has any one used an IVANKO barbell?

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Apr-19-01 AT 05:48PM (Est)[/font][p]Hi There:
I have been in the market for a barbell for awhile, and when I finally broke down and went to order one from the firm--I found that they are indeed on back order until further notice. I clicked on the link that the other poster left (a big thank you to you--DawnP)and I just fell in love with the thing. I called the customer service #, and talked with Adam. He said they dont take orders under $100 over the phone. Okay? He gave me the # to their wherehouse, and they gave me the name of a retailer in my area.
...story not over... LOL!
They didnt have it!!! They guy had to call the Ivanko rep and order it! It will be here in a week. But you know what? I DONT CARE!!! The thing is SWEET! As soon as I get it, I will post and let you know how it works. As we all know, looks can be deceiving. But Ivanko is a trusted name in weights/fitness, and I didnt even think twice about ordering after I saw it.
JenK
 
LOVE my Ivanko barbell!!!

I bought my Ivanko bar a couple of years ago at a local sporting goods store. I had other barbells before (even the Firm barbell that so many covet), but this is by far the best one of all, IMHO! My bar is 5'6" and weighs 18 pounds. I thought at first it might be too long for me (I'm only 5'3"), but I have found that I really like the length. Somehow I feel better balanced when using heavier poundage for stuff like lunges and squats. But, the coolest feature are the clips! They are SO easy to get on and off, and yet hold the weights so securely. I also dig the shiny chrome surface! ;-) It also has an excellent textured grip.

I went through an array of barbells (3 others, actually), and was never quite satisfied until I bought this one. I think you'll be happy with your purchase!

Wow, who knew I could get so excited about a BARBELL! :-rollen
 
RE: LOVE my Ivanko barbell!!!

Whooops! I didn't look at your link before posting so enthusiastically about my barbell! My bar is an Ivanko, but definitely different that what is offered in that link! It's a standard bar, not padded or anything. I had a Firm barbell (which this Ivanko looks similar too), but all that padding really wreaked havoc with my hands and wrists--I was getting a lot of pain from that extra wide grip.

Anyway, next time I will click on the link before I get all carried away and start singing the praises of something that's not even what's being asked about.... ;-)
 
Thanks Sandie

Don't apologize! Your comments are helpful. You just gave us some contrasts. I've noticed the padded bars used for body pump at the gym are beginning to split (the padding not the bar) & wondered about durability. I have child fingers (very short) so the comment about grip hit home.

Thanks!
Debra
 
question for Sandie

thank you. you have been very helpful.. i will consider a bar with no pad and try different lenghts.

Now can you tell me what makes it a better bar than the ones you already had.
cinza
 
A Barbell Story

The first barbell I bought was one of those packaged deals that came with the bar, clips, shorter bars for adjustable dumbells, and assorted weight plates. Well, it had the really clunky, cumbersome old-fashioned kind of clips that would never stay on securely. Picking up your barbell and having all the plates go sliding off the side just isn't a good thing!! :-wow I tried buying some other clips, but discovered that my bar wasn't quite the 1" diameter. It was a little smaller, and the clips wouldn't grip; they were too wide.

Then I purchased an EZ-curl bar. I liked the idea of the shorter length, and this had secure twist-on star-clips. Well, I soon discovered that the twist on clips were a pain when it came to trying to change weight plates quickly! Plus, the curvy nature of the bar made it uncomfortable for me for almost anything other than bicep curls (which is really its intended purpose).

So I boldly moved forth and ordered the Firm barbell--sure that this would be "the one"!! Well, think again. As I mentioned, I discovered that the thickly padded bar caused me all kinds of grip pain. My hands, wrists and forearms would ache after using that bar for upper body. The padding was nice when the bar was slung across my shoulders for lower body work, but I also found that the shortness of the bar left me feeling less balanced as I worked my way up in poundage.

Then along came the Ivanko bar. It was love at first sight! What first attracted me to the bar were the clips. They're hard to explain, but oh-so-cool! They hold the plates totally securely, and yet can be loosened and removed in the blink of an eye! I also discovered I liked the long length (5'6"); I seem to balance better with it on my shoulders. The other feature I like is the extra textured grip. That baby is never going to slip from my hands!

You can see what my bar looks like here:
http://ivanko.com/products/prd_text/B-66.html

This description says the bar is 5'2", but mine is defintely 5'6". As I mentioned previously, I bought my bar at a local sporting goods store a couple years ago; not off their website.

Hope I answered all your questions! (and then some, eh?) ;-)
 
RE: A Barbell Story

Sandie,thank you for your complete information.

i bet your note is going to help anyone looking for barbells on this site .

You confirmed that taking time in chosing, and spending $$ for the right set is going to save alot of trouble.

now if i can find the IVanco locally! ....
 
A quick note about the EZ curl bar with threaded ends...

I have one of those EZ curl bars too, and while I love mine and use it for all kinds of strength work, I totally understand about the threaded ends (for the spin-on clips). But guess what, you can use regular old slip on clips or even the Bollinger quick-release clips on those threaded ends too. They slide right on and hold securely. I have turned my bar sideways (like for the calf raises in Leaner Legs) with the clips on the threaded ends, and my weights have always held securely in place.

Just wanted to let you know, in case any of you had a bar like this that you really like but had stopped using because of the pain in the --- threaded ends.

Now, that Ivanko bar DOES look tempting.....but I already have 3 barbells....do I really need another?? :)

Renae
 
Question for Sandie & Comments on FIRM Barbell

Sandie --

I've had a FIRM barbell for 10 years and have never had the grip problem you're describing -- but I have long fingers. (And the padding on the bar still looks perfect, BTW). I'm wondering whether you have small hands or short fingers -- what might be causing your experience to be so different.

My FIRM bar looks almost exactly like the IVANKO "aerobic" bar. The only complaint I have about the FIRM bar is that the chrome piece between the end & the pad is so short that I can't load more than 4 or 5 plates on it. So far in my fitness quest that hasn't been an issue, because I'm not past the 35 lb point yet. But it's a nit.

I know Cathe & crew used a Troy set in the last videos, but in the earlier videos their barbells were chrome with a removable pad -- do you know if they were IVANKO?

Kathy S.
 
RE: Question for Sandie & Comments on FIRM Barbell

Hi Kathy,

I've got a pretty small build in general, so I guess my hands are fairly small as well. I don't think my fingers are all that short though; but my grip is probably on the smaller side. I also have some tendonitis troubles in my right wrist, which were further irritated by the Firm barbell. My Firm barbell did find a happy home though with a fellow VFer, so all was not lost! :)

Yeah, the barbells that Cathe and crew use in the earlier videos sure look like the Ivanko bar, but I don't know if the are actually Invankos.
 
RE: A quick note about the EZ curl bar with threaded ends...

Thanks for that tip Renae... I hadn't even thought about trying the clips on my threaded bar. I'm going to have to look into that!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top