I've outgrown my hex dumbbells and want to add some weight, but I'm tired of tripping over all these fixed weights that are about as useful to me now as a door stop.

Is there any difference between Olympic and Standard weights other than the width of the bar? If I have done my homework properly, it looks like Olympic is 2", which I fear would be a tough grip for for my wee girly hands grabbing hold of dumbbells.

I am considering a Cap Barbell standard 110 lb weight set (includes 2 db bars, 1 bb bar and 85 lbs in weights and spring collars). Since I doubt I'll exceed 110 pounds in the near future, is there any reason you'd recommend against the Standard type? and just how easy is it to buy new plates (I'd have to get it online)?

thank you than you thank you

I don't think it's a big deal. Just know that the olympic bar itself is about 44 lbs. I won't believe that you will be using weights heavy enough to force you to get olympic sets.

Good luck

If you ever have an urge towards a smaller bar, they are out there.
I have a female olympic bar, which weighs 15 kilos (33 pounds.) It is shorter and thinner than a standard bar. It is helpful in overhead work, and (of course) olympic lifts. For everything else I use a standard bar (45 pounds).
You can definitely order plates online. We got ours at a store in west los angeles, but I know many companies have mail order.

Heres a place: www.ironmind.com

Only the ends of the oly bar are two inches the grip believe is one and a quarter inches

Good info, thanks. The bar I am thinking of getting is 25 lbs.

My current goals don't focus on too much overhead work, especially with a bar. I prefer arnies with dbs, which is about all I want for anterior delts. I want to build muscle in my triceps and lats and, most definitely, my legs (where I'd like to be able to squat my weight).

I have always preferred dumbbells to the bar. Not sure why, other than it feels like I'm working the muscles harder. I know I can get a good workout using only dbs but do any of you have opinions on why a bb would be a better workout? If so, for which exercises?

Actually I think that dbs give a "better" work out. Better being a subjective term. So here is my reasoning.

DB Pros:
1) Each weight is independent of the other so when doing a bench press the stronger arm helps the weaker when using a bb.
2) DBs help you build all those support muscles better because you have to ballance the weight.
3) There are some lifts you can't do with a bb.
4) Easier for doing single arm exercises.
5) You don't always need a spotter like you might for a bb.
6) Sometimes tweaking the position of your hands better hits some muscles, which you cannot do with a bb.

DB Cons:
1) There are some lifts you can do with dbs, but can be better with a bb depending on the weight.
2) They end up costing a lot more once you need to get to heavier dbs. Go price out dbs going from 5 lbs to say 75 lbs for me.
3) They can take up a lot of room, a lot more than a bb set because the bb set is easier to store in a bb weight tree.

I wouldn't concern yourself over olympic vs standard weights. At the weight it sounds like you want to lift you don't need to worry about olympic weights.

MLE, I'm glad to hear your opinion on dumbbells. I was trying to decide whether to go with barbells or db's, and I chose db's. I have a torn rotator cuff (R, two surgeries have failed to repair it) and was concerned with not being able to equally support a barbell. I was afraid that I was getting a "second rate" workout with db's instead of a bb. Now I feel lots better (and sorer too, thanks to the db's).

My next set will be 35 lbs, and they are getting expensive. Still cheaper than a year's membership at a gym, though, so worth it for me.

Thanks
Joan

Thanks for the advice. Based on my research and input here, I have decided on standard weights.

Regarding your post above, MLE, rather than get more fixed dbs, I'm getting db bars with collars and plates so I can add on. Bars weigh 5 and I am ordering four 10-pound plates, four 8-pound, four 5-pound, and four 2.5-pound. If I loaded them all up, each db would weigh 56!

As for hogging up the floor space, I use my piano bench as my weight bench. If I want an incline, I use yoga wedges. It all should take up very little room, as I can slide the plates under the couch or put them on a rack in the closet.

Oh, and the entire set I mentioned above (over 110 pounds) is only $54.

The differance between standard weight and olympic weight is the size of the hole in the plate. The standard are the same size as the standard bar. Olympic weight have a 2" hole in them and the ends of the Olympic bar are 2" the actual "bar" is the same as the standard bar.

Jag

There are SOME lifts that you simply cannot do with dumbbells - cleans, for example, or heavy squats - plus, by using a barbell, you're putting pressure on the top of the spine, which helps build bone density through your entire spine and not just through your legs.

But other that this, I use dumbbells for most of my training. It forces me to develop evenly on both sides, and even more stabilizer muscles are involved than when using barbells.

Good points Built. I should add a con that with a BB you can go much heavier than you can with dbs. Say a squat. I can't imagine having to hold 110 lb dbs in each hand and squat as apposed to doing 220 lb squats with a barball.

Interesting point about pressure on the spine and building bone density. Never thought of this. I had assumed that since I was holding the weight in my arms and my arms are somehow attached to my spine via my shoulders that this would have the same affect, but I can see how the weight on the back would apply more pressure directly to the spine.

Also, the purpose of the large ends on the Olympic bars is to allow the plates to rotate as one picks up the bar, such as in cleans, snatchs, and permits better control of the bar at higher weight levels.

What are cleans? Google results were way out there.

See http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exe...Clean+And+Press

it's the motion shown in images 1-4.