Any recommendations for a short bar, for press only?

[Adam Levine]

I need a bar that is five feet long or shorter, which I'll only use for overhead press. My 1RM is only 135lb, so it doesn't have to be a great or super-strong bar.

Any bars that would be good for this purpose? I can get a cheap 5' CAP barbell for $50 off Amazon, but a little shorter would be better. Would any odd-shaped bar be good for press? Can you press an EZCurl bar? Any advice is appreciated.

Reasons why I need this:
- Building a basement gym.
- Ceilings too low to press except in one small spot at the bottom of the staircase.
- In that spot, a 7' barbell would go through the wall. A 6' barbell would barely fit and really be too tight. A 5' barbell is manageable if I remove a light fixture.
- My solution is a set of cheap, independent squat stands that I can move in and out of there easily, along with a short barbell.

-->Adam

[Jeff Brophy]

Can you press an EZCurl bar?

I would think this would put your elbows in a bad position and be potentially unstable as you'd be pressing up against the bend in the bar. I'd make a go with the 5' CAP. Can you set the stands up outside?

[jfsully]

Have you considered or tried a camber bar? I have rack and platform in my garage, but every winter I consider moving to the basement, so I have this on my someday list:

Titan Rackable Camber Bar

[Erik Y]

Great to see you’re moving out of the boxing gym. Good luck on your new setup.

[Adam Levine]

Thanks all, going with the 5' CAP bar.

I thought about a camber bar, but ceilings are still too low. At 79", I can shove my fist through them.

-->Adam