When Using Heavy Bars

[ExtraMile]

Up until now the bars that I used were very light and probably weighed no more than 1kg, but I bought a new barbell the other day which weighs 20kg, but when I used it I found out that using that changing to a 20kg bar is much easier than adding two 10kg weights, so I just wondered how you figure out how much extra is it equal to lifting eg
21's with light weight bar and 20kg is alot harder than 21's with just the 20kg bar
I relise that its probably due to weight distribution but I wanted to no how much weight I would need to put on the 20kg bar for it to be the same as 20kg in plates and a lightweight bar.

 

[Crocodome]

Just use your simple math skills. Is this really a question? Sorry if it is.

 

[ExtraMile]

yeah it is a question, dint relise this was a fukin maths club.

 

[*The_West*]

this is like asking "what is heavier, 50kg of lead or 50kg of feathers"
20kg=20kg mate

 

[musketeer]

Up until now the bars that I used were very light and probably weighed no more than 1kg, but I bought a new barbell the other day which weighs 20kg, but when I used it I found out that using that changing to a 20kg bar is much easier than adding two 10kg weights, so I just wondered how you figure out how much extra is it equal to lifting eg
21's with light weight bar and 20kg is alot harder than 21's with just the 20kg bar
I relise that its probably due to weight distribution but I wanted to no how much weight I would need to put on the 20kg bar for it to be the same as 20kg in plates and a lightweight bar.

Might just be you mate.

I'm assuming that you have gone from an "international" size bar to an "olympic" standard bar. Could be number of differences such as the plates on the small bar are a little overweight, the small bar may actually weigh more than 1kg or it could be that the discs don't revolve properly making the eliptical movement of the curl more difficult.

I myself foud moving from international to olympic to be more challenging which was to do with the added thickness of the grip and the longer bar required more stabalisation.

 

[searay]

20kg bar plus (+) .5kg plate (for left side) plus (+) .5kg plate (for right side) equals (=) 21kg
1 kg bar plus (+) 10kg plate (for left side) plus (+) 10kg plate (for right side) equals (=) 21kg

almost had to get my calculator out.............

 

[ExtraMile]

Yeah I no this qestion sounded stupid...
Well so far Iv used a 4ft bar and the other day I bought a 5 foot barbell, it weighs 20kg so I thought as I needed a new barbell and two more 10kg plates I thought gettin a heavier barbell would be like gettin the plates and bar in one so I choose an exercise in which I normally use about 20kg on my 4ft bar (which weighs about 1kg) for example reverse curls to about 12 reps, I picked up the 20kg bar and could easily go 20 reps with it, I thought this was strange and then the other day I was doing romanian deads with 40kg to 15 reps, wanted to go heavier so see how many reps I could manage with 70kg so I put 50kg in plates on the 20kg barbell making 70kg and could manage 15 reps with that. I guessed that it was because the 20kg is distributed over the whole bar so its differant to just adding two 10kg weight plates, but if your sure it makes no differance then either I was knackered without relising it last time I deadlifted or I just got loads stronger in a week.
So just to clear it up, normally to anyone else a lightweight bar with two 10kg plates would be just as hard/easy to curl as an empty 20kg 5 ft barbell?

 

[mrgravez]

It should feel the same because 21kg == 21kg. The only way you'd feel a difference is if the bar is actually bending in flexure under the weight, and with just 10kg weights I doubt that would be the case even if the bar only weighed 1 kg which seems really unlikely for a 4ft bar. Are you sure that your 4ft bar actually doesn't weight more then 1kg?? I don't even think its possible for a 4 ft bar unless its made out of carbon fiber or aluminum to only weigh 1kg. :/

 

[ExtraMile]

Well I weighed it and it weighed 3 lbs. its hollow on the inside, a EZ bar and its had 65kg on and not bent so its fine atm.
And it must just be me about the weight, probably a combination of being on a strenth program, bigger bar better grip and it being straight rather than EZ shape.

 

[SaiBoT]

Might just be you mate.

I'm assuming that you have gone from an "international" size bar to an "olympic" standard bar. Could be number of differences such as the plates on the small bar are a little overweight, the small bar may actually weigh more than 1kg or it could be that the discs don't revolve properly making the eliptical movement of the curl more difficult.

I myself foud moving from international to olympic to be more challenging which was to do with the added thickness of the grip and the longer bar required more stabilization.[/QUOTE]

+1! This why extramile question makes sense! Glad that you actually helped the kid, instead of being a smartass.

 

[ExtraMile]

Init Thanks musketeer, lol @ all the others patronising me thinkin I cant add up ¬_¬