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Okay For Men To Use The Women's Bar?

  • 06-08-2014 08:53PM
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,894 ✭✭✭UCDVet


    Title says it all. I'm a guy, and today I grabbed a women's bar at the gym (didn't even know they existed before this). I guess I've got small hands, but this felt much better. I know it's 15kg instead of 20kg, but even still, I set new personal records using this bar and, like I said, just felt more natural.

    The thing is, I've never stumbled across this bar before, so I think it might be the only one at the gym. Is it rude/inappropriate for a guy to use the 'women's bar'?


«1

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,468 ✭✭✭DylanJM


    What exercises were you using the bar for?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,468 ✭✭✭DylanJM


    I suppose if there is nobody else looking to use it then I guess there isn't really anything wrong with using it but it isn't really the done thing if you know what I mean. Tbh I'd just stick to using a men's bar, especially if there is only one ladies bar in the gym.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,887 ✭✭✭WHIP IT!


    What's a Ladies Bar?? :confused:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,468 ✭✭✭DylanJM


    WHIP IT! wrote: »
    What's a Ladies Bar?? :confused:
    In Olympic weightlifting there are different bars for the men and women. The mens bar is 28mm in diameter and the womens bar is 25mm. The womens bar is slightly shorter too.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,619 ✭✭✭✭dastardly00


    You learn something new everyday! :)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,887 ✭✭✭WHIP IT!


    DylanJM wrote: »
    In Olympic weightlifting there are different bars for the men and women. The mens bar is 28mm in diameter and the womens bar is 25mm. The womens bar is slightly shorter too.

    Holy Moly! I'm weighing all the bars in my gym tomorrow! Thanks :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,390 ✭✭✭Stench Blossoms


    DylanJM wrote: »
    I suppose if there is nobody else looking to use it then I guess there isn't really anything wrong with using it but it isn't really the done thing if you know what I mean. Tbh I'd just stick to using a men's bar, especially if there is only one ladies bar in the gym.

    Don't agree.

    She'd want to be some c*nt of a woman to ask you to give her the bar.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,802 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    WHIP IT! wrote: »
    Holy Moly! I'm weighing all the bars in my gym tomorrow! Thanks :D

    They're noticeably shorter. You'd know looking at them.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,887 ✭✭✭WHIP IT!


    Don't agree.

    She'd want to be some c*nt of a woman to ask you to give her the bar.

    :D:D:D

    SB straight in with the C-Bomb, nay a bother to her... don't mess with this Chick!
    They're noticeably shorter. You'd know looking at them.

    Ah right, like just a six-foot Oly bar? There's one in my gym but didn't know it was for the womens only... very sexist. When are us lads gonna get a fair shake in this crazy, mixed-up world :(


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,802 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    WHIP IT! wrote: »
    Ah right, like just a six-foot Oly bar? There's one in my gym but didn't know it was for the womens only... very sexist. When are us lads gonna get a fair shake in this crazy, mixed-up world :(

    It's about 8 inches shorter so bit more than 6 foot.

    Just go for the biggest bar you can see :)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,793 ✭✭✭gymfreak


    Don't agree.

    She'd want to be some c*nt of a woman to ask you to give her the bar.

    That's not true.

    If I went to the gym and there was only 1 ladies bar and a dude was using it I'd be a bit frustrated as there is always far more mens bars to womens.

    Obviously I'd ask to work in with him but the problem is that that bar is specifically made for women to weightlift on. It's shorter in length and the diameter is thinner. I wouldn't be able to train on a mens bar as my hands wouldn't fit around it to hook grip it.

    I'm not saying I'd be rude to the dude, I'd politely ask to work in but say a woman is a c*nt is a bit much imo


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,793 ✭✭✭gymfreak


    WHIP IT! wrote: »
    :D:D:D]


    Ah right, like just a six-foot Oly bar? There's one in my gym but didn't know it was for the womens only... very sexist. When are us lads gonna get a fair shake in this crazy, mixed-up world :(

    In weightlifting there are mens bars and ladies bars..so it aint sexist;)

    They're different to powerbars.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,802 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    gymfreak wrote: »
    They're different to powerbars.

