do you guys include the bar ?

  • Thread starter mongey
  • Start date
  • This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links like Ebay, Amazon, and others.

mongey

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2012
Messages
3,118
Reaction score
838
Location
the gong - Australia
so I'm back in the gym doing some weights after a long hiatus .I used go to a few times a week in the late 90's to lift

back then it was considered wrong to include the bar in your stats like bench press , but chatted to a couple young dudes yesterday in the gym and they all include the bar.

my goal for the first 3 months was to get back to benching 80kg ,and I'm putting 60kg weight on for my 2 peak sets now, so if I include the bar I am already over my 3 month goal 9 weeks in , so that's cool I guess. kinda feel like its cheating though
 

Blytheryn

Musical Adam West
Joined
Jul 4, 2015
Messages
3,249
Reaction score
2,474
Location
USA/Sweden
You always include the bar? Like a 100KG bench press is the bar, and 40KG’s on each side.

Definitely not cheating. The bar weighs 20KG’s!
 

This site may earn a commission from merchant links like Ebay, Amazon, and others.

KnightBrolaire

mothman is real and stole my catalytic converter
Joined
Mar 19, 2015
Messages
21,218
Reaction score
28,480
Location
Minnesota
yeah, you always include the bar. weight is weight. That would throw off your totals if you don't include the bar :nuts:
 

MFB

Banned
Joined
Nov 26, 2008
Messages
16,683
Reaction score
6,803
Location
Boston, MA
I never included the bar since it was the tool that helped me lift, not necessarily WHAT/how much I was lifting :shrug: I also never had a clue what weight my gym's bars were, so I was 5/10lbs off at most, so nothing worth losing sleep over
 

KnightBrolaire

mothman is real and stole my catalytic converter
Joined
Mar 19, 2015
Messages
21,218
Reaction score
28,480
Location
Minnesota
I never included the bar since it was the tool that helped me lift, not necessarily WHAT/how much I was lifting :shrug: I also never had a clue what weight my gym's bars were, so I was 5/10lbs off at most, so nothing worth losing sleep over
uhh depending on the straight bar you use (some are 9kg and some are 20kg) it could throw your numbers off. They are pretty easy to tell apart though.
 

mongey

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2012
Messages
3,118
Reaction score
838
Location
the gong - Australia
I never included the bar since it was the tool that helped me lift, not necessarily WHAT/how much I was lifting :shrug: I also never had a clue what weight my gym's bars were, so I was 5/10lbs off at most, so nothing worth losing sleep over
good to see i'm not the only weirdo

end of the day it doesn't really matter unless your competing
 

Hollowway

Extended Ranger
Joined
Dec 28, 2008
Messages
17,798
Reaction score
14,849
Location
California
I guess it doesn't really matter, so long as it's consistent. But I've always included the bar, too.
 

AxeHappy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2010
Messages
3,152
Reaction score
488
Location
Guelph
The bar is weight you are holding in your hands (or on your back or whatever) and moving. Why on earth wouldn't you include it?

If you're doing any sort of competitive lifting the weight of the bar is absolutely included in your lift.
 

USMarine75

Colorless green ideas sleep furiously
Contributor
Joined
Feb 24, 2010
Messages
10,035
Reaction score
13,542
Location
VA
I've been powerlifting (and bodybuilding) for almost 30 years. You always include the bar. I've never heard different. But make sure it's the correct weight. Those lil curl bars are often only 15 lbs lol. The tough one is when you use free-weight machines, such as hammer strength or smith machines. Usually you have to find the sticker that says what the mechanical arms/levers weigh. And if the smith machine has pulley supports it can throw off the true free weight or at least the negative/concentric portion of the lift.
 
Top