Rod weight is one of those things that is always shrouded in mystery
Unless it’s clearly marked on the bar or you don’t measure yourself, you’ll always get random answers if you ask someone at the gym about it
‘Hey, how much does an EZ bar weigh? ‘
If you’re diligent about tracking your lifts and using progressive overload in your training routine, knowing the weight of the bar is crucial
How else do you know what weight you’re lifting?
Yeah, if anyone tells you that rod weight doesn’t count, punch them in the face
Before we jump the gun, let’s take a moment to understand the difference between an EZ bar and a straight bar
The humble biceps curl is often overshadowed by fancy isolation movements – reverse curls, hammer curls or regular curls and these days fancy machines at the gym
But he still remains the “grandfather” of biceps and triceps exercises, as they say
And there is no better variation than the bar curl
Curling the bar allows you to work all the muscle heads in the biceps group, forearms, wrists, shoulders and even some muscles of the back
Personally, I do these curls after a chest day to train my shoulders, but you can also work your arms (for those with skinny arms), your bells
You can stack more plates and are less likely to perform “swing” reps with it
If you’ve been working out for a while, you know that there are two types of bars used for bicep curls
There’s a straight bar, and right in the middle of the bar is an EZ curl bar with weird-looking curves
Some even call it a cambered curl bar
The question is, which one is better for biceps growth?
EZ curl bar or straight curl bar?
Straight bar
The fact is, even some of the most experienced lifters don’t know the difference between an EZ bar and a flat bar
The EZ Curl bar is specifically designed for people with wrist mobility issues
Keyboard warriors in particular suffer from wrist pain when doing curls with straight sticks rather than cleans or power cleans
Replacing it with an EZ curl bar allows you to hit biceps without making too many compromises and, most importantly, without feeling sore or putting a strain on your post-workout terago – although you should use one of these gizmos for better recovery
The curved part of the bar you hold during curls allows you to have a pronated grip, meaning your thumbs are on top of your pinkies
A pronated grip is gentler on your wrists
Instead of putting the emphasis on the biceps head, it works the brachialis muscle more
Also, this type of bar is not suitable for strength exercises such as the smith machine deadlift, which requires a straight bar
Does this make it ineffective for biceps growth?
The difference, if any, is very small, unless you’re a pro bodybuilder going into your home gym to work each muscle head individually and being judged by professional judges on the MrOlympia stage, you really have nothing to worry about
Most fitness enthusiasts wouldn’t even notice the difference, except for a reduction in soreness
Now for tips on why I only use the EZ bar for curling, especially when loading heavy weights to shock my muscles
I don’t even bother throwing weights straight to the bar anymore
How much does an EZ Bar weigh?
It depends on the manufacturer and the length of the rod
It’s not just about the Ez bar, I’ve tried to figure out bench press bar weight, deadlift bar weight, and deadlift bar weight before
However, there are two types of EZ bars available in most gyms
Olympic EZ bars are heavier and thicker than standard EZ bars
Here is a ballpark figure for the weight and size of both variants of the EZ bar
Olympic EZ Curl bar: Weighs 18-25 lbs
Can only be used with Olympic boards and ranges in weight from 18-25 lbs
Standard EZ Curl bar: Weighs 10-18 lbs
It is 47″ long and has 1″ non-rotating arms
Can only be used with standard boards and ranges in weight from 10-18 lbs
The standard EZ curl bar is a great choice for people looking for a shorter barbell
Why does the EZ Curl bar at my gym weigh more than 25 pounds?
The EZ curl bar is not used in the Olympics or any other sporting event that makes standardization unnecessary
Thus, most manufacturers have their own variations of the EZ curl bar, which differ in length and weight
For example, the Rogue has an EZ coil bar that is 54 inches long and weighs 30 pounds
It also differs from other bars in its design as it has a hook on all sides except for a small section in the middle
The Troy has a 60-inch one with extremely long arms that allow users to stack more plates
There is even a “super curl ez bar”
Super Curl EZ Bar
Another variation offered by select manufacturers is the “super curl” EZ bar with over-exaggerated angles for grip
This would be equally effective if you wanted to target the triceps, while increasing the degree of grip during bicep curls
How long does the Super Curl EZ Bar take?
The Super Curl EZ bar can range in length from 49″-55″ and comes with both swivel and non-swivel arms
The Super Curl EZ bar weighs between 20-25 lbs
What exercises are EZ bars used for?
The zig-zag angled design of the EZ bar makes it a very effective tool for performing a variety of exercises
These are some of the most effective exercises for the long and lateral triceps heads, and when performed with an EZ Curl bar, it’s much easier on the wrists, allowing you to lock your elbows out to the sides and prevent them from flaring outward
There are a few crunch alternatives that work almost the same muscles, but you may need some complicated equipment for them, but most of them work great for people who don’t have big hands to handle the bar
If you’ve never tried standing rows with an EZ curl bar, try it now
An angled grip bar allows you to grip higher towards your chin, which really hits your trapezius muscles
Again, it prevents wrist sprains that users experience when performing these with a straight bar or heavier trap bars with heavier weights
A good alternative to upright rows is high pull-ups, you can do high pull-ups or upright rows using the EZ bar, but I would start with upright rows and then move on to high pull-ups after gaining some muscle
Folds
There are so many curling variations you can do with the EZ curling iron
This is a really versatile bar for biceps development
Performing upper triceps extensions with dumbbells causes the elbows to flare up, and you’re trickier into carrying the weight
Not with the EZ-Curl bar
Not with the EZ-Curl bar
This allows you to maintain good form throughout and hits the triceps even with a lighter weight
Tactical Barbell Review, Results, PDF, Download
I’m Ben, Senior Writer and Editor-in-Chief at Fitlifefanaticscom
I have been involved in Strength Training and Fitness for 16 years now
My passion for strength training and fitness and my love for helping others led me to start Fitlifefanatics