The most common barbell at most gyms weighs 45 lbs (20 kg). There are other types of bars, like women’s specific barbells weighing 33 lbs (15 kg) and specialty barbells weighing up to 70 lbs.
No matter which barbell you use, knowing the starting weight of the bar is essential for any good lift. Using a bar that is heavier than you thought could lead to injury, and using a barbell that is too light might leave you without the gains you worked for.
As a seasoned trainer, I have used almost every type of barbell. I primarily use a standard 45 lb barbell for myself and my clients, but I often use specialty bars that vary in weight. My personal favorite is the trap bar because of how versatile it is.
In this article, I’ll provide the lifting bar weight for any kind of barbell you may find in your gym. You will learn descriptions of each barbell so you know the right one to use for your next workout.
Table of Contents
The Basic Parts of a Barbell (Barbell Anatomy)
Here are some basics to understanding the anatomy of a barbell to help you visualize all the components contributing to the gym bar weight.
- Shaft: The shaft is the inner portion of the bar that connects the sleeves. While most barbells have a straight shaft, specialty barbells can be slightly curved, hexagonal, or even in the shape of a ladder.
- Sleeves: The sleeve is the outer portion of a barbell where you load the plates.
- Collars: The collars prevent the weight plates from sliding onto the shaft.
- Knurling: The knurling is located on the shaft of the bar. A rough cross-sectional pattern helps the lifter grip the barbell better.
Different Types of Barbells and How Much They Weigh
The knurling is located on the shaft of the bar. A rough cross-sectional pattern helps the lifter grip the barbell better.
| Image | Type | Pounds (lbs) | Kilograms (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
 | General Purpose Bar | 45 | 20 |
 | Men’s Olympic Weightlifting Bar | 45 | 20 |
 | Women’s Olympic Weightlifting Bar | 35 | 15 |
 | Powerlifting Bar | 45 | 20 |
 | Deadlift Bar | 45 | 20 |
 | Squat Bar | 55 | 25 |
 | Bench Press Bar | 60 | 27.2 |
 | Tricep Bar | 22 | 10 |
 | EZ Curl Bar | 30 | 13.6 |
 | Trap Bar | 44-60 | 20-27.2 |
 | Camber Bar | 45 | 20 |
 | Bamboo Bar | 6 | 2.7 |
 | Safety Squat Bar | ~70 | 31.8 |
 | Training/Technique Bar | 5.5 - 15 | 2.5 - 6.8 |
 | Short Olympic Weightlifting Bar | 15 - 25 | 7 - 11 |
Check out our list for the 14 best barbells for your home gym.
Olympic Barbells
Olympic barbells are generally accepted as the standard barbell in most fitness facilities. Generally, these bars are 7’ long, have a 28 mm diameter shaft, weigh 45 lbs (20 kg), have sleeves that rotate, and accommodate weight plates with a 2-inch insert.
Technically, a standard barbell has a 1-inch diameter shaft and sleeves, spin lock collars, and a substantially limited weight-bearing capacity. These are an overall type of barbell, but there are more specific types.
General Purpose Bar
A general-purpose bar like the Rogue Fitness Ohio Bar is ~45 lbs (20 kg) and ~7 ft long (86.6 inches) with a 28 mm diameter shaft. The knurling on this bar is medium. It will help you hold onto the bar when lifting heavy weights but won’t rip your hands to shreds if you’re doing high-rep barbell workouts.
This bar can be used for heavy, low-rep powerlifting and Olympic lifting or lower-weight, high-rep CrossFit-style training. It is meant to be the workhorse of barbells in your local gym and is designed to take a beating.
Men’s Olympic Weightlifting Bar
Men’s Olympic weightlifting bars like the REP Fitness Gladiator Olympic Barbell are ~45 lbs (20 kg) and ~7 ft long (86.6 inches) with a 28 mm diameter shaft and medium knurling.
A significant difference between a general-purpose bar and an Olympic weightlifting barbell is that an Olympic weightlifting barbell is designed to whip, or bend, with the weight for ease of use when performing the snatch or the clean and jerk.
You can order an Olympic weightlifting bar from some manufacturers without the center knurling, making it indistinguishable from a general-purpose bar.
Women’s Olympic Weightlifting Bar
The general-purpose bar and Olympic weightlifting bar both have a “women’s” alternative.
Women’s Olympic weightlifting bars like the Rogue Fitness Bella Bar 2.0 are ~6.5 ft long (79.13 inches) with a 25 mm diameter shaft and medium knurling (depending on the bar type you get). These bars generally come without a center knurling.
How much does this barbell weigh? Unlike men’s Olympic weightlifting bars, women’s bars weigh ~35 lbs (15kg).
Despite the name, these bars are not just for women. The women's bar has a smaller shaft diameter for young athletes and people with small hands, allowing for better grip while training.
A women's bar may be a great alternative if your training partner has smaller hands or you don’t have much space to work within your home gym. These barbells do not take up as much space and are just as strong as their 45lb (20kg) counterparts.
