Shorty Bars: The Fun-Size Options for Your Home Gym
Much like fun-size candy bars compared to their full-sized siblings, shorty bars offer a more compact barbell option for home gym enthusiasts. These shorter, lighter barbells provide unique advantages that might make them the perfect addition to your workout space – especially if you're dealing with limited room.
Understanding Shorty Bars
To understand what makes a shorty bar, we first need to establish what we're comparing it to. The standard male Olympic barbell measures 7 feet in length and weighs 20 kilograms (45 pounds). The female Olympic barbell is 6.5 feet long and weighs 15 kilograms (33 pounds).
A shorty bar typically measures 6 feet or less in length and weighs 33 pounds or less. They maintain the same basic anatomy as standard barbells:
- Shaft: The middle portion where you grip the bar and rack it
- Collars: The sections on each end of the shaft
- Sleeves: The parts at each end where weights are loaded
The Downsides of Shorty Bars
Before considering a shorty bar for your home gym, be aware of these potential limitations:
Racking Issues
Standard power racks have an outer width between 47-49 inches. If a shorty bar's shaft is narrower than this measurement, it won't rack properly. Some extremely short bars aren't rackable at all, limiting their use for certain exercises.
Weight Capacity
Shorter sleeves mean less space for weight plates. This significantly restricts the maximum load you can place on the bar – a serious consideration for stronger lifters.
Different Feel
The reduced length and weight affect the bar's balance, creating a different feel compared to standard barbells. This can impact your lifting experience and technique.
Plate Math Complications
Most lifters become accustomed to quick mental calculations based on a 45-pound bar (e.g., a bar with two 45-pound plates equals 135 pounds). Shorty bars often weigh between 23-33 pounds, complicating these familiar calculations.
Limited Selection
Shorty bars offer fewer options than standard barbells, especially regarding specialty bars. Even when major manufacturers offer shorty versions of flagship bars, customization options like shaft colors are typically limited.
The Benefits of Shorty Bars
Despite these drawbacks, shorty bars offer several compelling advantages:
Space Efficiency
The most obvious benefit is their compact footprint. A 60-inch bar versus an 84-inch bar might allow you to fit a deadlift area or power rack into a space that couldn't accommodate standard equipment.
Improved Maneuverability
Shorty bars are significantly easier to handle in tight spaces. Their reduced length and weight (up to 13 pounds lighter for straight bars and 30 pounds lighter for some specialty bars) make them much more manageable in cramped home gym environments.
Lower Starting Weight
The lighter weight provides a lower starting point for beginners, youth, seniors, or anyone who benefits from lifting less weight initially.
Cost Savings
Shorty bars are typically cheaper than their full-length counterparts. The price difference usually ranges from $20-30 for straight bars and can reach $100 for specialty bars. Shipping costs may also be lower due to the reduced size and weight.
Safer Setup Experience
In confined spaces, shorty bars make loading weights easier and safer. The shorter length allows for better positioning and more ergonomic movement when adding plates, potentially reducing the risk of injury during setup.
Is a Shorty Bar Right for Your Home Gym?
Consider these factors when deciding if a shorty bar makes sense for your situation:
Space Considerations
If your home gym is extremely cramped, a shorty bar is an easy recommendation that will likely improve your training experience.
Competition Training
If you're training for competitions, stick with standard-length barbells that match what you'll use in competition.
Aesthetic Preferences
If gym aesthetics and equipment customization are important to you, the limited options for shorty bars might be disappointing.
Weight Requirements
Consider three aspects regarding weight capacity:
- Plate type: Thick bumper plates will limit total weight capacity more than thin steel or iron plates
- Exercise selection: Heavy compound movements like deadlifts may approach the bar's capacity limit
- Strength level: Very strong lifters might max out a shorty bar's capacity
User Strength Profile
Beginners, youth, seniors, or those who simply don't lift extremely heavy weights may benefit significantly from the lower starting weight of shorty bars.
Tracking Concerns
The non-standard weight can complicate progress tracking, especially if you alternate between your home gym and commercial facilities with standard equipment.
Niche Applications
Even if a shorty bar doesn't make sense as your primary barbell, consider specific applications where it might excel:
- A 5-foot trap bar for deadlifting in a small space
- A short bar for landmine exercises within a power rack
- Specialty applications where maneuverability is paramount
Conclusion
Shorty bars offer a viable alternative for home gym enthusiasts facing space constraints or looking for more manageable equipment. While they come with limitations regarding weight capacity and rackability, their compact size, improved maneuverability, and cost savings make them attractive options for many home gym setups.
Whether you find them disappointingly small or perfectly sized for your needs depends largely on your specific situation, training goals, and space limitations. For many lifters dealing with tight quarters, these “fun-size bars of the home gym world” provide just the right balance of functionality and practicality.
