The sleeves are supposed to spin. This cannot cause you to drop the bar, since the spin is not transferred to the bar shaft if the bearings or bushings are functioning properly. If the sleeves jam or if the bar is bent, maybe. Please clarify.
✓ Member
Types of barbells
Recently my gym purchased all new equipment for the weight room. Most of it is fine, including new power racks and DL platforms. However, I am concerned about the barbells that they purchased. I am not familiar with the brand, (xult) but I get the impression that they are designed for commercial gyms.
The sleeves tend to spin excessively. And that spin seems to transfer to the bar during the bench press. I am not the only person who has noticed this issue and the other day I actually lost control of the bar while I was still at lockout. As I locked out and took a deep breath, the bar rotated /rolled in my hands to the point that my wrists actually folded over. I never let go of the bar, but I was forced to drop in on my chest. No broken bones but it caused pretty bad bruising and I have been recovering for about two weeks.
After the accident, I started researching barbells. I already knew that not all bars are equal, but I did not realize that some apparently have sleeves that are designed to spin a lot because of the Olympic lifts. I have read everything that I can find online and in Starting Strength about barbells and watched a video in which Mr. Rippetoe talks about barbells. Am I crazy to think that these bars are dangerous for the bench? If I am not crazy, can you help me to better explain to my gym why these bars should not be used on the bench? I am concerned that it might happen to someone else with worse results.
TMPHBITEU
The sleeves are supposed to spin. This cannot cause you to drop the bar, since the spin is not transferred to the bar shaft if the bearings or bushings are functioning properly. If the sleeves jam or if the bar is bent, maybe. Please clarify.
✓ Member
Thank you for your quick reply. I know that they are all supposed to spin, but these tend to spin a lot more than a power bar. I can spin the power bars at the university I work at (the the bars are relatively new and well maintained) and after a few rotations they slow down and stop. The other bars continue to spin for a longer length of time. Almost like those fidget spinner things that my kids have. I guess a better way to describe it is that the bar feels like it is wobbling in my hands. As I mentioned above, a number of other lifters have described the same feeling. After un-racking the bar and getting to the lockout position the bar wobbled in my hands to the point that my wrists folded over and I had to drop it to my chest. In all the years that I have lifted weights, I have never experienced this wobbly sensation and I do not feel it with the power bars either.
Member
I've heard of this before (in the form "don't bench with a bearing bar"), and I found it bewildering then, too.
TMPHBITEU
Sorry, I don't have any bearing bars in the bench press room. Let me suggest one of these: Starting Strength Bars | Made by Texas Power Bars | Powerlifting Barbell & Bars
Member
I have a bearing bar and can't see how this could be a problem. Yes they might feel a bit unstable in your hands as there is no weight holding it in place by inertia and friction but for sure they can't roll out of your hand. It is easier to roll them but why would you?
✓ Member
Your succinct response about bearing bars is quite reaffirming. As a matter of fact, I already suggested that if they replace them they should consider the SS bars. Thanks
Member
Oh, I used to think that too until I tried it one day. Did not like and would not recommend benching with a good spinning bearing bar.Originally Posted by m_sporkboy
✓ Member
I will not use one again on the bench. As Mr. Rippetoe noted above, he does not put them on the bench press. I learned from my mistake and I certainly do not want anything that is "unstable" in my hands during what is already one of the riskier lifts in the gym. I feel that I was lucky because I was able to bring the bar down under some degree of control. Still hurt, but it could have been much worse.
Member
Maybe the plates were unbalanced? That could make a properly spinning bar wobble in the hands
Posting Permissions