Post from BAR SHIELD USA
Title: Why Should you Maintain your Barbell?
#1 Rust
Through observation, research and personal experience, we’ve seen rust become one of the main issues for gym and barbell owners around the world. When it comes to the rate at which your barbell(s) will rust, there are several factors to consider such as the climate you live in, the number of people using the bars, and the amount of chalk used.
Chances are that you’ve seen your workout buddy or other athletes use a ridiculous amount of chalk when trying to grip a barbell. This can be an issue because chalk holds moisture easily and the moisture from your sweaty hands will speed up the oxidation, aka rust process.
Ever been in a gym or seen a bar that is rusted out where you clean/deadlift or snatch, but not the rest of the bar? Mitigating this is EASY and takes well less than five minutes.
#2 Longevity & Savings
If you’ve been a gym or individual barbell owner for some time, you would know that the cost to replace equipment can pile up rather quickly. To illustrate this, take the cost of a barbell. Although they can range greatly, they generally start around $150-350 for a multi-purpose bar and move up significantly for other specialty bars such as Olympic Weightlifting bars. This is one of the primary reasons why we set out to create Bar Shield, to help the barbell owner to get more out of their equipment, while saving a few bucks in the long run.
By allocating time each week or month, you can increase the life of your barbell dramatically by using our kit and going through our steps. It’s one of those small actions that isn’t difficult, yet we still have trouble keeping up. You should make it a part of your daily routine to get the chalk out of the bar’s knurling at the very least.
#3 Presentation & Aesthetics
Do you like an orange barbell or a barbell that looks brand new? Most of you out there would probably be on the side of the former. Sure, some people like a patina-look (bar beginning to rust) and feel on their barbell, but most tend to like their bar in tip-top condition.
As a gym owner, it’s imperative that you take the proper steps to maintain your gym equipment. When it comes to separating yourself in a saturated market, this is certainly taken into consideration when a potential gym member is evaluating your gym.
Another thing to think about as a gym owner would be drop-ins. When someone drops in from out of town, typically they are going to check out your website or social media for some photos of your facility. Do you think they are going to go to the gym with the rusted-out bars, or the gym with equipment that looks well-kept or nearly new?
Wrapping it up…
It all comes down to whether you want to have to replace your equipment in 2-3 years or in 10+ years. If you are the only user of your barbell, your equipment should last a VERY long time. Unless you are deliberately abusing and neglecting your bar, it could even last you a lifetime. Protect Your Investment.
@barshieldusa
www.barshieldusa.com
