If you recently started going to the gym, you may ask, “How much does the squat bar weigh?”

Different types of barbells can vary in terms of length, thickness, and weight. However, most squat bars will weigh 20 kg (45 lbs).

In this guide, we will go over all the weights of the different types of barbells used for squatting so you will know exactly how much you are squatting next time you go to the gym.

Types Of Squat Bars

Some bars are specifically designed for squatting, while others that are more general in nature can also be used for squatting. Either way, you should be aware of the exact weight and purpose of each:

Olympic Barbell

Multipurpose barbells, also known as Olympic barbells, are general fitness barbells that can be used for basically any activity.

Most of the time, these barbells will have knurl marks for powerlifting and Olympic lifts. These are some of the most common barbells in the world, and you will often find them in home and commercial gyms alike due to their versatility.

For this reason, if you are squatting in your commercial or home gym, the chances are that you will be using a standard Olympic bar.

The standard weight for Olympic bars is 20kg 0r 44lbs.

Olympics bars are just over 7ft and length have a diameter of 28mm. In terms of knurling, they tend to be on the more passive side and are not guaranteed to have a center knurling.

A women’s barbell will be smaller and lighter than a regular Olympic bar with a weight of 15kg(33 lbs) and a length of 6’6″.

For squatting, they will work just fine for the vast majority of people. If you want some more specialized options, you can use one of the specialty bars discussed below.

Powerlifting Barbell

Powerlifting barbells or power bars are specifically designed to train the big three powerlifting lifts: bench press, squat, and deadlift. In terms of design, they are the exact same in terms of weight and dimensions as Olympic bars. Powerlifting barbells are just over 7′ in length and weigh 44 lbs.

Power bars tend to have a thicker shaft diameter of around 29mm, but some will offer 28.5mm as an option. Generally, you want a thicker bar for powerlifting since this will increase the overall rigidity of the bar. A rigid, stable bar is ideal for trying to do lifts like squats.

Aside from being rigid, a defining feature of a power bar is aggressive knurling. Since you are mostly going to be doing low-rep sets or one-rep maxes, you want an aggressive knurling to assist you with your grip. The most common knurling patterns on power bars are volcano and mountain knurling.

All power bars spin with a bushing system. The bushing produces a slower, controlled spin which is better suited for a heavy squat.

If you are going to be doing some heavy squats, a power bar will always be the better option compared to a regular multipurpose barbell. The extra rigidity and grip will make a larger difference at higher strength levels.

Squat Bars

An Olympic squat bar is a barbell designed specifically for squatting. This type of barbell is most similar to a powerlifting barbell but has a few key differences that make it even better for squatting than a power bar.

A standard squat bar will typically have the majority of its center shaft covered in knurling. This is to maximize the friction between the bar and your back to keep it stable during heavy squats.

To increase rigidity, the bar is also thicker than thicker barbells ranging anywhere between 3mm-32mm in diameter

Since the squat tends to be one of the lifts where people use more weight, the total length of the bar is also longer at 7’9″. The additional length allows lifters to add even more weight onto the bar. Not to mention, the extra size makes it easier to rack the bar on a squat rack after a squat.

The added size in both diameter and length will cause a traditional squat bar to be heavier in most cases. Bars with a diameter of 30mm will weigh 45 lbs while 32mm bars will weigh 55lbs and have an even higher weight capacity.

There are lots of companies that make squat bars, but the ones most commonly used are made by Texas Power Bars and Rogue. Here are the weight and dimensions for both.

• Texas Squat Bar

  • Length – 96.5″

  • Diameter – 31.75mm

  • Weight – 25kg (or 55lbs)

• Rogue Squat Bar

  • Length – 94.49″

  • Diameter – 32mm

  • Weight – 25kg (or 55lbs)

The reality of specialty squat bars like those made by Texas Power Bars and Rogue is that most people do not need one.

Unless you are specializing in just the squat, you will be much better suited to a multi-purpose barbell or even a powerlifting barbell.

Safety Squat Bar

The safety squat bar is another popular specialty bar with several benefits. Notably, the safety squat bar allows for a great range of motion, injury prevention, and an overall comfortable squatting experience. If you are a fan of squats but struggle with injuries in your shoulder, elbows, or lower back, an SSB can be the ideal solution for you.

A safety squat bar has a padded section called a yoke that wraps around your shoulders and neck. This makes holding heavy loads on your back a more comfortable experience overall. Also, with handles in front of you, you can hold on to the bar without having to turn your shoulders or bend your wrists backward.

