Is it ok for kids to lift weights?
When I see videos like this, I'm amazed by the strength displayed by kids at such a young age. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlRiNoElnvg But is it a good idea? Let's go over some things. Does weight lifting stunt growth? We've all heard the claim that kids will stunt their growth or cause other lifelong problems by lifting heavy weights. As it turns out, this myth [...]
Is an olympic bench wise? Here’s what you can get instead
The thing that everyone buys first One of the first things a lot of people do when they want to start working out and get stronger is buy a bench press like the one pictured here. It's the most recognizable exercise. It's easy enough to do reasonably right. But is that kind of equipment the best choice to start with? My answer [...]
Olympic Barbell Maintenance: Cleaning off Rust
This article is so comprehensive that we had to separate it out from our main article on cleaning and maintaining workout equipment. So you just got a new olympic bar and you want to keep it in good condition for years to come. See our section below on regular maintenance. Or maybe you have an old rusty bar and you want to [...]
What Length Barbell Do I Need?
Here's how you determine what length of barbell you need. First, the common lengths of barbells Typical length of shaft and sleeves of 7ft olympic barbell A 7 foot barbell is usually around 51-52" long between the shoulders / inside collars. Each of the sleeves is about 16". Add another couple inches for the shoulders (the thick parts that stop [...]