    Slightly less tasty :p


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,603 ✭✭✭Scuba Ste


    DylanJM wrote: »
    In Olympic weightlifting there are different bars for the men and women. The mens bar is 28mm in diameter and the womens bar is 25mm. The womens bar is slightly shorter too.

    It's also lighter. The women's bar is 15kg compared to a 20kg men's bar.

    I wouldn't worry about using it. Most people don't know the difference anyway. And people can ask for it if they do.


  • Posts: 81,310 CMod ✭✭✭✭ Tucker Polite Mason


    I had originally posted to ask what a women's bar was! I am glad I wasn't the only one. I don't think we have any in the gym I'm in. That or I haven't noticed them...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,603 ✭✭✭Scuba Ste


    bluewolf wrote: »
    I had originally posted to ask what a women's bar was! I am glad I wasn't the only one. I don't think we have any in the gym I'm in. That or I haven't noticed them...

    Most gyms don't have them. They're usually specific to weightlifting and places you can snatch or clean and jerk.


  • Posts: 4,630 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Are you sure the bar wasn't just a thinner 20kg bar? This one could be a 28mm weightlifting bar and the one you're used to could have been a 30mm "standard" bar. I've seen standard barbells with still smaller diameters too, despite being 20kg in weight and 7ft in length.

    Edit:
    For instance, my gym has these: 32mm. It also has 28mm bars. Both are the same weight and length, but there's a huge difference in feel.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,762 ✭✭✭jive


    gymfreak wrote: »
    That's not true.

    If I went to the gym and there was only 1 ladies bar and a dude was using it I'd be a bit frustrated as there is always far more mens bars to womens.

    Obviously I'd ask to work in with him but the problem is that that bar is specifically made for women to weightlift on. It's shorter in length and the diameter is thinner. I wouldn't be able to train on a mens bar as my hands wouldn't fit around it to hook grip it.

    Maybe he is built like a lady and has the same issues. All equipment in the gym is fair game, if he wants to have a go on that machine that all the pregnant women have a go on then he can do that too. First come, first served! But obviously yeah work in like normal human beings


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,049 ✭✭✭discus


    Why are they sexualised anyway? Looking at some of the women on the Irish Ladies Rugby Team, the male bar would be better suited to them than to most blokes, cracking atheletes the lot of them!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,818 ✭✭✭Inspector Coptoor


    discus wrote: »
    Why are they sexualised anyway? Looking at some of the women on the Irish Ladies Rugby Team, the male bar would be better suited to them than to most blokes, cracking atheletes the lot of them!

    They aren't sexualised.

    There are differences between men and women.

    A noticeable one is that most women have smaller hands than men, which is why Eleiko, Ivanko, Rogue and other decent barbell manufacturers cater to their needs by making thinner bars.

    This does NOT have anything to do with strength, it's an anatomical thing.

    I fail to see how the Irish ladies rugby team and their athletic prowess comes into this discussion.
    Don't agree.

    She'd want to be some c*nt of a woman to ask you to give her the bar.

    If it was a proper weightlifting gym and a girl wanted to use the bar, that's the bar she should be allowed use.
    the clue is in the name - Ladies Bar


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,049 ✭✭✭discus


    Sorry, on a buzz lately with the ladies rugby!

    But I can't see why it's ladies vs mens, I'd far prefer a thinner bar to squat/press with*.

    *soz, preposition ending a sentence.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,468 ✭✭✭DylanJM


    discus wrote: »
    Sorry, on a buzz lately with the ladies rugby!

    But I can't see why it's ladies vs mens, I'd far prefer a thinner bar to squat/press with*.

    *soz, preposition ending a sentence.

    Because in weightlifting you use a hookgrip. Women tend to have smaller hands and would struggle to have a secure grip on a 28mm bar. Even the lighter weight male lifters, 56kg or 62kg lifters, sometimes struggle to get a good hookgrip.