Another unique aspect of the safety squat bar is that it is chambered. What this means is that the angle of the bar will drop off toward the end to create a cambered design. The mechanical effect of this is that the bar actively tries to roll you forward. The SSB will naturally have you in a more upright position, but you will have to work hard with your upper back and core to keep yourself from toppling over. This makes the SSB a great upper back and leg builder.

The added weight of the yoke and cambered design usually results in safety squat bars being heavier in terms of weight. There is no set standard for SSB weight, but most tend to be around 60 lbs. Here is how much the safety squat bars weigh from different brands:

• Rogue SB-1 SSB – 70lbs

• Rep Fitness SSB – 68lbs

• Bells Of Steel SSB – 47.5lbs

• Kabuki Strength Transformer SSB – 55lbs

• EliteFTS SS Yoke SSB- 65lbs

• Marrs Bar – 65lbs

• Titan Fitness SSB V2 – 61lbs

The safety squat bar is one of the most versatile specialty bars you can buy. Apart from squats, you can also use the SSB for JM presses, good mornings, front squats, lunges, and much more.

Cambered Squat Bar

Cambered bars can vary a lot by type and manufacture, but they all have some sort of sleeve drop that creates the signature cambered design.

The main draw to cambered bars is that they create a sort of instability that your body has to fight against during the lift. In the process of learning how to counteract this instability, your body will strengthen some weaker muscles and develop some really good form habits that should translate nicely when you switch back to regular barbells.

Like other specialty barbells, cambered squat bars can also vary a lot in terms of weight depending on the manufacturer. Most will weigh somewhere between 40-90 pounds depending on their size. Here are some of the most popular cambered bars on the market and their respective weights:

• Titan Rackable Camber Bar – 85lbs

• Rogue CB-1 – 85lbs

• American Barbell Camber Bar – 40lbs

Buffalo Bar

The buffalo bar, also known as the bow bar or duffalo bar, is a curved barbell designed to reduce stress on your joints.

The main benefit of the curve on a buffalo bar is that it removes a lot of the upper body discomfort that comes with a regular squat. By forcing your elbows lower, you can better use your scapular and upper back muscles to build a solid shelf for the bar to rest on. This shelf effect is only increased by the fact that the bar is much thicker in diameter and be anywhere from 30-38mm.

The additional thickness usually results in buffalo bars being heavier than standard barbells. So how much does a buffalo bar weigh? Here are the weights of some of the most popular buffalo bars on the market:

• Rogue CB-4- 60lbs

• Kabuki Duffalo Bar – 55lbs

Trap Bar

The main benefit of the trap bar deadlift is that it places more emphasis on the quads and legs overall than a regular barbell deadlift. For this reason, many people use the trap bar deadlift as an alternative to the squat.

If you want even more leg activation, you could also do trap bar squats by putting yourself at a deficit to get a deeper stretch in your quads.

Alternatively, if you have an open hex bar like the REP Open Trap Bar, you can put it on your back and use it like a cambered squat bar.

Smith Machine Bar

Technically, the Smith machine bar is not an actual barbell since it is attached to a machine. However, many people use it for squat variations or to get the initial movement pattern of the squat down before moving on to the real thing.

Just like with a regular barbell, you will still want to know how much the Smith machine bar weighs. The answer to this is trickier since the range for the smith machine bar is large at 5 lb–45 lb.

To make things easier, you should just track the bar as 45 lbs and ensure that you use the same Smith machine every time to keep things constant.

What If The Squat Bar Is Too Heavy?

If you are a beginner, just the weight of the barbell with no additional weight plates may be too hard to start out with.

This is often due to a combination of lacking strength and mobility. Thankfully there are a number of alternatives form of resistance you can use as well:

• Dumbells (Hold one in each hand or one in between your hands and do Goblet squats)

• Kettlebells (Hold at your sides or between your legs)

• Bands (Can be placed under feet and on top of shoulders for squats)

• Machines (Hack Squat and Leg Press)

Why Does The Weight Of The Squat Bar Matter?

Progressive overload is one of the key methods and signs that you are gaining muscle. You cannot really keep track of this unless you are methodically keeping track of your lifts.

For this reason, it is important to know how much each type of squat bar weighs so that you can keep a good idea of your strength and progress.

Bottom Line

The most common type of squat bars will weigh around 20kg or 44 lbs. If you are starting to use more specialist squat bars like an SSB, cambered squat bar, or buffalo bar, they can weigh more.

FAQs

Michael K.

Daniel Mesa, CPT, is a trusted fitness expert and founder of  FitDominium. With his extensive experience and commitment to helping others, Daniel is the go-to source for reliable fitness advice and recommendations.