This is my review of a 10 lb bar (but I've already put a 15 lb in my shopping list for later).
I've written a fair number of reviews on Amazon -- though I'm seriously behind for the last few months (big projects going on) -- I don't often write long ones. (I save my length for blogs and essays).
But this one is long. So for readers who just want to know "yes" or "no" for this product, I'll cut right to the chase, then offer some more context after that.
Bottom line: I received this bar less than 48 hours ago, but I've hardly been able to put it down during waking hours. It's already one of the most useful exercise tools I've ever owned.
I don't really have a good metaphor to help explain it, but try this: it's like the exercise equipment version of a really comfortable pair of house slippers (or camp booties after a miles long wet trek uphill) that you can't wait to wear again. More on why below along with some context.
I'm a male, 72, living in rural eastern Maine. I've been extremely active during my entire life. Worked out a lot; did some sports (especially racquetball and disks); major backpacking/mountaineering with heavy expedition packs. Exercise has included walking, running (no more), bicycling (no longer outdoors because I live on an extremely bike-unfriendly road, but I bought an excellent exercise bike here on Amazon; reviewed elsewhere), and weights, including barbells, dumbbells, kettle bells, and body weight exercises. (The latter are very easy to transport to camp.)
I've almost always had a barbell set and set of dumb bells, as I do now. My barbell bar is a 1" standard length (57" ?) with screw on plate retainers (that take forever to change). I don't do heavy workouts -- I'm a smaller, older guy with some health issues, so only up to about 30 lbs ... PLUS I live upstairs in an apartment, so ... I also do as much lighter, high rep aerobic stuff as I do heavier, low rep stuff. (That's evolved with aging, and just what seems to work for me.)
But barbells have always been kind of ... clunky and limiting. Yes, yes, I'm aware of the dozen or so main exercises requiring them (and sometimes a bench). I've done hundreds (thousands?) of reps for some of them (especially curls, it seems).
But barbells are not evenly balanced when weighted, so it's neither fun nor easy to do the following with a standard steel bar (so that you can exercise more of your 600+ muscles, says the anatomy and physiology teacher in me). Try this: hold a light-weighted barbell (perhaps just the bar) in a non-standard position, like you're holding a hickory jo staff -- like holding it out at a 90 deg angle, shoulder height, then pivot from side to side while switching ends of the bar like a propeller blade from 12 oclock to 6 oclock, then back again.
Or even more fun, treating it like a heavy (training version) of that Jo staff wielded two-handedly using Irish stick fighting technique with it ... fending off hordes of zombies because winter is coming. Plus, it keeps the workout more interesting.
But for those kinds of alt exercises, a standard-length 1" bar is too long (for my taste), and if plates are on it, the balance is all wrong. Plus, if you hit drywall with that bare steel end of the bar, you're gonna leave a hole. :-o
I often take the plates off of my full sized bar and just use the 10 lb bar. Great for warm ups and cool downs, and those alt exercises (for light saber etc). But it's so long, and just doesn't offer the best grip, even for my small hands.
Enter this Yes4All weighted bar ... with fanfare. Its 48" length is great for a variety of hand positions. Its rubberized, larger (than standard barbell) diameter handle (that ever so slightly compresses when squeezed) feels fantastic. No seriously, no hyperbole there. Compared to my metal bar, this new one is fantastic. Like those slippers.
The rubberized protectors on the end that keep it up off the floor (so fingers go under) will reduce chance of a hole in the dry wall. And 48" is the optimal length (to me) for those alt exercises while working great for all the standard ones. And warm up is much easier now (ensuring I'll do a proper one) that I don't have to remove weights on the standard steel bar.
It has already vastly expanded my exercises options. I'll keep the longer steel bar for heavier weights on standard exercises. (Though I'm now exploring 4' steel barbells with the clips rather than screw on.) But this new bar allows easy transitions between the standard exercises. For example, think of warming up with a bent over row, biceps curl, standing press hybrid, and throw in some waist rotations with the bar extended like you're wiping out those zombies. Makes exercising less work and more fun. Those slippers again.
After I safely gain strength -- both muscle and joint -- with this 10 lber, I'll add a 15 lb bar to the mix.
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 48.75 x 2.75 x 2.75 inches |
|---|---|
| Package Weight | 2.56 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 47 x 2.17 x 2.17 inches |
| Item Weight | 5 Pounds |
| Brand Name | Yes4All |
| Warranty Description | 1-year warranty and 60-day satisfaction warranty |
| Model Name | Weighted Workout Bar, Resistance Band Bar, Weighted Bar Racks, Single/Combo |
| Color | A. 5lbs |
| Material | Foam, Alloy Steel, Rubber |
| Suggested Users | Exercise & Fitness, Strength Training Equipment, Bars, Strength Training |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Manufacturer | Yes4All |
| Part Number | RZLL |
| Model Year | 2015 |
| Style | A. Weighted Workout Bar |
| Included Components | Weighted Workout Bar |
| Size | 5lbs |
| Sport Type | Bodybuilding |
| Grip Type | Padded |
