Discover our range of Olympic Barbells, designed for commercial gym facilities and home gym spaces. Built for strength, durability, and performance.
Olympic Barbells Overview
The Olympic Barbell is a specially designed weightlifting and squat barbell used in powerlifting and strength training. Olympic barbells are standardised in size and weight, allowing athletes to use them for various exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses. They typically weigh 20 kilograms (44 pounds) for men and 15 kilograms (33 pounds) for women.
Olympic Barbell Weight Options
When choosing an Olympic barbell, it's worth considering the weight capacity and construction of the bar. Olympic barbells come in different weight options, 15kg and 20kg, made from high-quality steel with aggressive knurling for a secure grip during lifts. Deciding between the two comes down to hand size, shaft diameter and the movements you train most - our guide to 15kg bar vs 20kg bar walks through the differences in detail.
Benefits of Olympic Barbells
Using Olympic barbells such as the Belfast Barbell in your workout routine can help improve strength, endurance, and overall fitness. The versatility of these barbells allows for a wide range of exercises to target different muscle groups, like a hex squat bar for deadlifts and safer movements. Our Olympic barbells can be used with any of our power racks & squat racks, and are compatible with any of our weight plates and barbell collars.
Alternatives and next steps
Plate-loaded bars aren't always the fastest option. For circuits and class formats, fixed weight barbell options remove the reloading between sets. Lifters still building mechanics should look at the technique barbell range before loading a full-weight bar.
What is the difference between Olympic, powerlifting, and standard barbells?
Olympic barbells (20kg men’s, 15kg women’s) have rotating sleeves with bearings or bushings for dynamic movements like snatches and cleans.
Powerlifting bars are stiffer, feature aggressive knurling, and have minimal sleeve rotation for controlled lifts like squats, bench presses, and deadlifts.
Standard barbells (often non-Olympic) have different sleeve sizes and are less common in professional gyms.
What is the weight and length of a standard Olympic barbell?
A standard men’s Olympic barbell weighs 20kg and is 2.2m (7.2ft) long. A women’s Olympic barbell weighs 15kg and is 2.01m (6.6ft) long.
What is the difference between a 20kg and a 15kg barbell?
The 20kg barbell is thicker (28-29mm shaft) and designed for heavier loads, while the 15kg bar has a thinner shaft (25mm) for better grip, particularly for Olympic weightlifting.
Are your bumper plates suitable for Olympic weightlifting?
Yes! Our Competition Bumper Plates and BLK BOX HD Bumper Plates are built for Olympic lifts, providing a low-bounce and high-durability solution.
Do your weight plates fit all standard Olympic barbells?
Yes. All BLK BOX plates have a 50mm center hole, designed to fit standard Olympic barbells.
