You may have noticed that FitnessWorks has recently brought a new addition to our free weight area: The Rogue Ohio Bar.  What is the Rogue Ohio Bar?  Here’s Rogue’s definition:

The Ohio Bar isn’t just one of Rogue’s most durable and versatile weightlifting bars, it’s also a direct reflection of the proud professionals who build it. From the 190,000 PSI steel to the distinctive dual knurl marks and four separate coating options, every detail of the Ohio Bar is held to the absolute highest standard

In short, the Ohio Bar is a bad ass bar, designed to be more durable and stand up to the rigors of heavy weight lifting.

Although not all of our members are in to elite weightlifting, it doesn’t mean that we can’t all benefit from training with the best equipment available.  One of the first things you’ll notice when you do any lift with the Ohio Bar is how solid it feels.  Whether you have a single plate on each side or 5, this thing feels like a rock.  It has minimal “Whip” when performing your lifts, so if you’re used to our silver Olympic Barbells, you may find that this bar has less forgiveness for you at the bottom of a bench press or squat.  This maximizes the force you are putting into the weights and the benefit you will receive from the exercise.

So what should I use this bar for?  Great question!  This bar is ideal for:

• Squats
• Bench press
• Overhead Press

Although Rogue claims that this bar is alright for Olympic weightlifting (Cleans, Snatches, Deadlifts, Etc.), I would not recommend it unless you are moving some serious weight.  This bar is much stiffer than our other bars and will be much less forgiving on your body when performing those lifts.

If you would like help learning more about how to use the Rogue Ohio Bar or any of our equipment please stop by the Front Desk or give us a call at 805-772-7466!  See you in the gym!