Many people have a hard time figuring out how much a barbell weighs.
Beyond that, we all know there are different types of barbells that can definitely make a difference.
One of the most common types is a squat bar.
While most might compare this to a regular Olympic barbell, there is a difference between the two.
How much does a squat bar weigh though?
Around 20kg (or 44 lbs).
On higher quality barbells, you’ll have endcaps at the end of the sleeves that tell you how much the bar weighs.
If you’re curious about what all the different types of squat bars weigh, let’s cover them now!
Different Types Of Squat Bars
All squat bars weigh vary in weight as they’re not all built the same.
Here are the different types of squat bars you can find available.
Olympic Barbell
An Olympic barbell can be used as a blanket term for any type of barbell with 2″ rotating sleeves.
However, Olympic Weightlifting barbells aren’t the same thing.
It’s specifically built for the Olympic lifts and comes in both men’s/women’s Olympic bars.
Weight
Men’s bars weigh 20kg (or 44 lbs) and women’s Olympic bars weigh 15kg (or 33 lbs).
Length
Men’s bars are over 7 feet long while women’s Olympic bars are around 6’6″ long which is exactly my height actually!
Diameter
The 28mm diameter of a men’s bar contributes to its heavier weight and a women’s barbell is 25mm thick which results in a lighter bar weight.
While Olympic Weightlifting bars aren’t built for “just squats”, Olympic lifting involves the Clean & Jerk, as well as the Snatch.
These all incorporate squat variations in some way so they’re built well for Front and Overhead Squats specifically.
For heavier powerlifting style squats, you want a thicker shaft which I’ll cover in this next section.
Powerlifting Barbell
Powerlifting barbells are going to be thicker than a regular Olympic bar.
This increased thickness makes it much stiffer and safer, which allows you to lift more weight.
The knurling is going to be much deeper and more aggressive which will help keep the barbell on your back.
Weight
Standard powerlifting barbells have a weight of 20kg (or 44 lbs) just like a traditional Olympic one.
You can also find a lot of power bars that are just 45 lbs.
Length
Powerlifting barbells are still pretty long around 86″ or 7 feet long.
Diameter
Power bars need to be stiffer than a generic barbell so they have a thicker 29mm diameter.
This is stiff enough for the power lifts (squat, bench press, and deadlift), but a specialty squat bar will be better for the squat in particular.
Squat Bar
Specialty squat bars are going to be a little different than powerlifting barbells built for the powerlifts.
This type of bar is going to have a super aggressive knurling to stick to your upper back better.
It is also going to be much thicker than a regular Olympic bar, ranging anywhere from 30-32mm thick.
They are also going to be much longer at close to 7’9″. This allows you to load the barbell up with more weight plates on the longer sleeves.
While the longer sleeves allow you to load up more weight plates, the longer shaft is helpful as you can rack it in pretty much any rack.
Nothing is worse than smashing your fingers between a loaded barbell and a power rack!
These two factors will determine how much the different types of squat bars weigh.
30mm squat bars will weigh similar to a regular barbell at 45 lbs, while 32mm bars can be up to 55 lbs for heavier weight capacities.
The most popular pure barbells for squatting – are the Texas, as well as the Rogue squat bars.
Here are the lengths, diameters, and weights for both of them.
Texas Squat Bar
- Length – 96.5″
- Diameter – 31.75mm
- Bar Weight – 25kg (or 55lbs)
Rogue Squat Bar
- Length – 94.49″
- Diameter – 32mm
- Bar Weight – 25kg (or 55lbs)
Something worth mentioning is that the best barbells for squatting are going to have fewer smooth spots on the shaft.
The Texas bar barely has any, while Rogues’ has a fully knurled shaft for maximal grip on your back.
So yes, a pure squat bar is not the same thing as basic Olympic barbells. The diameter of the shaft, as well as the length, are the biggest tells of which type you’re working with.
Safety Squat Bars
Safety squat bars are some of the best specialty bars you can get for your home gym.
They allow you to squat much more comfortably with a padded yoke across your back and the front of your shoulders. And the handles in front keep your arms in a much more shoulder-friendly position as well.
The alternative is being forced into an externally rotated position which is fine but unnecessary.
The biggest difference between a safety squat bar and typical Olympic barbells is the camber that shifts the shaft forward in front of the body.
This gives a different feeling to your squat and puts a much greater demand on your back and core to stay upright.
Safety squat bars aren’t used in competitive settings so they don’t need to accommodate any legal specs.
So they can vary greatly in both size and weight.
Here’s a list showing the most popular options and their weight.
- Rogue SB-1 SSB – 70lbs
- Rep Fitness SSB – 68lbs
- Bells Of Steel SSB – 47.5lbs
- Kabuki Strength Transformer SSB – 25kg (or 55lbs)
- EliteFTS SS Yoke SSB- 65lbs
- Marrs Bar – 65lbs
- Titan Fitness SSB V2 – 61lbs
- Average Bar Weight – 61.6lbs
As you can see, all safety squat bars weigh between 47.5 to 70 lbs. In general, though, they’re most likely to weigh around 60-65 lbs.
Cambered Squat Bar
A cambered Squat bar is another type of specialty bar.
They’re called this because they have a massive camber that loads the squat bar down closer to the sides of your body.
As you squat with it, you’ll notice it’s going to oscillate and try to kick you back on the way down, and forward on the way up.
This will absolutely kick your ass but it’s easier on your shoulders as you can grip the camber just like a Safety Squat bar to stabilize.
Since it isn’t used in any competitions, there are definitely some variables in the build and how much each bar weighs.
Plus, you can even use an open hex or trap bar in place of a cambered one if it’s made right.
Rep Fitness has a newer trap bar that they built for this exact purpose.
Here is a list of the most popular models and their official weights.
- Elitefts Rackable Cambered Bar – 65lbs
- Fringe Sport Camber Bar – 75lbs
- American Barbell Camber Bar – 40lbs
- Rogue CB-1 Camber Bar – 85lbs
- Titan Rackable Camber Bar – 85lbs
- Average Camber Bar Weight – 70lbs
Just like a Safety Squat Bar, there’s a big range of different weights depending on the manufacturer of your cambered squat bar.
But in general, it seems they’re going to be around 70 lbs on average.
Smith Machine
While technically not a proper squat barbell, a lot of people use the smith machine to squat.
So wondering how much a smith machine bar weighs makes sense.
A Smith Machine bar is typically going to weigh between 5-45 lbs which is a large range for sure.
I recommend you just track it as 45 lbs to make the barbell math easier for yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
Hopefully, this guide helped you determine how much different types of squat bars weigh.
Let me know if you have any questions in the comment section below, right now.
Until next time,
-Dante