Check out our Bella barbell review, where we discuss more of its pros and cons and who it’s good for.
Powerlifting Bar
Powerlifting bars like the Rogue Fitness Ohio Power Bar are ~45 lbs (20 kg) and ~7 ft long (86.6 inches) with a 28-29 mm diameter shaft and aggressive knurling. These barbells also feature a center knurling to help keep the bar in place during squats.
Barbells designed for powerlifting are designed NOT to bend when lifting weights. In other words, they do not have a whip or bend like the Olympic weightlifting barbell.
Due to the heavy nature of the powerlifting exercises, powerlifting barbells have a high maximum weight capacity, with most manufacturers boasting 2000+ lbs weight tolerance.
A short barbell, also known as a 5’ bar, weighs between 15-25 lbs (7-11 kgs). The Rogue Fitness C-60B short bar weighs 25 lbs (11 kgs) and is 5 ft long (60 inches) with a 28.5 mm diameter shaft.
Short Olympic Weightlifting Barbells are a great option for beginner lifters because it is lighter and easier to balance compared to general purpose and Olympic bars. Exercise like lat rows, bicep curls, and shoulder press can be easily performed with this bar.
Pro Coach’s Tip: 5’ Short Bars have a shorter distance between collars, so it can NOT be racked on a standard power rack.
Specialty Bars
Specialty bars, such as a safety squat bar or deadlift-specific barbell, are used for specific purposes. A specialty barbell's size depends on its structure, specifications, and intended use.
Deadlift Bar
A deadlift bar like the Titan Series Deadlift Bar from Titan Fitness is specific to the deadlift and weighs 45 lbs (20 kg), just like any other Olympic barbell. It is 7.5 ft (90.6 inches) long, has a 27-28 mm diameter shaft and aggressive knurling, and has a good amount of “whip” or flexibility.
The sleeve length of a deadlift bar tends to be shorter (about 15.5 inches to 16.25 inches). The whip of the bar is great for powerlifters to help take the slack out of the bar before they begin an aggressive drive. The aggressive knurling prevents the hands from slipping while moving heavy weight.
Squat Bar
Squat bars generally have larger features. The Rogue Squat Bar weighs 55 lbs (25 kg) and is about 7.8 ft (94.48 inches) long with a 32 mm diameter shaft and medium knurl.
The knurling on a squat bar extends throughout the shaft to allow for a better grip across the upper back. This bar has no whip, which helps create a more stable lift. The large diameter shaft makes for a more comfortable weight distribution across the upper back.
Read the ultimate guide about the squat bar in our article How Much Does A Squat Bar Weigh? 7 Types Explained
Bench Press Bar
The bench press bar has a slight bend with larger features, weighing 60 lbs (27.2 kg). The Yukon Bar from Titan Fitness and the Rogue Fitness CB-4 Camber Bar are about 8 ft (96 inches) long with a 32-38 mm diameter shaft, aggressive knurling, and no whip. These bars also have a center knurling.
Bench press bars have a bend along the shaft for better upper-body stability during the bench press. The bend in the bar, which ranges from 4-6 inches, allows the weights to sit slightly lower and creates a lower center of gravity for easier lifting.
The bend in the shaft also helps alleviate the pressure a regular straight shaft places on the wrist.
For a full breakdown of the bench press bar, check out our article How Much Does A Bench Press Bar Weigh?
Tricep Barbell
The Titan Fitness Triceps Bar weighs 22 lbs (10 kg), is 2.8 ft (34 inches) long, has a 25 mm shaft diameter, and has medium knurling.
The tricep barbell has two parallel handles within the square frame. It is designed to ease discomfort on the wrists and forearms when doing tricep extensions.
EZ Curl Bar
An EZ curl bar like the Rogue Curl Bar weighs 30 lbs (13.6 kg) and is 4.5 ft (54.5 inches) with a 28.5 mm diameter shaft and multiple knurling patterns along the bar.
EZ curl bars are designed to minimize wrist and forearm discomfort while performing the bicep curl. It also serves as a great tricep extension bar. Not all EZ curl bars are the same.
Learn more about the different types of EZ curl bars in our article EZ Bar Weight: 4 Types, Sizes, & Capacities.
Trap Bar (Hex Bar)
The Titan Fitness Olympic Hex Weight Bar weighs 44 lbs (20 kg), is 4.6ft (56 inches) long, has a 28mm – 34mm diameter shaft for the handles, and has medium knurling. Trap bars can weigh anywhere between 44-60 lbs (20-27 kg) depending on the manufacturer.
This bar is used for various movements ranging from squat jump training, deadlifts, shrugs, and bent-over rows.
Wondering about how heavy different brands of trap bars are? Read on, How Much Does a Trap Bar Weigh, to find out!
Camber Bars
Camber bars weigh 45 lbs (20 kg), are about 7 ft (84 inches) long, have a 28 mm diameter shaft, and have medium knurling.
