Bent Olympic Bar

[Girth]

Some discussion in another thread about barbells got me thinking about the bar that I use in my home gym. It is the standard 7' Olympic size. However, it is developing a SEVERE bend to it, even when unloaded. The bar itself is about 2 years old. My loads are usually in the 300-450 lb. range, so not that much.

I never noticed bars with severe bends in them when I used to train in commercial gyms. Thus, I'm wondering if I got a pathetic excuse for a bar. But moreso, I'm worried about the safety of the bar. Sure, MOST metal will continue to bend and is malleable. However, there is the possibility of catastrophic failure, especially in such a hard metal.

For those on here who spend a lot of time with strong guys, do you find that most bars develop a pretty good bend to them? Should I ditch the bar? If so, any suggestions for a quality one?

[kenneth]

Originally Posted by Girth

Some discussion in another thread about barbells got me thinking about the bar that I use in my home gym. It is the standard 7' Olympic size. However, it is developing a SEVERE bend to it, even when unloaded. The bar itself is about 2 years old. My loads are usually in the 300-450 lb. range, so not that much.

I never noticed bars with severe bends in them when I used to train in commercial gyms. Thus, I'm wondering if I got a pathetic excuse for a bar. But moreso, I'm worried about the safety of the bar. Sure, MOST metal will continue to bend and is malleable. However, there is the possibility of catastrophic failure, especially in such a hard metal.

For those on here who spend a lot of time with strong guys, do you find that most bars develop a pretty good bend to them? Should I ditch the bar? If so, any suggestions for a quality one?

my old training partner was a monsterous powerlifter, his bar started the same thing once he got up to around the same weights as you're saying, between 350 and 450.. he ended up getting the extra thick 55 pound bar and using it for everything, I remember his deadlifting over 500 without any bending problems,,,

[Bob Smith]

Check out www.midwestbarbell.com for some bars that are much stronger.

[johnsmith182]

most bars you find in commercial gyms are the $99 cheap variety. they will bend.

you can get a pretty good bar for between $200 and $300. the old texas power bar would not bend with 800 and 900lb squats. when i was doing powerlifting years ago, i did a set of 10 with 960lbs on the partial squat with just a normal texas power bar, probably was manufactured some time in the 1970's, and it didnt bend at all. i have 5 or 6 of these old bars that have been used for 20 years that are still straight as an arrow.

ivanko makes a really good bar for training with heavy weights. not all their bars are good, but they do make a couple of high quality ones.

almost any olympic lifting bar, and i mean bars specifically made for olympic weightlifting, will stand up to 900lb squats just as well as they stand up to 500lb clean and jerks. ive seen lifters squatting huge weights on eleiko, uesaka, york bars with no problem. but these bars all cost $700-$800.

if you want to lift big weights with little or no bar whip, there are some thick bars made which will hold weights like 1100lbs without whipping, and also without bending. bob is right, midwest barbell has some of these, some good ones.

if your having problems with bar bend with 400 or 500lbs, your using a cheap bar that isnt designed for it. i see bars advertised for under $100 all over, im sure lots of people buy them not knowing the difference. but they will bend. they are not good steel.

if your training in a commercial gym, then you cant do much about it. if your buying your own bar, buy a good one. it saves money in the long run.

[Freddy]

Bob and JS gave you good advice. In the mean time, just treat it as a buffalo bar.

[Girth]

Thanks for chiming in gents. Damn my frugal nature. I'll pony up $200 for my wife to get her hair done every couple months, yet can't even justify the same on a lifetime investment. I blame it on the "Y" argue chromosome.