Olympic Barbell Collar Snippet

How a Pressure Ring Olympic Barbell Collar Works

The Olympic barbell collar, also known as a pressure ring collar with spin lock, is a sophisticated mechanical clamp. Weighing in at five pounds, in this country and two and half kilos (5.5 pounds) in metric countries, the Olympic barbell collar fits over the end of the revolving 2-inch sleeve on each end of the standardized Olympic weightlifting bar. Olympic plates are loaded onto the barbell and the collar is then slid onto the barbell until it nuzzles the weight plates. At that point, a two part procedure is enacted: the wingnut clamps are tightened, ensuring no sliding of the barbell plates, and finally, the round spindle is spun, tightening the payload/plates inward, thereby ensuring plates are forced inward. The goal is to secure the plates evenly thereby ensuring a balanced payload for the lifter.

About the Author: Marty Gallagher

As an athlete Marty Gallagher is a national and world champion in Olympic lifting and powerlifting. He was a world champion team coach in 1991 and coached Black's Gym to five national team titles. He's also coached some of the strongest men on the planet including Kirk Karwoski when he completed his world record 1,003 lb. squat. Today he teaches the US Secret Service and Tier 1 Spec Ops on how to maximize their strength in minimal time. As a writer since 1978 he’s written for Powerlifting USA, Milo, Flex Magazine, Muscle & Fitness, Prime Fitness, Washington Post, Dragon Door and now IRON COMPANY. He’s also the author of multiple books including Purposeful Primitive, Strong Medicine, Ed Coan’s book Coan, The Man, the Myth, the Method and numerous others. Read the Marty Gallagher biography here.