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Slippery barbell?

B

brikis98

Diamond Member
We recently got a power rack, barbell and some weights for the small gym we have at work. It came in today and I was psyched to try it and threw some 45's onto the barbell to give it a go. For some reason, the barbell is VERY slippery: the weights just slide around on it, even though everything seems to be regulation olympic size. The result is that if you tip the barbell even a little to one side - and it's virtually impossible to be perfectly even - the weights rapidly start to slide off.

I know that some clamps will fix this issue, but I've been using barbells at other gyms without clamps for years. The weights there would stay put just fine unless you really tilted the bar. Is something just wrong with the bar or weights? Other than just buying some clamps, which I'll do tomorrow, can anything be done?
 
Clips don't hurt anything, and as I said, I'll get some tomorrow... But it seems like something is wrong, doesn't it?
 
Originally posted by: brikis98
Clips don't hurt anything, and as I said, I'll get some tomorrow... But it seems like something is wrong, doesn't it?
Click to expand...

It seems like it's new without any nicks, dings, or scrapes. Smooth surface + smooth surface will lead to movement. Just get some clips and there will be no worries 🙂
 
Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
It seems like it's new without any nicks, dings, or scrapes. Smooth surface + smooth surface will lead to movement. Just get some clips and there will be no worries 🙂
Click to expand...

It definitely is brand new and smooth as butter. I guess come to think of it, I've never used a brand new barbell before. All the ones at gyms I'd gone to had been used plenty before I touched them... Anyone have experience with this? Does surface just roughen up over time?
 
That'd be my guess. General use and they might even give them a once over before putting them on the floor. Or maybe the weights are beat up enough at that point to hold on their own.
 
Shouldn't the bar have some kind of texture on it, like ribbing or something? Something always makes that "zipper" sound when I slide weights off the bar. Clamps all the way.
 
I'd almost argue that the traction-ribbing-zippy-sound stuff makes it more dangerous. Yes, every barbell I've used has had the same thing, but it can discourage using clips.
 
This barbell does not seem to have any texture or ribbing on it. As for clips, I've been lifting for years without using them and have never had a plate fall off. In fact, the gym I go to near my house doesn't have any clips at all and I haven't seen a plate fall of for anyone in the 2 years I've been there. If the weights and barbell are properly sized, I feel like the friction is enough to keep them on unless you REALLY tilt the barbell, at which point you're probably in trouble anyway.
 
Originally posted by: brikis98
Clips don't hurt anything, and as I said, I'll get some tomorrow... But it seems like something is wrong, doesn't it?
Click to expand...

Yes, there is. It is wrong that nobody in this thread knows that the correct term is "collars" and that they should be used for every set.
 
i always toss the collars onto the bar when doing anything. at my gym there are various brands of bars and weights, and some of them aren't as "tight" around the bar as others are. i mean none of them slide off liek you are saying, but they may have a slight wobble to them.

the collars fix that issue. i haven't used a barbell w/out collars since as long as I can remember, other than quick warmup sets.
 
Originally posted by: crt1530
Originally posted by: brikis98
Clips don't hurt anything, and as I said, I'll get some tomorrow... But it seems like something is wrong, doesn't it?
Click to expand...

Yes, there is. It is wrong that nobody in this thread knows that the correct term is "collars" and that they should be used for every set.
Click to expand...

I've definitely heard them called clips, or spring clips as well. Personally, I haven't used them for years and almost never see them used at gyms... and while I've never seen anyone have an issue because of that, I suppose I can't argue that it's probably safer to use them...
 
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