When it comes to building bigger arms, a curl bar, also known as an EZ curl bar, is one of the most common barbells you’ll find in a commercial gym.
There are a ton of different brands and types of curl bars available as well.
This makes it difficult to figure out how much they weigh, and even harder to track your progress.
In general, a typical EZ curl bar weighs between 5-35 lbs (2.26-15.87kg).
This is just the average of all types of curl bars, though, so there’s more to it than that.
In this guide, I’ll cover the weights of the most popular EZ curl bars on the market, so you never have to guess in the gym again.
Let’s get started!
Table Of Contents
What Is An EZ Curl Bar?
An EZ curl bar is a versatile piece of equipment designed specifically for exercises such as curls, extensions, upright rows, and more.
Its unique camber design reduces strain on the wrists and forearms by allowing for an ergonomically friendly grip.
Curl bars are constructed with steel and coated in materials such as hard chrome, e-coat, or cerakote.
They’re also available in various weights, sizes, and types.
Such as:
- Standard
- Olympic
- Super
- And more!
Whether your goal is to build muscle or get stronger, an EZ curl bar is a great choice for your training.
EZ Bar Origin
The origins of the EZ curl bar, also known initially as the Dymeck bar, can be traced back to the late 1940s by Lewis G. Dymeck.
The patent that he originally filed for in 1948 was granted two years later in 1950 to deal with the issues of straight bar curling.
His main issue with a straight barbell for curling is that it isn’t natural or comfortable at all.
Sure, some people might be able to do it without any issue, but more often than not, an EZ Curl bar is more comfortable.
Considering his original idea is still widely used today, I would say Lewis G. Dymeck was completely right.
Benefits Of A Curl Bar
There are many benefits of using an EZ curl bar over a straight bar, but here are the most common ones.
Reduced Strain On Wrists & Forearms
The unique cambered design of the curl bar allows for a more natural grip position. This reduces torque on the wrists and forearms while performing different bicep, tricep, and upper body movements.
Better Muscle Activation
There are multiple studies that show better biceps and brachialis activation using EZ curl bars over other straight bar variations.
Increased Range Of Motion
The bend in the curl bar allows for a greater range of motion, especially on exercises like skull crushers.
Variety Of Exercises
While you might not have as many options as a traditional barbell, the EZ curl bar can be used for a wide range of exercises that are easier on your joints than a straight bar.
Suitable For All Levels
The curl bar can be used by both beginners and experienced lifters, making it a great option for people of all fitness levels.
Easy To Use
Shorter EZ curl bars are easier to use as you don’t have to balance it nearly as much as a full-size barbell.
Cost-Effective
Curl bars are generally more affordable than other types of gym equipment, making them a great option for those on a budget.
Space-Saving
EZ curl bars are compact and lightweight, making them easy to store and transport, which is perfect for those who have limited space.
Why Knowing The Weight Of Your Curl Bar Is So Important
There are a few reasons why it’s so important to know the weight of the curl bars you’ll be working out with.
Safety
This is the most important factor, as using different curl bars can make it hard to determine the loading you need to use. Having a general idea of the average weight of curl bars will help you stay safe and injury free.
Tracking Personal Records
It’s also much easier to track your personal records accurately if you’re forced to use different curl bars each session. Not every piece of equipment is going to be available if you train in a commercial gym, after all.
Consistency
Consistency is the most important factor when it comes to setting and breaking goals. If you aren’t consistently adding weight and doing more reps, you aren’t going to get bigger or stronger.
So if that’s your goal, knowing how much your equipment weighs will make it easier to ensure progressive overload is actually occurring.
Different EZ Curl Bars
There are multiple different curl bars out there, and with them come different weights, lengths, and even overall construction.
I’ll cover the most popular curl bars, including their weight and the main differences between them.
Standard Curl Bar Weight
A standard curl bar has a 1-inch diameter across the shaft and sleeves, and unlike Olympic bars, the sleeves do not rotate.
They can also have either smooth or threaded collars that use a standard spring or spinlock collars.
Instead of just throwing out a random number on how much they might weigh, let’s use cold hard data to dispel incorrect information.
Here are the most popular standard curl bars including their type, weight, and length.
Brand | Collar Type | Length | Weight |
---|---|---|---|
CAP Barbell Curl Bar | Smooth | 60” | 14lbs |
Marcy Combo Curl Bar | Threaded | 47” | 12lbs |
Weider Curl Bar | Smooth | 47” | 12.5lbs |
Marcy TCB-48R Curl Bar | Threaded | 47” | 11lbs |
Sunny Health & Fitness Curl Bar | Threaded | 47.2” | 11lbs |
CAP Barbell RB-48T2B Curl Bar | Threaded | 48” | 11.55lbs |
Champion Barbell Curl Bar | Threaded | 48.82” | 10.7lbs |
HIRALIY Curl Bar | Threaded | 47” | 10.5lbs |
Fitness Gear Curl Bar | Threaded | 47” | 10.4lbs |
As you can see from 9 of the top-rated standard barbells, there are a couple of pieces of data we can gather from this.
