How to Maintain Olympic Weight Bars
Weight training equipment can be expensive, so it pays to take care of your equipment instead of neglecting it and replacing it when it becomes less than useful. When it comes to maintaining Olympic bars, there are some situations you can correct and some you cannot, so understand how to test and examine the bars to ensure the safety of yourself and others while lifting weights.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
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Wipe down the bars after every lifting session to prevent the development of rust. Water is the main catalyst for the production of rust, so taking the time to thoroughly wipe down your bars after each and every use can help to ensure that they are not destroyed from exposure to the elements. You need not use any cleaning solutions or anything elaborate, just a simple towel will do nicely for most maintenance situations.
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2
Examine the collars on the bar every few days to ensure that they are not coming loose, and make it a point to re-tighten the bolts on the end if they are starting to slip. Grab the collar (the area of the bar onto which weight is loaded) with a firm grip and attempt to wiggle it from side to side. If the collars are tight, there will be little (if any) movement. Neglecting this step could lead to the collars of the bar falling off while loaded during an exercise, potentially causing injury to the lifter (or those surrounding him) or damage to the property. All it takes is a few seconds every few days to provide for the safety of your gym, equipment and members.
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3
Test the bend and flex of the bar by placing it on the ground and rolling it, looking for any deformities in the bar. Ideally, an Olympic bar should be perfectly straight, but over time the bar can become bent. This occurs when it is left loaded for a long period of time or when excessive weight is used. While there is little you can do about the latter cause of a bent bar, you can do something about the former. Always unload your bars after use, placing the weights back on the rack to prevent deformities. If you notice that the bar is bent, you will have no choice but to dispose of it, as a bent bar can potentially crack and cause an incident.
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