York Spinlock Bar

I bought the York 5ft Bar from a sports store at home, about a year ago after I had a huge sudden desire to start working out, and it sort of worked, just not quite as well as I planned, but my small failure is not the point of this review! =)

Specifications
The bar is 5ft (152cm) long, and weighs just about 7kg including the 2 spinlocks (you need to know that because no site EVER tells you). It has a 125kg Max limit, and is a ...
...the bar on which you are able to fit weights is around 8 – 10 inches (no site tells you this either!). The diameter of the bar is 1 inch (nor this), so don’t go buying the Olympic 2inch lumen weights!

A bit about usage
The 5ft bar is generally used for pressing motions, like the bench press, or for dead lifts. Other variations are used but other types of bars are of better fit.
A large area is very useful for this especially ... more

I bought the York 5ft Bar from a sports store at home, about a year ago after I had a huge sudden desire to start working out, and it sort of worked, just not quite as well as I planned, but my small failure is not the point of this review! =)

Specifications
The bar is 5ft (152cm) long, and weighs just about 7kg including the 2 spinlocks (you need to know that because no site EVER tells you). It has a 125kg Max limit, and is a made of steel with a chrome skin. The length of the bar on which you are able to fit weights is around 8 – 10 inches (no site tells you this either!). The diameter of the bar is 1 inch (nor this), so don’t go buying the Olympic 2inch lumen weights!

A bit about usage
The 5ft bar is generally used for pressing motions, like the bench press, or for dead lifts. Other variations are used but other types of bars are of better fit.
A large area is very useful for this especially as it is a long bar, and when moved around with force, it breaks lots of things, including removal of chunks of not very strong wall. If your using this to bench press, I suggest a rack to hold the bar to make things a lot safer, if you even have a spotter as a friend that would the best!

So as I’ve said, there are only a small number of uses for the bar that first comes to mind, however, there are many many more that are possible.

For example:
-Used to hold feet in place for sit-ups
-Used to do press ups without injuring wrists
-Used to for bicep curls, and tricep extensions (although this can hurt the wrists as they are flattened when holding a long bar)
-Used for pull ups if you have somewhere to rest it high up, or even if it’s low, you can lie on the floor and pull up.
-Core strengthening

There are a few things I use it for, because I don’t have enough money to afford all the really technical gadgets! If you do come up with any other exercises using the bar, please do tell me! I’d appreciate it mine are getting a little boring =(

As for other bits of information, the bar is strong, obviously as its metal, but does flew under large amounts of weight. Its only really good for anything to do with the chest, and deltoids, and triceps. If you’re looking to bicep curl with this I do not recommend it, look at an EZ bar, much better! The price is not really justified, paying 20 pounds for a long metal bar doesn't seem right, but if your comparing it to other bars, and weights then I would agree its a good price especially for the amount of things you can do with it.

So in my opinion, I wouldn’t buy this unless you’re willing to spend a lot on a rack, weights, and a spotter, it’s just easier to go to a gym, or do weighted press ups. If you are however going to religiously work out, and will invest properly, and also have a large sized room to use this, then by all means use it! It’s a great bar for what’s its meant for, just needs the right environment and person.

p.s. As for the 100 uses in the title, you have probably thought to yourself he has not given 100 uses for the bar, and I know I haven't, but there are loads of things you can do with a metal rod, i.e hold things open, flatten a trespasser, dance, support growing trees (when you don't work out any more), support a broken rung under your bed, allow your parrot to rest on, or even other birds to rest on. But its got many more uses as a weights related bar, than anything else, so use it that way as that's what its meant for! Hope you like it if you do choose to buy it.
 

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