All camber bars, like the Titan Fitness Cambered Bench Press Bar, are slightly bent along the main shaft to provide an additional range of motion. The slight bend also helps decrease the center of gravity, which makes lifts like the squat easier to balance. They come in different variations for bench, squat, and multi-grip applications.
Bamboo Bars
Bamboo bars like the BandBell Bar offer less rigidity but just as much benefit to your lifts. They weigh 6 lbs (2.7 kgs), are 6.6 ft (80 inches) long, have a 38 mm (1.5 inches) diameter, and have no knurling.
While these bars are very light, they can hold up to 300 lbs (136.4 kg). They are designed to weeble and wobble while lifting to build stability around your joints. The bamboo bar is equally amazing and humbling.
Check out our full review of the BandBell Bamboo Bar.
Safety Squat Bars
Safety squat bars like the Rogue Fitness SB-1 squat bar are one of the largest specialty barbells on the market. They weigh ~70 lbs (31.8 kg), are about ~7.5 ft (92.5 inches) long, have a 25mm (1 inch) to 38 mm (1.5 inch) diameter shaft, and have no knurling.
Safety squat bars are designed to minimize the discomfort of a barbell resting on your back by adding a thick foam pad fixed in the center of the bar. The sleeves are lowered to decrease the weight's center of gravity for better balance. Two handles jut out from the main bar to provide ease of use for those with shoulder mobility issues.
Training/Technique Bars
Training or technique bars are much smaller than all the other bars mentioned, ranging in weight from 5.5 lbs (2.5kg) to 15 lbs (6.8kg). The REP Fitness Technique Bar weighs 15 lbs (6.8kg), is 4.25 ft (51 inches) to 6 ft (72 inches), has a 22.2 mm to 28 mm diameter shaft, and has light to medium knurling.
These bars are meant to practice form and technique without the cumbersome weight of the others. They’re designed to tolerate 40-200 lbs so that you won’t be doing any maxes with these bars. These lighter barbells can help fitness veterans warm up the correct muscles appropriately before their lifts.
Looking for more barbell recommendations but don’t have a large budget? Check out our favorite budget barbells.
How Much Weight Do Clamps and Collars Add to a Barbell?
In my 20+ years of resistance training experience, I have never accounted for the weight of the clamps or collars. Generic clamps and collars that you will find in every gym weigh, at most, .5 lbs (.22 kgs) each. You would only add those to your max if your rival says their max is the same as yours and you want to edge them out by a pound.
Competition collars DO add a significant amount of weight and should be accounted for when counting up your weight on the bar. Some International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) and International Powerlifting Federation (IPF)-approved collars can weigh ~5.5 lbs (2.5 kgs) each, which would add up to ~11 lbs (5 kgs) on your bar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do All Barbells Weigh 45 lbs?
Most barbells you will find in a commercial gym setting weigh about 45 lbs. You can assume the weight has changed once you deviate from the ~7 ft long (86.6 inches) and 28 mm diameter shaft dimensions. Shorter barbells generally weigh less. Longer barbells weigh more. Oddly shaped bars, like a hex bar, vary in weight.
How Much Does a 7 ft Standard Barbell Weigh?
The average barbell weight for a 7 ft barbell is about 45 lbs or 20 kg.
Is A Barbell 44 or 45 lbs?
A regular barbell weighs 20 kg or 44.1 lbs. The industry standard for those who use the imperial measurement system is to round up when accounting for the bar's weight in pounds.
Why Is the Barbell 45 lbs?
As legend has it, barbells and plates were created around the 1920s-1930s in Europe and designed to weigh 20 kgs to simplify the math. The collars, or clamps, were designed to weigh 2.5 kgs each. If you had a 20 kg bar, two 20 kg plates, and two 2.5 kg collars, you could easily determine you were lifting 70 kg.
The United States also wanted to get in on the barbell action but used imperial units, which are 44 lbs. This mental math is not as easy, so the manufacturers rounded up to 45 lbs to help us meatheads with our math-ing.
Final Thoughts
So, how much does a barbell weigh?
The standard barbell weight for Olympic-sized barbells is ~45 lbs (20 kg). They stand ~7 ft (86.6 inches) tall and have a 28 mm diameter shaft and medium knurling.
The second most common barbell, the women’s barbell, weighs ~35 lbs (15 kg), stands ~6.5ft (79.13 inches), has a 25mm diameter shaft, and has medium knurling.
Specialty barbells like safety squat bars and hex bars come in different shapes, lengths, and diameters. They can weigh anywhere from 10 to 70 lbs.
No matter how you choose to train, there is a barbell that is right for you and your needs. The best advice I can give you is to go out and try them all. Determine which style keeps you returning for the sweaty goodness we call resistance training.
Stay sweaty, gang.
About The Author
Trevor Bridges has a BS in Health and Exercise Science and has been training folks how to move pain-free and get stronger for over a decade. He is currently experimenting with different training programs that will make him most like Captain America. When he is not running his gym or creating content, you can usually find him playing with his dogs and praying for shorter summers and longer winters.