- The most popular collar type is threaded sleeves, which I never really liked, as it takes forever to load and unload weights. However, in this case, the majority rules.
- To my knowledge, there isn’t anything like a rackable standard curl bar, so the majority are going to be short. The majority are around 47” long, there are a couple of outliers above this around 48” and even up to 60”. Other than that, the bar is going to be short and compact.
- Finally, there really isn’t a huge range concerning the weight of standard curl bars. They range from 10.4-14lbs, which is an average of 11.6lbs overall. So when in doubt, your standard curl bar is 10 lbs. Make it easy for yourself.
Olympic Curl Bar Weight
This will be the most common type of EZ curl bar you’ll see in a commercial gym, as they’re safer and can hold more weight than standard bars.
The main reason they weigh more is because of their 2” sleeves that are designed for use with Olympic weight plates.
Plus, the higher weight capacity from a thicker shaft definitely increases the overall weight as well.
Here are the most popular Olympic curl bars, including their important specs.
Brand | Diameter | Length | Weight |
---|---|---|---|
Rep Fitness | 30mm | 55” | 30lbs |
Rogue Fitness | 28.5mm | 54.5” | 30lbs |
Vulcan Strength | 28.5mm | 47” | 25lbs |
Bells Of Steel | 28mm | 47.2” | 22.5lbs |
Everyday Essentials | 28mm | 47.24” | 20lbs |
Synergee | 28mm | 47.3” | 19lbs |
Marcy | 28mm | 47” | 17lbs |
Rage Fitness | 25mm | 47” | 17.85lbs |
CAP Barbell | 25.4mm | 47” | 15.5lbs |
Titan Fitness | 28mm | 47.125” | 14lbs |
There’s a much bigger selection of Olympic curl bars out there, and their overall weight and dimensions are all pretty similar for the most part.
- The vast majority of Olympic curl bars have a 28mm shaft diameter. Some are thinner at 25mm and others are thicker at 30mm.
- The majority have a 47” length similar to standard curl bars, but some go up to around 55”.
- Finally, the weight of an Olympic curl bar will be higher than all standard curl bars. They can be as light as 14 lbs, with the heaviest up to 30 lbs overall. Overall, you can expect your Olympic curl bar to weigh between 14-30lbs.
Rackable Curl Bar Weight
Rackable curl bars are basically identical to Olympic EZ Curl bars.
The only major difference is that they’re longer, so you can rack them in your power rack, just like a typical Olympic barbell.
These can definitely come in handy if you have the space, especially for movements like skull crushers where you’re laying on a bench.
Because they’re longer than a typical EZ curl bar, it makes sense that they’re going to weigh more overall.
Let’s see if that actually holds true with the most popular options now.
Brand | Diameter | Length | Weight |
Rep Fitness | 30mm | 74” | 35lbs |
Get RX’d | 30mm | 74” | 35lbs |
Giant Lifting | 28mm | 74.75” | 35lbs |
Rogue Fitness | 28.5mm | 74.74” | 35lbs |
Bells Of Steel | 28mm | 74.6” | 33.5lbs |
Titan Fitness | 28mm | 71” | 31lbs |
There aren’t a ton of rackable curl bars on the market, as some of these took some time to find.
Luckily, there’s just enough to get an idea of how much your rackable curl bar is going to weigh.
Here are the averages and ranges of the specs.
- Rackable EZ curl bars need to be thicker to handle their longer length and higher weight capacity. The vast majority are 28mm like a typical Olympic Weightlifting barbell, and only two of them are thicker at around 30mm.
- The main feature of a rackable curl bar that sets it apart, is the longer shaft and sleeves. The majority of them are around 74” and only Titans’ rackable EZ curl bar is shorter at 71”.
- Rackable curl bars weigh 31-35 lbs, but most are 35 lbs.
Super Curl Bar Weight
Super curl bars have an even greater bent camber in the shaft.
This type of curl bar is great for taking even more torque off of your wrists and can even be used for hammer curls.
Here are the most popular super curl bars, so we can figure out how much they weigh on average.
Brand | Diameter | Length | Weight |
---|---|---|---|
Everyday Essentials | 25mm | 48” | 25lbs |
Verve Fitness | 28mm | 47.6” | 22lbs |
Synergee | 28mm | 47.2” | 20lbs |
Philosophy Gym | 25 & 28mm | 47” | 19.6 & 20.9lbs |
XMark | 25mm | 49.25” | 18lbs |
Cap Barbell | 25mm | 48” | 17lbs |
Sunny Health & Wellness | 25mm | 48” | 16lbs |
Here are the results for the super-angled curl bar.
