Position of Weights on a Barbell

fallbayuk · 2 Apr 2009 at 22:57

For a long time, I've had a mixture of cast iron weights and crappy vinyl ones on the barbell on my bench. They didn't weight much in total (40Kg...stop laughing its all I had) and there were so many of them they spread out right to the ends of the barbell and I could only just get the spinlocks on.

I've just gotton hold of some 20Kg cast iron weights and stuck them on the barbell instead and it felt much easier to bench press. I stuck another 10 on each side and finished another 2 sets fairly easily. It felt like I'd worked my chest more as well.

So was this in my head or does having the weight spread further out along the barbell make it more difficult to press??? It seems like it was more difficult to press the lesser weight when it was spread further out.

The IPB · 3 Apr 2009 at 08:22

It's all in your head.

This reminds me of when a female friend was telling me that you can change the weight of your suitcase just by packing it differently.......women.

rick827 · 3 Apr 2009 at 08:24

Dkore-DeX said:
It's all in your head.

This reminds me of when a female friend was telling me that you can change the weight of your suitcase just by packing it differently.......women.

Lol

oddjob62 · 3 Apr 2009 at 08:44

Dkore-DeX said:
It's all in your head.

This reminds me of when a female friend was telling me that you can change the weight of your suitcase just by packing it differently.......women.

You can change "hard" it is to carry. If you completed exaggerate the scenario... 6ft long suitcase, you put 20kg at the very front or back it will be very awkward to carry. A lot of times it's not the actual "weight" but how "hard" it is to carry.

A lot of people here can lift 140kg easily in the deadlift with a barbell, but who here could lift a 140kg Atlas stone with ease (if at all)?

arknor · 3 Apr 2009 at 08:49

oddjob62 said:
You can change "hard" it is to carry. If you completed exaggerate the scenario... 6ft long suitcase, you put 20kg at the very front or back it will be very awkward to carry. A lot of times it's not the actual "weight" but how "hard" it is to carry.

A lot of people here can lift 140kg easily in the deadlift with a barbell, but who here could lift a 140kg Atlas stone with ease (if at all)?

can i cut the stone in 2 and stick it on a barbell

fallbayuk · 3 Apr 2009 at 09:26

i dunno, maybe it was just easier to balance

The IPB · 3 Apr 2009 at 09:53

oddjob62 said:
You can change "hard" it is to carry. If you completed exaggerate the scenario... 6ft long suitcase, you put 20kg at the very front or back it will be very awkward to carry. A lot of times it's not the actual "weight" but how "hard" it is to carry.

A lot of people here can lift 140kg easily in the deadlift with a barbell, but who here could lift a 140kg Atlas stone with ease (if at all)?

I realise this, but your not going to change how hard a suitcase is to carry by packing it different, it's a suitcase there are not too many options.

I realise the same weight is difficult to carry on different objects, but changing the number of weights on a barbel is not anything like what you are discussing.

If he had said I can bench 50kg on a barbell but can't bench my fridge which weighs the same, maybe I could agree with you.

arknor · 3 Apr 2009 at 10:02

are vinyl weights accurate? maybe one side had been slightly heavier than the other.

Freefaller · 3 Apr 2009 at 10:22

It's about weight distribution, leverage and center of mavity.

As for the barbell, that's really going to be insignificant to your ability - though what does affect it, is a) your distance of your hands b) your technique & back involvement, and strength.

BullBoyShoes · 3 Apr 2009 at 10:34

There may be some truth in this.

Im pretty sure that as the plates are moved towards the end of the bar the gravitational mass increases, due to there being more distance between the pivot point (your hand) and the weight.

Try pushing a door open with one finger, at the handle end then at the 'hinge' end, its a similar idea

oddjob62 · 3 Apr 2009 at 11:16

Dkore-DeX said:
I realise the same weight is difficult to carry on different objects, but changing the number of weights on a barbel is not anything like what you are discussing.

I was talking about your lady friend's point about suitcases, i wasn't talking about the OP... regarding the OP i think it's in his head.

Buffman · 3 Apr 2009 at 11:31

BullBoyShoes said:
Try pushing a door open with one finger, at the handle end then at the 'hinge' end, its a similar idea

That's due to rotational torque though, not quite the same... But it is interesting to see a much larger lift, you sure its not just a placebo effect?

BullBoyShoes · 3 Apr 2009 at 12:08

yes not quite the same but similar. While the actual weight does not get any greater, the force required to lift it must be increased

Vegeta · 3 Apr 2009 at 12:50

You might be finding it easier because if the weights are spread further apart maybe it's harder to balance? Even thought the weight is exactly the same.

drunkenmaster · 3 Apr 2009 at 13:06

The Craig said:
That's due to rotational torque though, not quite the same... But it is interesting to see a much larger lift, you sure its not just a placebo effect?

actually, thats exactly why its harder, rotational torque, the bar isn't magically held 100% steady and level while you push the weight up and down. The ends of the bar move up and down slightly, causing you to need to exert effort to keep it balanced, the further away the weight from the centre of the bar(or in this case the midpoint of your two hands which doesn't really have to be central to the bar) the more that effect that weight has.

In other words when lifting 2x20kg plates that are much closer to your hands, the balance is much easier to maintain and it requires less for to adjust each time. While it might not seem like much you as with any balancing movement you tend to be using more core muscles to maintain form, than the main muscle groups to just push a balanced weight up and down.

So it should be easier to bench press and the weight is more focused and you did harder work on those single muscle groups, rather than the bar being harder to lift and the fatigue of the "balancing" muscles, or support muscles coming into effect in how intense you can train. LIkewise, you also stuck an extra 50% weight on there so your main muscle groups being targetted did quite a lot more work than usual.

Vegeta · 3 Apr 2009 at 15:19

drunkenmaster said:
actually, thats exactly why its harder, rotational torque, the bar isn't magically held 100% steady and level while you push the weight up and down. The ends of the bar move up and down slightly, causing you to need to exert effort to keep it balanced, the further away the weight from the centre of the bar(or in this case the midpoint of your two hands which doesn't really have to be central to the bar) the more that effect that weight has.

In other words when lifting 2x20kg plates that are much closer to your hands, the balance is much easier to maintain and it requires less for to adjust each time. While it might not seem like much you as with any balancing movement you tend to be using more core muscles to maintain form, than the main muscle groups to just push a balanced weight up and down.

So it should be easier to bench press and the weight is more focused and you did harder work on those single muscle groups, rather than the bar being harder to lift and the fatigue of the "balancing" muscles, or support muscles coming into effect in how intense you can train. LIkewise, you also stuck an extra 50% weight on there so your main muscle groups being targetted did quite a lot more work than usual.

Yeah what I meant but didn't put in quite a way