Which multigrip barbell is best?
If you spend any time in the gym, you are probably familiar with standard barbells and curl bars.
However, there are several other types that are useful for focusing on specific parts of muscles
or reducing the chances of injury. The multigrip barbell is one such option.
Multigrip barbells offer several hand positions so you can target specific parts of your muscles
or make an exercise more ergonomic. Some models, such as the Titan Fitness Multigrip
Camber Bar, introduce a cambered design that allows for a greater range of motion.
What to know before you buy a multigrip barbell Benefits
People turn to multigrip barbells for a variety of reasons. They allow you to keep your hands in a
neutral position when performing various exercises, which can offer several benefits. Perhaps
most importantly, they take a lot of the stress off your shoulders when moving heavy weights.
This can be useful for not only preventing injuries but also rehabbing them. Additionally, they
may allow you to continue performing certain exercises while you wait for an injury to heal.
Multigrip barbells also allow you to place greater emphasis on certain muscles when performing
common exercises. For example, using a multigrip barbell that keeps your hands in a neutral
position when bench pressing will place a greater focus on the triceps.
Similarly, using one for bicep curls places will engage the long head of the bicep to a greater
extent, as well as incorporate the wrist and forearm muscles more than doing standard curls
with your hands in a supine position.
Olympic vs. standard
When looking at barbells, you may notice that some are labeled as Olympic. This refers to the
size of the shaft where the weights are loaded. Olympic barbells have a 2-inch shaft
corresponding to the 2-inch hole in the center of Olympic weight plates.
Conversely, standard barbells have a 1-inch shaft corresponding to the 1-inch hole in the center
of standard weight plates. Some Olympic barbells have a removable sleeve that allows them to
be used with standard plates. You can also buy Olympic adapters to use standard barbells with
Olympic plates.
Length
When looking at the length of a multigrip barbell, you should pay attention to several
dimensions. The total length gives you an idea of how big a barbell is, but more important is the
inside shaft length.
This refers to the length between the two inner collars of a barbell and it will dictate whether you
can use that particular barbell with a standard bench pressing rack. For this, the inside shaft
length should be at least 48 or 49 inches long.
