Recently spent the $ and bought a bunch of home gym stuff from Titan. The 72 inch T2 power rack, the midway Olympic power bar and about 500lbs of weights.
Here’s my question, I just read an article about a hex bar being safer and potentially allowing me to lift more than a conventional bar would thus giving me better bang for my buck. I’m wondering if they is the way to go as I’ve never used one, or if the increase in potential weight being able to lift with a trap vs conventional is minimal or there’s some other corner being cut and it wouldn’t be worth it. I’m also told it’s light years safer than a regular bar when deadlifting…
If you have the $$$ a hex bar is a good investment. However its far from a “must have”. I can personally lift more with a hex bar. But this is because I spent a lot of time using one. But I think I would be right in saying more people would find the hex bar easier. As the weight is not out in front of the person.
As for safer - then yes again. Again the weight is not out in front of the person. So you can drop the hips a touch and keep the back more vertical. Reducing the strain on the lower back.
Hex bars can also be used for frame carries - which if you get a hex bar you should add to your training. They are amazing and can be used to help build muscle, get stronger and shed unwanted body fat.
It also looks bad ass when you can walk around carrying somebody else’s max effort. Not that is about showing off. But showing off is cool.
IDK if I would go as far as to say that a hex bar gives you “more bang for your buck”, but it is a good tool to have in the toolbox. Like having 2 different ratchet drive sizes - you probably only need the 3/8" drive, but it’s REAL nice to have the 1/4" drive for when you need it.
Sorry, if you’re not a tool guy - this probably means nothing to you
Also, +1 to everything @carlbm said, particularly the carries - I don’t have a hex bar at my home gym so doing carries in the cul-de-sac involves either a Clean & Carry, or dumbbels - neither of which are north of 225lbs in total weight (because I’m not cleaning more than 225 regularly). But if I had a hex bar - I could load 400+ and flex on the neighbors
You know what I’ve never done this. But I bet the natural hand position is a shoulder saver.
@Andrewgen_Receptors i had a situation in a gym once where I had to move a hex bar with weight on it. It was very nice to see 90% of the people in the gym turn their heads. I will say though - 99% of the people in the gym were male. That 1% is an allowance for the 3 dudes that would consistently do curls in the power rack.
If I didn’t compete, I would stick with the hex bar for my pulls. And as @dagill2 pointed out, it’s an amazing tool for pressing. Decent enough for carries. I think it’s well worth having one.
So ended up with a Titan midway Olympic bar, hex bar from Titan, and a Swiss bar from Titan.
As someone who has only used the la fitness (Olympic?) bars, and a hex bar once or twice, am I really missing out on not having a power bar, or some other kind of bar?
I am not sure who Titan thinks they are calling a bar with a 30 mm shaft diameter, and a bronze bushing an Olympic bar lol. That bar should be fine for pretty much any weight though.
I would see the large diameter with “Olympic” knurl (which will be less aggressive than a power or deadlift bar) being hard to deadlift with. You can always use straps though if you are not competing.
If you want to compete in powerlifting, the deadlift will be the most impacted lift (especially if the fed uses a deadlift bar) because of grip and also whip (how much the bar flexes).
It’s listed as a “This Midway Olympic Power Bar”. So I don’t really know what that means. You might be missing out on tiny things but unless you’re pretty advanced none of them are going to matter much.
I have a titan axle, a titan trap bar, and a rogue power bar. Axle is absolutely not necessary but I love mine.
That’s because it’s an olympic power bar, which is definitely a real thing.
Ah, I have seen those. This one is a bit weird though. Only has one set of ring marks. Also, the ones I have seen are less diameter than a power bar, not more. I think the ones I have seen are 28 or 28.5 mm, power is usually 28.5 or 29 mm. 30 mm is just kinda a weird diameter for a bar. My guess is a bit lower quality on the metal used, so they bumped the diameter up a bit. Not a big deal for most trainees.
Gotcha! I’m more or less wondering what the logic using a specialty barbell (power bar, etc) actually does/allows me to do, that my current trio wont?
Again I’m only used to commercial gyms and their bars. And I wont be competing or anything, just looking to optimize my training is all, and I’m ignorant on the advantages.
You pretty much have a power bar, the differences won’t be very noticeable.
Other bars just provide different ways to attack a movement, the differences depend on the bar you end up with. For example, if you get a deadlift bar, you’ll be able to get more whip out of the bar (like ben mentions), have an easier time hook gripping it (smaller diameter), and probably will end up pulling a bit more weight compared to your current bar. FWIW, I think the 3 you have are more than sufficient, since you aren’t competing.
Mostly just feel better for most lifts. Better knurling on the bar mostly. Helps grip, and how secure the weight feels for something like a squat.
You can get all sorts of fancy bars though. Many have good utility, but for a home gym, they take up space and cost money too.
If I was mostly going to work from home, I would consider something like an SSB, because my shoulders and elbows have trouble with squatting with a straight bar long term. That is an individual need.
I would say don’t get something unless you have a reason for it.
Trap bars are so cheap you cannot go wrong with getting one. I think I got mine from Titan for next to nothing (compared to a good powerbar from Rogue).
If you have a slim build, I think the eleiko open bar is great. Similar half trap bars are nicer for carries even zerchers plus step up and lunges.
They tend to be much more expensive though
