Hi, Tracy! I'm not sure what brand Cathe has been using recently, but the Troy Lite barbell system that I have (and learned about through this site) uses the spring clips to keep the weight plates in place once you load them on. I got my set (one short bar that weighs 5 lbs and several sets of plates in various loads between 2.5-lbs each up to 10-lbs each; the bar can hold up to 80 lbs of plates) through Fitness First. I'm not sure if Cathe offers a barbell set through her products line. If this brand appeals to you I'm sure a Google search will get you to some vendors.