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How many pounds does an olympic barbell weigh?
When recording the weight of a lift, do we include the weight of the barbell as well?

For example, if I'm lifting two 50lbs weights, which == 100lbs, do I add the weight of the barbell to the 100lbs?

I'm guessing the barbell weights between 5-10 lbs, but I'm not too sure.

I'm asking this because at the gym, I usually use fixed-weighted barbells. I was able to lift 100lbs of the fixed-weighted barbell.
However, When I lifted 50 lbs plates with an olympic barbell (100 lbs), I found it much heavier than the fixed-weighted barbell. I don't know if it's psycological or if the barbells contributes to the difference in weight. I'm stumped.

Thanks

A standard olympic barbell shoudl weight 45 lbs. which technically is with collars I think but not positive.

Yes, you should definately add bar weight to your lifts.

No its totally different. First of all it weighs 45 pounds. Second, If ur lifting 2 50 lbs weights which=100 lbs then u'll be able to lift more than a 100 lbs because ur using both ur arms. This is mostly when benching.

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Muhammad

Age: 15 Height: 5'9'' Weight: 153 lbs

When someone says they bench 300, that number is including the bar itself which typically weighs 45lbs.

Thanks!

I think my barbell might be different. It definately doesn't feel like 45 lbs. The olympic barbell I use is the one that usually comes with home gym equipment.

Even when I pickup a 20 lb plate, it feels quite heavier than the barbell.

Is there a way to measure the barbell's weight?
What are the other sizes of standard olympic barbells?

Yea and hear is an easy way to find out ur bench max ( I found this out a few months ago and maybe a few of u ppl know it).
Ur bench max= 2(sum of both weights when repping dumbell chest presses)
ex. if u dumbell chest press (rep) with 60 pounds in each hand 60+60=120 and 120 times 2= 240. So ur bench max would be 240 lbs.

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Muhammad

Age: 15 Height: 5'9'' Weight: 153 lbs

that formula doesn't really jive for me personally, I can rep 70 lb dumbells (70 x 4 = 280) while my bench max is only 250.

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Thanks, but that doesn't answer my questions...

I think my barbell might be different. It definately doesn't feel like 45 lbs. The olympic barbell I use is the one that usually comes with home gym equipment.

Even when I pickup a 20 lb plate, it feels quite heavier than the barbell.

Is there a way to measure the barbell's weight?
What are the other sizes of standard olympic barbells?

no thats not how it works. U dont multiply the weight by the reps. U just add the weight of the dumbells together and multiply the sum by two and ur bench max is that or around that.

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Muhammad

Age: 15 Height: 5'9'' Weight: 153 lbs

...ummm no, that's not how it works, firstly you're trying to compare what you rep with dumbbells to what you max out on with a barbell. Too many variables there. What I've heard is, if you're rep'ing x weight for dumbbells, say 70lbs in each hand, then you should be able to rep about (2x + 50)lbs on barbell press, which would be about 190, that seems reasonable. It's not directly multiplicative because dumbbells are harder because you have to stablilze them alot more than you do the bench barbell, but the difficulty of stabilizing them does not increase terribly much with added weight (unless it's just too much for you to handle).

I hope this has made some sense, I guess I was kinda rambling.

Yes, weight it. Why can't you weight it?

Stardard barbells are 45 pounds. You have one that isn't 45 pounds. So it could be any weight.

I don't know I rep between 80 and 85 pound dumbells (8 on the former, 6 on the latter). I definitely cannot get anywhere near 320. I'm pretty sure most people in the gym who dumbell rep 60 can max 240 on the barbell.

ok then nevermind

my post wasn't multiplying reps btw it was just a simplification of your formula (70 + 70 = 140 = 70 x 2 so 2x2x70 = 4x70)

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discuss my journal: http://exrx.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=457

WolfsRain,

Does the barbell have 2 inch ends or 1 inch ends? How long is it? A standard olympic bar is 7 feet and 45 lbs. If it isnt that, it isnt standard.
Easy way to weigh the barbell, weigh yourself, weigh you holding the barbell, subtract the two numbers and that is the weight of the barbell.


As to the rest of the thread on getting your max, if you take someone who benches a lot on a barbell, that doesnt mean they can do any amount with dumbbells if they have never done them before.

I spend a lot more time on dumbbells say, 5x100lb db on incline but am pretty sure 225 would be really pretty near a max on the barbell incline. So I get just over the sum of the dumbbells. Why is that? Probably because I spend more time on the dumbbells.

Can I get (100+100)x2=400? Not in a million years. I cant imagine anyone getting 4x(single dumbbell). Maybe if you are doing like.... 20 reps then sure.