Maximum Weight Difference between Barbell Ends

[pmperabo]

Hello everyone,

I am wondering if there is a maximum difference in weight that should exist between the two sides of a barbell in a rack. I ask because I train alone and want to avoid the barbell flipping after I deload one side. Is it possible for this to happen?

Phil

[Tom Campitelli]

It is possible for this to happen and I have seen it occur. Thankfully, no one was injured. I don't like to have more than one 45 pound plate difference on each side. However, with a 7 foot barbell and a proper squat rack, you can have two 45s on one side and nothing on the other and it should be okay. For a bench press, I would not do that. I would stick to one 45. I am fairly conservative in this regard. I've never had a barbell flip on me.

[Michael Wolf]

About 4 years back, I had worked up to what was then a heavy single for me at 385. I was happy it went up easily, and my friend in the gym was goading me to come do a pulling contest with him (max reps at 405 or something stupid), so I got distracted. I unloaded one side of the bar completely and forgot about the other side. The bar only flipped over after I unloaded the last 45 from the one side. So there were three 45s, a 25, and a 10 on one side and just one 45 on the other, and it didn't flip.

The flipping caused a helluva noise and bent the rails of this gate type thing which was poorly placed right next to the rack, but no major damage was done.

In practice, I don't like to leave more than one 45 plate difference per side, like Tom said, but in a rack of normal width, you're probably fine with two.

[Steve Hill]

The answer to this question depends on the distance between the hooks and the distance the weight is from the near hook. I've seen racks (I have one in my basement) that will handle 3 45's on one side - but there are caveats here. How thick are the weights? My rack will handle 3 45's, but only of they are standard plates. If one of them is a bumper, it'll tip. And a 25# weight, sitting at the end of the bar, is a very different thing than a 45# plate up against the collar.

So the answer to your question is one of my favorite answers to give: It depends.

One thing I *do* make sure I do when I'm unloading a bar is that I push the heavy end's collar towards the hook as far as it will go. This minimizes the distance between the load and the hook, giving maximal mechanical advantage.

[Michael Wolf]

Steve, from your answer to this question it almost sounds like you're an engineer or something.

[pmperabo]

Thanks everyone!

[DirtyRed]

Personally, in a squat rack, I've had four 45 plates and two 10s on one end, and a single 45 on the other end. There's a long lever arm (the fulcrum being on the other side of barbell) for that lone 45 to take advantage of, and there's almost no lever arm for the 200 lbs on the other side to act on.

[ColoWayno]

Grab a friend and do an experiment. Don't let it crash, though.

[Chebass88]

I use 100lb plates on the inside, so 100lb.

[ColoWayno]

I use 100lb plates on the inside, so 100lb.

I don't think my very cheap rack I got for free > 10 years ago would support that imbalance.