I recently bought my first barbell with BEARINGS in the sleeves and boy – does that thing SPIN! It got me thinking – just WHY do barbells spin, and when is that actually useful? Here’s what you need to know. So, why do barbells spin? Olympic barbell sleeves spin to eliminate any torque from the weight plates spinning before it is applied to your wrists or elbows. This is essential for Olympic weightlifting movements such as cleans and highly desirable for most other lifts as well. Barbell spin is desirable… Most of the time… When moving a loaded barbell through […]

Whether you’ve bought a barbell yet or not – you’re clearly interested in finding out whether black oxide finished barbells rust.  Yes, yes they do rust. BUT it is manageable for most people to control, and the trade off is awesome bar feel as it’s one of the least invasive barbell finishes you can buy preserving the ‘bare steel’ feel when you go to grip & rip a deadlift!  Do black oxide barbells rust? Yes your barbell is still prone to rust if it’s finished in black oxide. This is one of the best coatings for bar feel – BUT

I find it incredibly frustrating when my grip on the bar feels WEAKER – and more often than not this is due to the barbell knurling getting gummed up with chalk and various other bits of gym-detritus. Knowing when and HOW to clean barbell knurling is key to keeping your equipment in tip top condition. After all you spent a lot of hard earned dough buying it – so now we need to look after it! Here’s what you need to know. How to clean your barbell knurling To clean barbell knurling use a nylon or similar stiff plastic-bristled brush

So you’ve seen the dreaded orange RUST appear on your barbell… So what now?! The first thing to tackle is whether it is SAFE to use a barbell that has rusted. Lets take a look at that now. Is it safe to use a rusty barbell? Yes it is safe to use a lightly rusted barbell. Rust is oxidation of the iron in the steel of the bar and in most situations is completely harmless to humans. At the most basic level, it is combination of iron and oxygen – both of which are in your body already! While they

So you’ve laid out quite a bit of money on a barbell – now you will want to look after it properly! The core architecture of a barbell is three pieces of metal (2x sleeves with the shaft) which means we meet an old foe – RUST! Treating rust is one thing – but it’s ALWAYS best to get ahead of the game to PREVENT rust from forming on your barbell in the first place. Here’s all you need to know about barbell rust prevention… Barbell rust prevention: How to… Prevent rust from forming on your barbell by brushing it