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I'm taking the plunge and buying myself a set of Olympic plates and a bar. I'm buying the plates through my local crossfit box but they don't sell the bars. Now I'm trying to understand why there is such variation in the price of the Oly bars? A couple questions: 1. Is it worth paying double for a bar to get one with needle bearings instead of bushing? (I've only been lifting for 6 weeks) 2. Any ideas why these bars: http://www.cyber-market.com.au/olympic-bars-c-45_74.html are so much cheaper than these bars: http://www.muscledriverau.com.au/Pendlay-Nexgen-Bushing-Bars_c_8.html or these bars: http://www.rogueaustralia.com/bars/ I've read up a little and can understand the difference in cost between bushing and bearing bars but I don't see why the Cyberfit are so much cheaper than the others. Is this an indication of a great deal or poor quality? I have their power rack which is very good quality and I'm very pleased with. Thanks Dominic

So this is what the Strength Guild looks like...I like it It's been a long time since I last lifted, but I remember really enjoying it. My problem has been that we moved away from my gym, and I just haven't got one nearby that's worth the price of admission. I'm thinking it may be time to start putting together a home gym. For now, all I really want to do is deadlifts. I've got a decent bodyweight training reperatoire going, but I haven't found a good replacement for the deadlift.On top of this, i really can't afford to go all out with squat racks, bench press rigs, etc. I just want to keep it simple, with the option to add equipment as time goes on. What I'm wondering is, what type of bar/weights should I get? I've looked around a bit, and can get a 'standard' 7ft bar, or I can get an Olympic bar for a lot more money. Are there brands you'd recommend, or that I should steer clear of? Do you think it's worth the investment to get the bigger bar/weights, or is a standard bar sufficient? If it helps, the last time I did a deadlift, I was pulling 100kg...that was after a few months training, so I think I can probably go a fair bit more than that. This is offset by the fact that I'm primarily a runner, so I'm not looking for huge gains here, just an increase in leg/core muscles. I look forward to hearing your thoughts...

My gym does not have a squat rack but has a smith machine which I dont wana use. What alternatives do I have? Since I started following the Nerd Fitness Barbell Battalion Guide which emphasis on barbell squats, idk what to do? Thanks.

Looking to get a power rack for the home gym. Mainly for squats, bench press and overhead press. Looking at the Marcy PM-3800, but seems like most elitist mucleheads poo-poo it as consumer grade garbage. I think it would be fine for me as I'll never put more than 3-400lbs on it. It also has the benefit of dip bars, pull-up bars, and included bench. Can be had online for $390 no shipping or tax. Can I do better for $400 or less delivered? Thanks!

Hey guys! I've been doing a free-weights lifting routine for almost three weeks now, and the only thing I'm struggling with are deadlifts. I have good form with presses, squats, and rows, but I go to do a deadlift and am totally lost! Our gym requires the use of bumper plates with the barbell when doing deadlifts, but with the bumper plates on (they are 45 pounds each) there is NO way I can lift it. There is a rack of smaller, what I'm calling barbells, but am not really sure if that's what they are....they're like half the length of an olympic barbell, and essentially look like stretched out dumbbells. They come from 20lbs - 60lbs, in 5lb increments. I use these for my shoulder presses and bent-over rows and they work great. I've used them twice for deadlifts...Once doing 'regular' DLs, with what was probably horrible form, and once, just the other day, doing straight-leg DLs. The problem with these is that they are so little I can't place them on the ground after each rep without rounding my back. Also, I had no idea where to start weight-wise, so I used a 35 (what I used for my shoulder presses) and felt pathetic. I didn't really feel the burn at the time, they seemed way too easy, and I hear that DL weights should be really high (not starting out, of course, but should it be that LOW starting out?) My hamstrings are screaming after the straight-legs, so I guess it did something. My question is, are these the right kind of bars I should use to deadlift? Is my weight too low? Should I be putting the bar on the floor after each rep, or can I hold it above the ground a few inches and hold for a few seconds before standing up again? I want to incorporate deadlifts more than anything right now, but want to be sure that I'm using the right equipment and the right weight. I'll have to study up on technique and have my lifting partner check me out next time I do it! Thanks in advance Oh, and if this makes a difference, I'm female, 22, 5'2", and 170lbs.