How Much Does A Squat Bar Weigh

The king of leg exercises, squatting, is highly beneficial for your lower body and leg muscles. Did you know that lifting a barbell simultaneously multiplies the benefits of squatting? By adding some weight plates on a squatting bar, you can put your back, torso, core, and hamstring to work and tone your body muscles.

Squat bars are available in different sizes and shapes, which facilitates ease of training. While some squat bars help you customize the weight to strength train despite limitations or injuries, the other bars meet the IWF standards and are ideally suited for big competition platforms.

It is of the utmost importance to know the correct weight and form to avoid accidents during weight training. Are you unsure about how much weight you are lifting while using a squat bar apart from the weight plates? This article will discuss the different kinds of squat bars that will help you have a wholesome powerlifting experience.

How much does an average squat bar weigh?

When we count how heavy a weight we are lifting, we simply sum up the weight of the weight plates and completely ignore the bar. That’s not how it works! While computing the total weight, it is important to take the weight of the bar into account.

• Athletes use different kinds of bars for squatting. The average weight of a standard squat barbell weighs lingers around 20-44 lbs, which is equivalent to 9-20 in kg.
• Olympic squat bars are the most widely sought-after bars. All the leading brands such as Rep Fitness, CAP Barbell, Rogue Fitness, etc., manufacture Olympic bars that weigh 15 kg (33 lbs) for women and 20 kg (44 lbs) for men. This is the standard IWF-approved weight for Olympic bars.

Safety squat bars and Cambered squat bars are slightly heavier and have a robust build. Their weights vary depending on the model of the bar.

How much does a standard squat bar weigh?

If you have come across a squat bar in your neighborhood gym and performed exercises using it, you must have used a standard or typical squat bar.

Squat bars, whose length is less than 5 feet, are not ideally suited for squatting.

A standard squat bar weight ranges between 7-20 kg or 16-44 lbs. For instance, the CAP standard 1-inch bar weighs 16.60 LBS( 7-8 kgs approx). The amount of weight that they can support depends on the diameter of the sleeve.

The smooth steel body has knurled or grooved sections that ensure a proper grip. The center knurling allows the bar to stay in position and keeps it from sliding down when lifting heavier weights.

There are also small notches towards both ends of these normal squat bars that secure the weights and prevent them from rattling towards the center during the workout sessions.

These bars are not built for specialized workouts. They can be used for exercises like squats, bench presses, overhead presses, and deadlifts.

However, if you want to transition to heavier exercises using your squat bar, you need to upgrade your equipment as well!

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How much does an Olympic squat bar weigh?

For weightlifting and powerlifting sports, athletes have to use Olympic squat bars that comply with International Powerlifting Federation and International Weightlifting Federation standards. They have better durability and can manage heavier loads without the risk of being bent.

Why are they preferred to standard squat bars? The reasons are many.

Squat bars have sleeves at the ends which are designed to hold weight plates. Olympic bars have sleeves measuring 2 inches, i.e., they can support weight plates having a diameter hole of 2 inches. On the contrary, those of a standard squat bar measure 1 inch.

Unlike standard bars, Olympic squat bars are equipped with rotating sleeves, which help provide a firmer and more secure grip by reducing the weight plates’ torque. This helps to relieve the stress on one’s arms, elbows, and wrists.

The Olympic Squat bars weight is different for those of men and women, and have color identification markings to tell them apart. 

How much does a men’s Olympic squat bar weigh?

Men’s Olympic Squat bars can endure the most weight and are ideally suited for the highest level championship contests. This 7.2 feet long metal bar weighs 20 kg or 44 lbs, disregard of the brand.

These bars have a “whip” that allows them to quickly restore their erect shape after the weight plates weigh them down. They are marked blue to distinguish them from women’s Olympic squat bars.

How much does a women’s Olympic squat bar weigh?

Although women’s Olympic bars are robust in build, they are slightly smaller than men’s Olympic squat bars. They weigh 15 kg or 33 lbs.

The diameter of the grip section is also small, which facilitates ease of grip. Women’s Olympic squat bars, unlike those of men, do not have a center knurl.

Women’s Olympic squat bars are painted yellow as per the IPF and IWF standards.

Lifting an Olympic bar for the first time? Start with a women’s Olympic Squat bar and upgrade your equipment as you get better!

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How much does a safety squat bar weigh?

Are you struggling to attain the perfect posture while you squat with a barbell? A safety squat bar is the ideal training equipment for you.

These bars are much more comfortable as they are padded at the shoulder and neck. The handles are bent towards the front, which offers a better grip and stability to the athlete. Its ends are curved downwards so that the weight plates are nearer to the ground. This makes it easier to balance the weight plates.

Safety squat bars alter the mechanism of a traditional squat and put your glutes, back muscles, and hamstrings to work.

The safety squat bar manufactured by Titan Fitness weighs approximately 27.6 kg or 61 lbs. The Rogue Fitness safety squat bar weighs 31.75 kg or 70 lbs. Therefore, it is understood that the weight of these safety squat bars ranges between 60-70 lbs.

How much does a cambered squat bar weigh?

Once you have made your way into the list of advanced lifters, you can opt for a Cambered Squat Bar. Using a Cambered Squat Bar is quite challenging; not suggested for newbies.

Although it bears resemblance in appearance to a safety squat bar, a Cambered Squat Bar is designed differently. The ends are bent in such a manner that the weight plates hang much closer to the ground. The plates are positioned almost 14 inches lower than as they are positioned in normal squat bars.

Squatting using a Cambered Squat Bar is challenging because the weights swing back and forth as an athlete squats.

A Cambered Squat Bar weighs somewhere around 45 lbs. For instance, a Titan Fitness Cambered Squat bar weighs 47 lbs (21.32 kg). However, the Cambered Squat Bar manufactured by Rogue Fitness is slightly heavy, weighing 85 lbs (38.5 kg).

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Conclusion

Hope this gives you a brief idea about how to choose the most appropriate squat bar.

To begin with, you have to set your basics right. If you are a beginner, start with perfecting your bodyweight squats and gradually move to lifting squat bars. May you be blessed with the physique and strength you desire!