If you have ever visited the free weights section at your local gym, you have most likely used Olympic weights. They are durable and most widely used by those interested in building mass. An Olympic bar can take several hundred pounds without bending very much as opposed to standard bars which will begin bending with much less weight. Since Olympic weights are thicker and heavier on each end, they are far more balanced and safer to use.
Olympic weights come in increments of 2 1/2-pounds, 5-pounds, 10-pounds, 25-pounds, 35-pounds and 45-pounds. A regular bar itself weights about 44 pounds but there are lighter version that are 33 pounds which some people find helpful when doing overhead work. Due to the fact the bars have revolving ends, there is no added torque which allows for a more solid grip when doing certain lifts.
Many stores and website will allow you to customize your Olympic weight sets however you will most likely get a better deal by just buying a complete package which start at 300 pounds. One might think that purchasing weights online would cost a fortune in shipping, but a lot of suppliers offer free shipping when entire packages are bought making it super convenient for you and an unexpected workout for the UPS guy!
Although resistance strength training has much to offer, good old fashion Olympic weights are able to hit those muscle groups you actually use more often in sports or other activities. Because you have to both balance and lift, you are more likely to be more effective in hitting muscle groups in a more organic way. The versatility of excercises that can be done with just a set of dumbbells astounding but it also involves more risks in terms of saftey, especially if you choose to lift without a partner.
Safety First!
No weight system is as versatile or provides natural movement better than using free weights, both standard and Olympic, but with this reward also comes risk if you do not know what you are doing or are simply careless. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to understand that it is always best to have at least one workout buddy, and two is better! But there are other things you can do to ensure a safe workout.
A squat rack is a valuable piece of equipment to have if you must work out alone. If by chance you lost control of the weight, it would not come crashing down on you. You can even go further than this with a complete weight cage/squat rack. With a system like this you can do bench presses, leg curls, squats, and much more while having the safety rails to back you up. A weight tree can also be useful and safe your back in the proccess. It simply keeps your weights off the ground and easy to reach when adding or putting away weight.
There is argument about the value of stretching muscles before lifting. Some say it is not needed or even harmful and others encourage it. Warming up muscle groups however is usually a good idea. This is done by doing a set or two of lighter weights and getting good blood flow to those areas before switching to heavier weights. By following a few of these basic safety tips you can achieve good and safe results with Olympic weights.