    IIRC women's competitions originally used a 20kg 28mm bar up until 1997 so there was obviously enough call to switch to a smaller diameter bar. There is some argument for introducing using a 28mm bar for the heavier female classes (75kg and 75kg+) because the 25mm bar oscillates too much during the clean and jerk with the weights the top level lifters are using nowadays. They could probably grip a 28mm bar fine as well.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,468 ✭✭✭DylanJM


    bluewolf wrote: »
    I had originally posted to ask what a women's bar was! I am glad I wasn't the only one. I don't think we have any in the gym I'm in. That or I haven't noticed them...

    I know. I saw your post and typed out an answer but when I posted your post was gone and it just looked like I was nuts so I had to go back and edit :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,553 ✭✭✭dylbert


    I think in a regular gym it doesn't matter though I agree that women should get preference on the bar. In weightlifting it makes no sense for a man to use a ladies bar because you don't get the option to use one in competition.

    In crossfit men will sometimes use a ladies bar, one of the WOD's in the open this year had 35kg touch 'n go snatches, was handier to use a ladies bar with two 10kg bumpers rather than a mans bar two 5kg's and two 2.5kg, it was easier on the grip too.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 40,588 ✭✭✭✭Mellor


    I thought I posted here earlier.

    My gym has (older) standard bars, power bars, and ladies oly bars. I use the power bars usually, but I use the ladies Oly bar for cleans, snatches. I do t think there's anything wrong with that.
    Reason being, the power bar isn't an Oly bar. It makes sense to use a dedicated Oly bar if it's there. Plus my hands aren't the biggest, I find it more comfirtable.
    There's more than one if them so can see it being an issue.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 960 ✭✭✭cletus van damme


    i've small slim hands.:(

    I never knew of this ladies bar though.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,522 ✭✭✭runawaybishop


    If it was a proper weightlifting gym and a girl wanted to use the bar, that's the bar she should be allowed use.
    the clue is in the name - Ladies Bar

    Sexist bastards. It should be called the SmallHands bar.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,386 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    UCDVet wrote: »
    Is it rude/inappropriate for a guy to use the 'women's bar'?
    It's as rude/inapproiate as a woman using the "mans" bar, i.e. not in the fucking slightest bit.

    You'd swear its changing rooms people are going on about, or like its some legally defined term.

    I would call a man a cunt if he told a woman to move off say a rowing machine with 28mm handles and tell her to use the one with 25mm handles as its the "womans machine".

    If barbells were only designed today I doubt they would term them like this. They have been around ages so the term seems to have stuck to describe the different specs. It would make more sense to term them around their actual specification. In work we have work gloves, size 6, 8,9,10. The size 6 are often referred to as "the womens gloves", simply because they are small and people might not be familiar with sizing, but some women wear larger ones and some men wear the size 6.

    I prefer working with a shorter bar myself, i.e. the plates closer together.
    A noticeable one is that most women have smaller hands than men, which is why Eleiko, Ivanko, Rogue and other decent barbell manufacturers cater to their needs by making thinner bars.
    I would say they have catered to the needs of people with smaller hands, like the OP who said he has small hands. Just like the unisex work glove people did.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,468 ✭✭✭DylanJM


    rubadub wrote: »
    It's as rude/inapproiate as a woman using the "mans" bar, i.e. not in the fucking slightest bit.

    It is inappropriate/rude if there is a women olympic weightlifter that cannot train because some guy is hogging the only women's bar in the gym because he won't use a regular bar.

    It's as simple as this, women use a 25mm bar in competition and therefore should only use a 25mm bar in training. Men only use a 28mm bar in competition and therefore should only use a 28mm bar in training.

    IMO women's bars should only ever be used for the olympic lifts, variations of the olympic lifts, pulls, squats, push presses and overhead presses. They shouldn't be used for anything else. They should especially not be used for benching, heavy deadlifting or god forbid curling.

    I would say they have catered to the needs of people with smaller hands, like the OP who said he has small hands. Just like the unisex work glove people did.

    No, they are specifically designed as women's barbells and are made to the spec outlined by the IWF. The IWF rulebook has spec for bboth a women's bar and a men's bar.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,049 ✭✭✭discus


    i've small slim hands.:(

    I never knew of this ladies bar though.

    Aye, I've broken my thumbs so much that I can't use them for gripping fuck all. Ladies bar has been a godsend for this betafag


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