When deciding which barbell to buy, it’s important to consider what barbell plates and weights you intend to use with the bar. The plates you choose must fit on the bar loading sleeve in order to be used correctly.

All of our barbell plates come with two spring collars to secure the plate in position on the bar. It’s good to know how much space the weight plate(s) will occupy on the bar prior to purchasing. Don’t forget to account for a small amount of space that’s needed for the collars on each side of the bar too.

If you have an idea of your one rep max for deadlift or squat, the heavier-type lifts will give you a good indication of the plates you need and provide scope for progression.

Needle ‘roller’ bearings are special bearings which allow the plate to spin freely on the bar and will reduce the friction on the rotating surface. This is important for lifting, as a smooth plate rotation and minimal play up and down the bar is optimal for proper technique. 

Squats, deadlift, bench press, power clean, bent over row – the list of exercises is endless for barbells. If you intend to use your bar with other equipment, such as a rack or bench, there are some considerations to take into account before you buy.

Most power racks (A.K.A squat racks) fit a minimum 7ft standard Olympic bar. We recommend the 2200 Olympic lifting bar when using a power rack as the others are too small for you to be able to load safely. For all bars, an adjustable squat rack is ideal for various bar lengths. Just be sure the maximum loading capacity of the rack will be sufficient for the combined weight of your barbell bars and plates.

Similarly for a weight bench, ensure the barbell, plates and your body weight combined do not exceed the maximum loading capacity of the bench. All of our RPM Power Benches are adjustable, meaning you can increase or decrease the difficulty of every exercise.

Below are some examples of possible RPM Power equipment that you can easily pair with Barbells and Plates: