How much weight?

[trojandogg]

This might be a really stupid question but... when someone says that they can bench 200 lbs, do that usually include the weight of the bar? Is it the norm to include the weight of the BB (which is usually 45lbs)? For all my weights i have not been including the weight of the BB or smith machine bar or whatever because i find that some gym's BBs might weigh differently and I have no idea how much the actual smith machine bar weights. I only count the weights that i add to the bars because those weights are always constant. Is this out of the norm?

I know that ultimately it does not matter as long as i am progressing, i was just curious to see where i stood compared to others.

[PBRevolution]

2009?

If someone says they bench 225 or 2plates, that means two 45s per side and the 45lb barbell.

As for smith, for my log I record everything as if the bar was 45lbs, since it makes everything simpler. It doesn't matter what weight you consider it as long as you are consistent with it.

[trojandogg]

2009?

yeah.. i know. like i said, it probably was a stupid question. I have been lifting for quite sometime but it mostly was to be in shape athletically so i didnt care how much i was actually lifting. Since my goals have changed now, i just wanted to know for sure. Like i said, in the end it does not matter anyways, as long as i am making progress and increasing the weight.

[RedSkull]

Yes, you should count the bar in the weight. Most cheap bars are usually a few pounds less than the 44/45lbs they should be, but just count it as that.

[trojandogg]

So.. how much does an EZ bar usually weight then or do you not include that in your total weight? Also.. is it the consensus that the smith bar weights 45 lbs too then?

[LG1]

so.. How much does an ez bar usually weight then or do you not include that in your total weight? Also.. Is it the consensus that the smith bar weights 45 lbs too then?

wow!

[DCBliever]

So.. how much does an EZ bar usually weight then or do you not include that in your total weight? Also.. is it the consensus that the smith bar weights 45 lbs too then?

Being a holiday and your avatar, the smith bar in my opinion is negligeable weight wise =0, ez bars could be 25-45, if your gym has a scale toss it on. sometimes old iron plates oxidize and weigh more. Just keep adding weight to the bar and try to use the same bar each time. Merry Christmas and keep rocking on, there are supposedly no dumb questions only dumb answers, either way you could say they weigh 1000lbs and unless you compete in powerlifting or weightlifting it has no bearing as long as next time you lift 1005lbs

[trojandogg]

wow!

Yeah i know.. probably a dumb question :sorry:

Being a holiday and your avatar, the smith bar in my opinion is negligeable weight wise =0, ez bars could be 25-45, if your gym has a scale toss it on. sometimes old iron plates oxidize and weigh more. Just keep adding weight to the bar and try to use the same bar each time. Merry Christmas and keep rocking on, there are supposedly no dumb questions only dumb answers, either way you could say they weigh 1000lbs and unless you compete in powerlifting or weightlifting it has no bearing as long as next time you lift 1005lbs

Tis what i thought but i appreciate the time spent to respond to my question. As i said earlier, i am increasing my lifts every time (like you mentioned), so it does not really matter anyways but thanks for clearing it up for me. Merry Christmas to you too man!

[Dean3238]

I weighed my stuff ages ago so I would know...

My EZ Bar weighed 14 lbs, my triceps bar 20, tarp bar 50, my BB bar 40 (cheap bit of crap).

Weighed in all my plates as well just to see how accurate they were... the 45's had a few 46's, one 47 and some 44's in them, smaller plates pretty much were what they said they were.

[PBRevolution]

A commercial 47" EZ-bar should weigh 17lbs IIRC.

Gym manager tried telling me their EZ-bar was bent because people would drop it. I explained to him it was bent because it was a 12lb piece of shit (much thinner than a standard bar).