Is there a way to tell if a barbell is 35lb instead of 45lb without weighing it?

[alice-on]

I've heard before that some barbells are actually 35lbs, and I keep meaning to ask a person on duty but every time I think of it they have gone somewhere.

Someone told me that the silver ones might be 35 and the rusty looking ones are 45...

Anyone have any idea?

[msuroo]

Obviously the most accurate answer is to weigh it (weigh yourself both holding and not holding the barbell - the difference is obviously the weight of the bar), but if you can't do that, try to measure it. If it's ~7' long, and has 2" diameter collars (aka an "olympic" barbell), it probably weighs 20 kilos or 44/45 lbs. If it is shorter than that and/or has 1" collars, it is probably something less. There really isn't any standard for the smaller bars, they could be anywhere between 15 and 35 lbs.

[Critter]

Measure the length. If your bar is shorter than 7.2 feet, it likely weighs less than the 44 lbs of competitive Olympic bars.

Edit: msuroo beat me.

[alice-on]

So, the only bar at my school's gym that is at least 7' is this barbell that is specifically for dead lifts and has these 45lb bumper plates attached to it. I don't want to take them off because I'm pretty sure they are there as some sort of rule specific to this gym. Now I'm kind of disheartened by the idea of the bars I've been using for squatting and benching not being 45lbs.

[Critter]

It's not the size of your bar that matters, it's how you use it.

I bought a bar a foot shorter than competition bars, so it would fit in my house without smacking the walls. It only weighs 32 lbs. But as long as I can add weight to it, it doesn't really matter.

[AustralMoonBear]

Simple way to tell would be if you can lift the bar and then a 45lb plate (or one in each hand) - if there's a significant difference in the feel it will at least tell you that something is up.

[Olylifter365]

It weighs less

[patrick79]

ive always used custom one   so i cant tell

[Luds]

Have a look at the ends of the bar, the flat surface facing outside (not sure what the name/word for that is), the weight sometimes is imprinted on that small surface. (had exactly the same prob when loading the bar according to a program)