How to choose your first Olympic barbell

Your first Olympic barbell should feel right for the training you want to do and fit the equipment around it. Start with the bar's weight, shaft diameter and overall length. Finish and colour can follow once those practical choices are settled.

Axiom offers several routes into a barbell setup, including the 20kg Olympic Cerakote Bar and 15kg and 20kg Olympic Competition Bars. Here is a practical way to compare them before you order.

Decide what you want to train

For a mix of squats, presses, rows and other strength work, begin with a full-length Olympic bar. The Olympic Cerakote Bar is listed for Olympic lifting, strength training and general use, making it a useful starting point for a mixed routine.

If your main focus is the snatch or clean and jerk, compare the Olympic Competition Bars. Both the 20kg Chrome bar and 15kg Chrome bar are listed for those lifts. The product name alone does not establish approval for a specific event; confirm the organiser's requirements if you are buying competition equipment.

Compare weight and grip before colour

The shaft is the part you hold; its diameter is different from the diameter of the sleeves that carry the plates. Axiom's 15kg Competition Bar has a 25mm shaft, while these 20kg options have a 28mm shaft. Think about the grip and starting weight that suit your training, rather than choosing from a photograph alone.

The Competition Bars are also listed in Black Oxide. Check the exact product's specification and availability when choosing your finish.

Measure the complete setup

Measure where the bar will be used and stored, allowing space at both ends to put plates on and take them off. If you use a rack, check its compatibility with the bar rather than relying on overall bar length alone. We can help confirm the combination before you buy.

Then check your plates. The Chrome Competition Bars have 50mm Olympic sleeves, and Axiom's calibrated and Black Series bumper plates are listed for that size. Confirm the sleeve and plate specifications for your chosen bar, especially when combining it with equipment you already own.

Sleeve length also affects the space available for plates and collars. List the plates you expect to use together and check the fit. A large total plate weight does not automatically mean that every plate will fit on every bar.

Understand what the bearings tell you

All three bars in the table list eight needle bearings, with four per sleeve. That is a useful specification to compare, but it does not decide which bar fits your hands, space or routine. Keep those practical requirements ahead of any single number on the product page.

Build the rest of your order

If you need plates as well, compare the Essential 120kg Package, which includes a 20kg Cerakote bar and 100kg of bumper plates, with the Performance 170kg Package, which includes the same bar weight and 150kg of plates. Both let you choose from the available Cerakote colour options.

If you choose individual calibrated plates instead, remember that they are sold singly: order two of a weight for a matching pair. Check current availability and dispatch information separately from the barbell.

Quick questions

Should I choose a 15kg or 20kg bar?

Compare the starting weight, shaft diameter and length against your needs. The 15kg option in the table is lighter, slimmer and shorter; those are useful differences to discuss with your coach if you are unsure.

What should I tell Axiom before ordering?

Tell us the lifts you plan to train, which plates and rack you already have, and any space limits. Contact us for help choosing your first barbell, or visit the product pages for current colours, specifications and availability.