- Like normal Olympic curl bars, a super curl bar has a shaft diameter between 25 and 28mm.
- The length of a super curl bar is actually incredibly similar as well. They range from 47-49.25” for the most part, which is very similar to a regular Olympic curl bar.
- Most super curl bars weigh 16-25 lbs, and there isn’t really a trend of standard weights for these. Every one of the options I’ve shown above is different, so it might be more challenging to nail down how much the super curl bar you’re using weighs.
Fixed EZ Curl Bar Weight
When using an EZ curl bar, you may come across different weight options. Some bars come with a fixed weight, meaning the weight is built into the bar and cannot be adjusted.
This can be a great option for those who want to simplify their workouts and don’t need the flexibility of adjustable weights.
Fixed EZ curl bars typically come in a range of weights, from as light as 10 pounds to as heavy as 110 pounds or more. This means you can choose the weight that works best for your current fitness level and goals.
Here’s an idea of what fixed curl bars overall dimensions are.
Brand | Diameter | Length | Weight |
Titan Fitness | 32mm | 38.25-45.5″ | 20-110lbs |
Synergee | 31.75mm | 40.8-48.8″ | 10-110lbs |
Body Solid | 32mm | N/A | 20-110lbs |
Overall, they tend always have a thicker diameter of around 32mm, are between 38-49″, and are available from 10-110 lbs on average.
Tricep/Hammer Curl Bar Weight
A tricep/hammer curl bar is designed specifically for, you guessed it, tricep extensions and hammer curls.
It doesn’t have that same bend in the shaft that EZ Curl bars do, but it does have a pretty unique shape.
The neutral grip position still puts less stress on your wrists and forearms, so it technically counts, I would say.
Here are some of the more popular tricep and hammer curl bars available.
Brand | Diameter | Length | Weight |
Bells Of Steel | 28mm | 34” | 25lbs |
Synergee | 28mm | 34” | 25lbs |
Titan Fitness | 25mm | 34” | 22lbs |
Body-Solid | N/A | 34” | 22lbs |
Fitness Maniac | N/A | 36” | 16lbs |
As you can see, these are all pretty similar to most curl bars that we’ve looked at, and they’re actually pretty beefy considering the shorter lengths.
This is obviously due to the rectangular design that has much more steel than the shorter length lets on.
- Tricep/Hammer curl bars are generally going to be found with 25mm and 28mm shaft diameters.
- The length is most likely going to be 34” but it’s possible from the data that 36” is possible too.
- They also weigh pretty similarly to other EZ Curl bars. They can range from 16-25 lbs, while most weigh 22 or 25 lbs.
EZ Curl Bar Attachment Weight
The final type of EZ curl bar is an attachment used with cable machines.
These tend to have the same cambered shaft to keep your wrists happy, and they revolve as you perform curls, extensions, etc.
Naturally, these aren’t full-sized curl bars, so naturally, they’re going to be shorter and weigh a lot less.
Brand | Diameter | Length | Weight |
York Barbell | N/A | 29” | 10lbs |
Iron Company | N/A | 28” | 8lbs |
Rep Fitness | 25mm | 28.3” | 7lbs |
Power Systems | 25mm | 28” | 7.8lbs |
Cap Barbell | 28mm | 29.53” | 7.5lbs |
Inspire Fitness | N/A | 24” | 2lbs |
Body-Solid | N/A | 30.5” | 2lbs |
- There isn’t a ton of information on the diameter of the handles on these, but they look to be from 25-28mm as usual.
- As for the length, they’re pretty compact starting around 24” but most of them are from 28-30” or so.
- Finally, curl bar attachments are very light as they don’t need to handle a ton of weight after all. The lightest you can find is around 2 lbs, but you’re more likely to find them in the 7-10lb range.
Worst Case Scenario – Weigh Your Curl Bar
If you aren’t sure about the curl bar you’re using and need a definitive answer for your OCD, just weigh your EZ bar. Problem solved!
The easiest way is to simply weigh yourself, step off the scale and hold the curl bar while weighing yourself again.
I really don’t think it matters all that much though. Just use the same curl bar, track your weight/reps with it using the same initial weight, and go with it.
I do this for almost anything that’s not a barbell and it literally does not matter to me.
As long as I’m using the same piece of equipment, it’s all the same.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
Hopefully, this guide helped you figure out how much different EZ curl bars weigh.
You check out my other guides for similar barbell weights below.
Until next time,
-Dante
Related Content