knurling, with left and right knurls facilitating firm yet comfortable grip. And the construction of this bar offers sufficient whip to accommodate even the hefty weights attempted in Olympic competition.
The Bella Bar offers a 25 mm diameter bar for easy gripping on the zinc coating. It is also made in the United States with proven craftsmanship but still remains affordable.
Difference between and Women’s Olympic Bar and a Powerlifting Bar
Many weightlifters also compete in powerlifting competitions as well, which is an entirely separate sport from Olympic weightlifting. Powerlifting involves three different lifts: the squat, bench press and deadlift; Olympic lifting entails only the snatch and the clean and jerk.
As a result of the differing types of lifts in competition, powerlifting bars require different knurling on the bar from that required for lifting events. For the uninitiated, “knurling” is any type of pattern (usually some type of cross-hatch) imprinted on the bar to assist with grip and tactility.
Powerlifting bars typically feature a center knurl with helps provide grip for lifts that rest behind the neck. Because of the versatility of the Bella Bar, it is also commonly used at CrossFit competitions.
What works for you
As with most other items of weightlifting equipment, you will want to assess your needs, review the options available and decide which choice is best suited for you.
If you primarily do powerlifting, you may want to opt for a bar with a center knurl, as this will help stabilize the barbell on squats. The tradeoff here is that the center knurl may chafe your chest when doing cleans for Olympic lifting.
While the Olympic lifts typically don’t involve too many reps, CrossFit workouts do, and a bar with a center knurl essentially cannot be used for CrossFit training.
For these reasons, the Bella Bar is best suited for those looking to do Olympic lifting and CrossFit with less powerlifting. And while those who do a lot of powerlifting workouts may want to opt for a different bar with a center knurl, the Bella Bar’s low cost and versatility across multiple types of lifts makes it one of the best buys on the market.
Where Can You Find the Bella Bar?
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Click Here to check out the Bella Bar at Roguefitness
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In our nest article we Breaking Down the “Clean and Jerk” Step by Step. Thanks for visiting www.olympicweightsetreview.com, if you liked this article please use our social buttons to give us the thumbs up.
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