weights - barbell

[olinek]

Some time ago I made some dumbbells and bought some plates for em.
I got 180 lbs total: (4x25lbs, 4x7.5, , 6x5, 8x2.5). (and I got 50 lbs of those silly concrete filled plastic weights).

This is serving me well as it is more than enough for most things I do, but in some lifts I am running out. Rows for example, I don't like to use the 25 lbs plates as the range of motion is seriously restricted.

So anyways someone on craigslist is selling: 18x5, 12x10, 2x25 and a 70 inch bar (45 lbs), for 75$.

I sent him an email saying I am interested but is there a point?

pros:
- 10 lbs plates would be useful, since I like using lots of ROM
- 25 plates would be useful
- a bar would let me start doing barbell training.
- 75$/260 lbs = .28$ per lbs = cheap

cons:
- So many 5 lbs plates is annoying and unnecessary. 6 I have now is fine
- I am most eager to deadlift, but no 45 lbs plates. (Not really a problem just annoying).

undecided:
- olympic bar may be a better investment.

What you think? I have kind of made up my made as I wrote this that I just don't want 18 little plates in my home, so really this question comes down to: when I do settle on getting a bar, should it be an olympic one (I plan to train deads, squats, cleans, snatches, presses blah blah)? Also why does the outer bar spin on olympic bars?

Thanks, Al

[Fatman]

What you think? I have kind of made up my made as I wrote this that I just don't want 18 little plates in my home, so really this question comes down to: when I do settle on getting a bar, should it be an olympic one (I plan to train deads, squats, cleans, snatches, presses blah blah)? Also why does the outer bar spin on olympic bars?

Thanks, Al

An Olympic bar is great, but unless you have some money to burn an exercise bar will do just as well. Plus if you buy an Oly bar the collars will be too wide for the plates you have now. The weight seems to be the same. As for the extra small plates, just sell them or stick them in one of those boxes that disappear into the basement/attic never to be seen again. :)

I trained the snatch and clean on an exercise bar for months. When I switched to a bar with rotating sleeves I cleaned almost 20 lbs. over my previous best... for a double. The nature of the quick lifts hinges on the revolving properties of the sleeves. You will discover why as soon as you try a clean or snatch with a revolving bar.

On the other hand, you will run out of weight pretty quickly on the deadlift and squat. Plus deadlifting is much more convenient with 45 lb plates. If the bar on offer is a model that will allow you to find more plates easily, I'd say go for it.

[olinek]

Thanks for the input fatman. Unfortunately he didn't respond so I guess that settles that.

[matchbox]

I have used a standard bar for many years, and given the chance I would switch to an olympic bar in a second. If you don't want 45's on your bar when deadlifting because of ROM, pick yourself up a used riser they use for aerobics.