If your NOT a competitive Olympic lifter, but use the lifts in your workouts, you still need a bar designed around the requirements of Olympic lifting. A bar with good spin, appropriate knurling, a bar that will "whip", a bar with a diameter that allows a secure grip and a hook grip if you are inclined to use one, and a bar that is designed to be dropped without coming apart! We offer Crossfit practitioners and affiliates a bar that fits your needs without draining your bank account. It was designed by Olympic lifters, so although inexpensive, it incorporates the design features that make it appropriate for snatches and cleans, as well as squats and other exercises. 1. Our bar has a 28.5mm shaft. Higher prices bars (like the Pendlay bar or a Werksan or Eleiko)have a 28mm shaft, while other "bargain" bars use a 30 or 32mm shaft. We added the extra .5mm as a cost cutting step, these bars are NOT machined down to an exact 28mm like our higher priced bars. But we DID NOT add extra diameter to the shaft to make up for lower quality steel. A shaft diameter of 30mm or more destroys the "whip" of the bar, something that is more and more important as you get better at the Olympic lifts. A larger diameter shaft also hinders the grip, something that is very important to the Olympic lifts, especially the snatch. It is infinitely more difficult to maintain good for, especially straight arms, during the pull when using a thick bar. Crossfitters dont need competition perfect form on cleans and snatches, but the better your form is, the more benefit you get from the lifts! 2. The knurl on this bar is appropriate for snatches and clean and jerks as well as deadlifts, squats, and bench presses. 3. Our Crossfit bar uses snap-ring construction on the sleeves, just like the Pendlay bar, or a Werksan or Eleiko bar. Threaded end-bolts are cheaper, but they won't hold up to being dropped forever. The threads strip eventually, and the sleeves come off. I have seen it happen in a couple of workouts, i've seen it take a couple of years. But I know I won't let the kids I coach drop bars with the sleeves secured by an end-bolt. 4. Our shaft is black oxide coated, with steel sleeves and collars. The black oxide coating prevents rust and preserves the knurling, even if you aren't quite as dependable as you should be with brushing down the bar and removing the moisture-retaining chalk after workouts. A black oxide coating also eliminates the need for a center knurling. I know I dont relish the proposition of a scraped up neck from a high rep set of cleans with a bar that has aggressive center knurling. Chrome bars are so slippery, you NEED center knurling if you are going to use the bar for squats... Black oxide is not slippery, so it stays on the back during squats just fine even without center knurling. This is a quality bar that is suitable for general training as well as the snatch and clean and jerk. Designed by Olympic lifters so you know it is suitable for the lifts, with all the little characteristics that make it a joy to snatch or clean with and the strength and durability to last, but without the expensive details that would be important to a competitive Olympic lifter but not someone just incorporating the lifts into their training regimine. Designed specifically for a Crossfit style workout. Also available as a 15kg, 25mm shaft diameter Womens bar. |