Barbells are a staple piece of exercise equipment so you want to make sure you get something that's going to survive whatever you throw at it (or however you throw it).

Standard Olympic barbells are usually a good bet because they will be designed to withstand a reasonable amount of punishment (depending on the quality) and it will be easy to find weight plates that fit them.

So which barbell should you get?

Economy Olympic Barbell

The Iron Edge Olympic Barbell is probably the most affordable Olympic bearing bar on the market.  It is a standard 7ft, 20kg barbell with centre knurling.  It can withstand lifts up to 600kg and can be dropped.  However this is an economy bar, so it won't spin as well as a higher quality bar and it doesn't come with a lifetime warranty.  This bar is for those who want to do some power lifting or a bit of O-lifting and don't have the cash for a higher quality bar.  Ideal for the garage gym!

Pendlay Olympic Barbells

First thing you need to know about the Pendlay barbells is that they come with a lifetime warranty.  Doesn't get much better than that.  The Pendlay bars are a very high quality, but don't have IWF approval (which means they don't have the IWF price tag).  These bars are very good for Olympic lifting - they have a good whip, they don't lock up and the knurling provides good grip without tearing your hands up.

There are two types of Pendlay barbells: the bushing class and the bearing class.  What's the difference?


In a bushing bar, the sleeve rotates around the bar shaft via two brass bushings that are pressed into the sleeve, one on either end. Because there are no moving parts, this is a very reliable and durable design, and is the preferred system for general use bars. Ideal for general training like squats and presses, and very workable for the Olympic lifts. Although a properly manufactured bushing bar can spin very smoothly and quite well, the nature of the shaft/bushing interaction means that a bushing bar will never have the completely free spin of a competition weightlifting bar.

To achieve this, needle bearings are used. In a quality needle bearing bar, 4 or 5 bearing units are used in each sleeve. A common configuration is 3 bearing units close to the collar, and 2 units towards the end of the sleeve. Quality needle bearings give a bar a more free spin than a bushing bar, and make it easier to whip the elbows through in the clean and snatch. Assuming high quality components and quality manufacturing, a bearing bar can approach the durability of a bushing bar. A bearing bar costs quite a bit more, and the one difference is a faster spin. They are no better for general training, but a good Olympic lifter will appreciate the faster spin and quicker turnover when doing the Olympic lifts.

The Pendlay bars come in 10kg, 15kg and 20kg.

Zhang Kong Olympic Barbells

The Zhang Kong are top of the range.  These barbells are IWF approved and have a 1 year warranty.  Zhang Kong were the suppliers of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and if you want the best of the best you can even purchase a set that was used in the training room at the Olympics.  These bars are for anyone who wants the very best, those who are serious about their weightlifting and those who want gear for competitions.

Here is what US Olympic coach Glenn Pendlay has to say about the Zhang Kong bars:

“One competition bar that I personally think has great knurling is the Zhangkong bar. Zhangkong uses I believe 31 cuts per inch on their knurling, so it is a finer knurling, more of a "sandpaper" feel. Now personally I like that, I think it gives a very secure grip while still being very comfortable on the thumb when you use the hook grip”.

“Of the IWF certified bars, the Zhangkong has the best bar whip of any bar I have used in my opinion. It truly whips like no other bar. Be prepared to make a personal record on your jerk the first time you use this bar”.

“If I had to buy 10 bars for a gym which would I buy? Personally I would buy the Zhang Kong because I love a whippy bar and don't care about shin abrasions!”

You can get 15kg (women's) and 20kg (men's) barbells in either training or competition standard.

For more information on Olympic barbells you can go to the Australian Kettlebells site.

Tags: Olympic barbells Barbells