OLYMPIC WORKOUT BAR TERMINOLOGY

Tensile Strength

The force to pull apart material (breaking)

Yield Strength

The force to create a permanent bend

PSI

Pounds Per Square Inch

190K PSI Tensile

190,000 lbs per square inch of force required to break or tear apart.

Corrosion Resistance

The ability to combat the elements such as salt, air, sweat, etc.

Raw Steel

No finish to protect. Very easy to rust.

Zinc Plating

Either Black, Silver or Gold color. A very superficial finish providing moderate corrosion resistance. Inexpensive.

Black Oxide

Black coating that has minimal corrosion resistance. Inexpensive.

Chrome

Used for cosmetic purposes like car parts, faucets, etc. Very good corrosion resistance but very dangerous for Olympic Bars. Chrome can flake and peel causing severe lacerations to the user. Moderately expensive.

Hard Chrome

Moderate corrosion resistance. Very hard finish, cosmetically appealing and will not peel or cut. Used predominantly in the aircraft industry. Expensive.

Stainless Steel

Very good corrosion resistance. It can always be cleaned or repaired with no damage to the finish. Very expensive for material and machining costs.

Cerakote Finish

Excellent corrosion resistance when properly cared for. Expensive.

Needle Bearings

A bearing with hardened needle shaped pieces in a cage that rotate around the workout bar.

Bushings

Either Bronze or a type of Nylon. Used inside workout bar sleeves for smooth rotation.

IPF

International Power Lifting Federation.

IWF

International Weightlifting Federation.

Shaft

Shaft: The long section in the middle of the workout bar where the user grips.

Sleeves

The rotating ends on the workout bar where you load the plates.

28MM, 28.5MM, 29MM, etc.

Refers to the diameter of the workout bar shaft.

IWF OR IPF Spec.

Precise specifications of the workout bar dictating hand grip locate points, workout bar diameter, knurl lengths, sleeve diameters, etc. An IWF workout bar has wider locating marks for hand gripping and usually a smaller diameter than an IPF workout bar.