One of the many benefits of having a home gym is the customization that it affords you. As a result, you have a say on how your gym looks, including how tall your squat racks are, how high your pull-up bars are, or what color your barbells sport. If you are interested in modifying how your barbells look, look no further. This article will go over essential tips for painting barbells that can help you if you want to customize your barbells.
Essential tips for painting your barbells
Barbells are common among gym equipment, so they see a lot of use, making them wear out faster than other gym equipment. However, painting your barbells can offer them a new, fresh, and rejuvenated look. Here are some tips that can help you rejuvenate your barbell.
💡 Quick Tip: If you are a fan of home gyms and are looking to start yours, I recommend the hex dumbbells because they offer value for money and are very flexible.
Hex Dumbbells
Get the necessary materials
The first place to start when you want to paint your barbells is to ensure that you have all the necessary materials and tools to paint your barbell. You will need a few materials, including a specialist spray paint. Specialist spray paint is essential as traditional brush-on paint will be too thick. You will also need a spray paint primer to give your topcoat of paint an even surface to stick to.
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You will also need a white vinegar cleaning solution to help dissolve dirt and grime on your barbells. In addition, a sandpaper or wire brush will help remove the old paint. You can also use WD-40 as a light layer of oil to prevent the weights from sticking to the barbell and peeling the paint off. Finally, spray painting can be dangerous, so you should also get some safety equipment. These include eye coverings, masks, gloves, and protective overalls.
Begin preparations
There are a few steps you should take before you begin the painting. For example, you have to move the barbell outside as you need to spray paint in a very ventilated area. During the preparation stage, you should also file down the rust to allow the paint to stick evenly on the bar. Not filing the rust can result in an uneven surface that may make your paint difficult to stick on the bar.
You should also clean the barbell to eliminate grime and dirt as their presence may affect how the spray paint sticks to the bar. This is where the white vinegar cleaning solution comes in handy as you will use it to ensure the barbell is dirt free. Lastly, apply the spray paint primer to give the spray paint an even surface to stick to.
Cover the knurling
The barbell knurling is the crosshatch pattern on an Olympic Barbell’s shaft that increases friction between your hands and the bar. This aspect is vital as it prevents the paint from getting into it, filling up the space in the knurling and subsequently reducing the friction it offers. If this happens, it can make the barbell harder to lift, especially if you are lifting heavy weight. This is why, if you must repaint the knurling, you paint it separately.
Paint the bar
With the knurling under protection, spray paint the rest of the bar. Ensure you hold the spray can about eight inches from the bar. You should apply two layers of paint, waiting a few minutes between both layers. Ensure you use proper safety equipment and that your location is well-ventilated.
Paint the knurling
After painting the rest of the bar, remove the covering from the knurling to paint it. Remember to evaluate your choices and be sure you really have to paint the knurling. If you must paint the knurling, use a single layer and spray slowly to give the aerosol time to land across it. After painting, leave the bar to dry.
Oil the bar
This is where your WD-40 comes in. Applying a layer of oil across the bar makes it easier to slide the weight plates on the bar, as a fresh paint layer on the barbell can make it challenging to slide weights onto the collars. After adding the layer of oil, leave the bar for about 24 hours for it to dry.
Exercises you can perform with your barbell
After giving following the tips for painting barbells and giving yours a fresh and rejuvenated look, here are some exercises you can do with it.
Overhead press
The overhead press, or overhead shoulder press, is a great shoulder exercise for any program for building muscle mass and strength. You can generally raise the resistance with heavier weights, enabling you to work your deltoids, trapezius, pecs, and triceps.
You can do the overhead press by raising a pair of dumbbells or a barbell from shoulder level to above your head. To perform the overhead press, you require comfortable barbells and I recommend the Rogue 45lb Ohio power bar – black zinc.
💡 Quick Tip: If you prefer the machine-based equivalent of the overhead press and can afford it, I recommend the Plate Loaded Deltoid And Shoulder Press Machine for optimal machine-based upper body development
Plate Loaded Deltoid And Shoulder Press Machine
Deadlift
The deadlift is a nice compound exercise that develops strength and muscle mass in and around your back, hips, and hamstrings. Deadlifts may affect your back, but you can avoid this if you use moderate to heavy loads and allow for higher volumes and loads training. The deadlift also works your hamstrings, glutes, and hip muscles as an added advantage.
Barbell Squats
Squats primarily work the leg muscles. Nevertheless, squats can also recruit your core and lower back muscles. In addition, squats also considerably burn fat. You can squat alone in your home gym, as most squat racks have holes where you can attach the barbells. Likewise, racks also serve as spotters. You can purchase the Rogue sml-2c squat stand for your home gym squat stand, as it is very comfortable and easy to use.
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