My gym has these really weird bars - one is tiny, and the other one has a fat grip lining it. Which one would be preferable to use for squatting?
The smaller one is between 4 and 5 feet, and the larger one is almost 6 feet.
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2 Answers
I'd go with the larger one. Looks like it won't be as sore sitting on your shoulders.
The small one also looks like it will only take small plates. This will really limit how much weight you can put on.
You should ask them can they get olympic barbells in as these are what people normally use.
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They both only take small plates and suggesting olympic barbell would require the gym to also buy standard plates which they probably don't have if they're using the smaller sized bars currently.– RyanCommented Jun 12, 2015 at 13:58
I'd find a new gym. But if this is your only option there's pros and cons to both. Without knowing the length I'm not sure which I'd use.
The longer one I would fear would snap in half under tension, but if you're just starting out this might not be a valid concern. I would be cautious putting 300+ lbs on that though... I might be cautious putting 100 lbs on that really. The shorter one will be a bit stronger just due to mechanics.
The problem however is depending on your own body the shorter one might be too narrow to grip comfortably. That depends on your joint health, how big you are, and your flexibility.
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Hi. This has nothing to do with the question here, but I wanted to reach you nevertheless (I might erase this comment in a few days). You were right, 8 lb is not a very light load for reverse dumbbell flies. The problem is that I am european and I miscalculated the conversion to kilograms, which is the unit we are used to here. Thanks for the explanation. Best regards.– MephistoCommented Jun 19, 2015 at 20:53