How bent of a bar is too bent of a bar?

[Schwiggity]

I've recently gotten a big lot of weight equipment from Craigslist including a bench (somewhat torn up but sturdy) and a power cage. The oly bar that came with it however seems kind of bent. approximately 5-10mm I think. Is this bar still useable for all the lifts in Starting Strength? What's the limit of deviation at which point it will become a problem?

[Dastardly]

For squats, an extreme bend s fine as long as the weights do not fall off the bar.

With deadlifts and extreme bend will mean that the bar will rotate as you pull it off the ground, making gripping difficult. This would be true of bench/press, but the bar should come to rest in the correct orientation on the hooks so it shoudlnt turn in the hand.

[John Bono]

If you can't lift with it, it is too bent. Otherwise don't worry about it.

[gzt]

The squat doesn't matter so much unless it's a really asymmetrical bend or you're at the point where you have to be a technical lifter.

The press, doesn't matter, IMO.

Bench needs a little more precision than press. Depends on how much of a technical lifter you are. If you're brute strength-ing 5x5, whatevs. If you're shirted, you have to be precise.

Deadlift, I don't like asymmetry or bend.

[Schwiggity]

Good info. Power Cleans seem like they might be the biggest problem. I've figured out which way the bar is bent and put a piece of tape on it and marked the top of it so it won't try to flip in my hands, but with an explosive movement like a Power Clean, I'm not sure.

[FatButWeak]

A bent bar is very dangerous for bench pressing, because unless you are gripping it with the peak of the bend pointed exactly skyward (the apex of the bow pointed vertical) the bar pight rotate in your hand, and then fuck you up. Similar problem with cleaning, pressing and deadlifting, although not as dangerous, but every bit as distracting and annoying. Fuck bent bars. Dont use them. Or sell them to a fool.

No offense.

[gzt]

A bent bar is very dangerous for bench pressing, because unless you are gripping it with the peak of the bend pointed exactly skyward (the apex of the bow pointed vertical) the bar pight rotate in your hand, and then fuck you up. Similar problem with cleaning, pressing and deadlifting, although not as dangerous, but every bit as distracting and annoying. Fuck bent bars. Dont use them. Or sell them to a fool.

No offense.

Good point on bench. Rolling in the hands is very bad unless you're dealing with a lighter weight, in which case it's bad but not fatal. Not as big of a problem in press because you have room to move and can "safely" dump, but not something I want to deal with on bench.

[Schwiggity]

Well I have identified the top of the curve (apex as someone stated) so I'm working off of that. It's really all I've got until I can buy a new bar (which I'm fervently trying to find on Craigslist and other sources).

[Callador]

Well I have identified the top of the curve (apex as someone stated) so I'm working off of that. It's really all I've got until I can buy a new bar (which I'm fervently trying to find on Craigslist and other sources).

I think you should be fine knowing that. When I was still at the YMCA a lot of their bars were bent. I did the same thing you did, and it seemed to work fine for bench, squat, and DL.

[yorick]

I think you should be fine knowing that. When I was still at the YMCA a lot of their bars were bent. I did the same thing you did, and it seemed to work fine for bench, squat, and DL.

That's different. You were the one that bent the bars with a ton of weight, right?