The demographic for which those bars are designed do not use heavy enough weights that a center knurl is necessary. It adds expense and not value. By the time a center knurl is useful to the lifter, the 20kg bar is being used.
Why do the 15kg and 10kg Starting Strength barbells not have a center knurl? When using these bars to train older or weaker folks is there any special consideration I need to take? In particular, during the lowbar squat I am wondering if not having a center knurl will cause any issues with the bar sliding. I have heard that using athletic tape can help to create some friction--is this necessary? I'm interesting in hearing what you have to say about this matter and why you designed these bars to that specification because I am considering purchasing one or more of these bars. Thanks!
The demographic for which those bars are designed do not use heavy enough weights that a center knurl is necessary. It adds expense and not value. By the time a center knurl is useful to the lifter, the 20kg bar is being used.
I have a big roll of athlete / rock climbers tape in my gym bag for when I'm away from home and stuck using a crappy gym which doesn't have centre knurled bars.
It works a treat for me, those non centred bars are whippy mind you!
That's why you don't want a chrome-plated bar for general strength training.
Guess I have to keep being the iconoclast here, but I prefer squatting with whippy bars.
Edging up to 500 x 5. Here's a knee-sliding, on-my-toes, and--most-importantly--no-center-knurling 474 x 5 for your viewing pleasure: 215 kg x 5 on Vimeo