Weightlifting might seem very simple to a spectator’s eyes. However, if you try taking it to another level, you’d realize that there is so much more to lifting than just being able to raise a barbell high.
There are lots of several other factors that might affect the effectivity of your lifting. The different kinds of the bar such as a curl bar, how much does a curl bar weigh (or any other bars), the correct form and such among all others. And so today, we will be focusing on several things you need to know first and why you have to know them.
So how much does an EZ curl bar weigh?
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The EZ curl bar I own weighs 25 lb. The one in your gym should weigh around 15- 25 lb. EZ curl bars vary in weight depending on lengths. You can easily measure the bar's weight by using your gym or home scale.
However, there are a few caveats and we take a look at it in detail in this guide.
Curl bar weight depends on type and length
Seven different types of weightlifting bars serve different purposes. Each also varies in weight. It is crucial to know which type or weight lifting bar you need the most and how heavy they are before actually using them for lifts.
This is because some bars are too heavy for beginners, and some are too light to be giving you fast results. And if you want to aim for a particular part of your body, it is best to use weight lifting bars that are meant for them.
The curl bar in particular (also known as the EZ bar), is used for bicep curls and triceps extension exercises. This is because it allows for wrist pronation. Whether or not you lift overhand or underhand and underpronate or overpronate matters.
The curl bar’s feature for wrist pronation makes you more comfortable doing bicep curls and triceps extension exercises. However, as for the weight of the bar itself, there are no standard or fixed weight for curl bars. They vary from 15 to 25 pounds. Sometimes even 10 or 30.
It all just depends on the type of curl bar and what’s it for. For instance, the standard EZ curl bar’s weight should be different to that of the Olympic EZ Curl bar. However, the weight of the barbell itself is an entirely different issue.
We will delve into other important things you should note about curl bars later as well as some useful exercises you can try to achieve maximum effects at a faster rate.
What’s A Curl Bar For?
Curl bars may look slightly weird compared to the standard barbell. The metal rod is not straight, and it’s slightly supinated. While some people (especially beginners) might think there’s not much difference, the reality is there’s a ton.
For starters, when you grip a straight bar, be it for bench presses or barbell curls, your wrists receive a lot of pressure. The straight bar doesn’t allow your wrists to rotate. Hence, the pressure that acts on your wrists is straight.
With the curl bar, the curves present along the rod allows you to grip the bar more naturally. Our wrists and hands are meant to rotate at different angles, and the curl bar gives us this allowance to do so.
Another big difference that we can see in a curl bar is that it’s a lot lighter and shorter compared to the massive straight bar. Why is this? Well, curl bars are meant to be used for natural wrist actions. Thus it needs to be lighter because your wrists can get easily injured due to overload.
On the other hand, a straight bar is more commonly used for hard gainer exercises. These are the activities that require tremendous strength that leads to the muscle’s growth. An example of a straight bar’s use is the famous bench press.
Curl Bar Vs. Straight Bar: Difference In Workout Exercises
In doing a bench press, your wrists are never meant to move. The wrists or even the arms are not intended to receive all that weight. Instead, the chest is the body part that gets stressed. Hence, straight bars are meant for workouts that require overhand lifting actions.
However, take note that it can also be used for underhand motions, but similar to the bench press, the wrists must not move. An excellent example of this the deadlift workout.
On the other hand, since a curl bar is more supinated, wrist action is more supported. Hence, a curl bar is ideal for exercises that require joint activation. A great use that a curl bar is famous for is the barbell curls.
In barbell curls, you load the curl bar with the correct weight according to your strength. Then, much like doing a dumbbell curl, you lift the barbell towards your chin while standing up straight. In this exercise, your elbows perform the action, but if you try it, you’ll also notice your wrists rotate.
The wrists start out extended outwards from your torso, and as you curl the barbell, you’ll see the wrists rotate towards you. This is exactly what the curl bar does. It helps rotate the wrists for you to carry smaller weights. Thus, focusing on muscles that need lighter weights such as the triceps and biceps.
This is also the reason why it’s designed to be lighter than the straight bar. So the next time you plan on hitting your arms, try to use the curl bar. Just remember, don’t load it too heavy. Biceps and triceps can develop quickly through a form instead of overloaded weights.
To Wrap It Up
Knowing the weight of the curl bar and its use is crucial if you want to gain maximum effects. Remember, a curl bar has quite a different purpose compared to the other 6 types.
If you are interested in the weights of a trap/hex bar, we wrote a similar post to this one, which you checkout here.
However, it does not just know when and how to use a curl bar that is important. It is also important to know which exercises to do, how to do them properly and other variations you can try not to be redundant. A diversely varied curl bar workout routine can help you gain the results you want faster.
