Member
Should I Include Bar Weight in my Log's Lifting/Pressing Stats?
Sorry if this has been covered, but I tried searching and found nothing.
I have a lifting log on this forum and each time I add to it, I only state the weight of the plates I am lifting/pressing but not the weight of the bar. Obviously, the bar means I lift more than the weight of the plates, but what is the convention? Does everyone assume the weights indicated are plates only, or do they assume the figures include bar weight too?
I never really gave this any thought until I recently stopped working out at home and started working out in a gym.
My bar at home is a fairly light, 13.6lbs/6kgs, 5' long bar and has no collars. I never thought of including the weight of this bar in my lifting stats. But when I moved to a gym recently I started using a 7' olympic bar (with collars) which must be more like 40lbs+/18kg+ for my deadlifts and squats and a 5' bar (with collars) which is probably around 20lbs+/10kgs+ (not sure exactly).
What this has meant is that my lifting stats have plateaued, despite the fact that the weights I am lifting/pressing are heavier. So it got me thinking...
Of course the weight someone lifts is the weight they lift. Although we don't factor in their hand or arm weight. So when I read that someone has lifted 5x300lbs do I mentally add 40-45lbs for the bar or do I assume that weight is included in the 300lbs?
Starting Strength Coach
The bar's weight is part of the total lifted. If you have two forty-five pound plates on a standard forty-five pound olympic bar, you are are lifting 135 pounds, not 90. It doesn't make any sense to log anything but the total weight on the bar--which includes the weight of the bar itself.
Member
Sully is of course right. However a log is personal. If you feel like doing just plates then go ahead.
Just be aware it doesnt make any sense though. My gym has many 20kg bars and several different plates sets. Every single plate and bar will be inaccurately made by some differential. However for the sake of sanity I just count everything weighing as stated. Just easier that way. Unless of course you know for a fact a bar is like 5kg lighter than the others.
Last edited by Jonathon Sullivan; 05-09-2013 at 07:17 AM. Reason: fixed typo.
Starting Strength Coach
That's true, and people can certainly do what they want, as long as it doesn't involve children or pressure cookers. But imagine somebody coming to you for a consultation as a coach and presenting such a log to you.Originally Posted by StrongLiftMyBalls
OP, StrongLift brings up an important point. When working out at a commercial gym, many lifters will try to lift on the same bar with the same plates whenever possible. This is not always practical. I've never worried about it, myself, but I understand why some people do.
Member
Thanks for your replies, guys. This is actually very good news for me. What it means is that I am closer to my goals than I realised. In fact, I am between 15kg and 20kg closer to my goals, which is fantastic.
I'll amend that. My current deadlift goal is 300lbs (136kg), closely followed by 150kgs (330lbs) - I like round numbers! Yesterday's workout log shows I was up to 120kgs (264lbs) and I was struggling to continue with the 5kg (11lb) increases. So I figured those goals would be a few weeks away. But based on this discussion, I realise I have already hit (and surpassed) my first goal and hence I'm getting close to my second! Fantastic! And my goal to reach bodyweight (about 110kg/240lb) in my squats is also far closer.
Truth is, what you both say makes perfect sense, I just hadn't thought of it. A rather bizarre miscalculation on my part, I now realise. Although with the light bar at home, the difference was small. Now I'm using bigger heavier bars it makes a big difference. Especially when I compare my progress with others or wonder why my progress is slowing down earlier than expected. Perhaps it's not afterall.
I must agree also with the point about different plates too. In the gym I have started attending they have a range of solid metal plates and some rubber-coated plates which are bigger. Mentally, I trust the solid metal plates more to be accurate, although that's based on nothing scientific. I guess that because the rubber coated plates are bigger they look like they should be heavier than they are. In any case, counting weights and increases 3x a week is likely to bring out the OCD in anyone and I find that even though I've only just started at the gym I am already wanting to match, as closely as possible, the plates, rack and bar for each workout to cut down variables. With that said, even an increase of 1kg or 2kg should count as an increase even if there is a discrepancy of a few grams between plates.
Member
Thing you have to keep in perspective is that if you are meant to be squatting 120kg and you end up doing 121 one day and 119 another it really doesn't matter. Especially at this early stage. What matters is that you get in there on the right days and get the planned reps and sets in. Everything will take care of itself.
Starting Strength Coach
Agreed.
Member
What about the weight of clamps? Anyone take that into account?
Starting Strength Coach
My own personal convention is to consider the weight of the collars to be negligible. I don't use heavy collars, though.
Last edited by Jonathon Sullivan; 05-09-2013 at 02:04 PM.
Callador
If you are just using the light springy clips, I wouldn't. If you have actual heavy collars on there, then I would. I think ours weigh 5lb a piece, so that is 10 extra pounds on the bar, and that is worth noting. Our squat bar (8 footer) with the competition collars is 30kg. It all adds up! :-)
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