Please explain barbell poundage

[Cleosmom]

I am really embarrassed to ask this, but, I was just watching Cathe doing Muscle Endurance on FitTv. She was doing bicep curls with the barbell that she had lowered to 20#. Does that mean she used a 10# plate on each end to make 20#? And when she uses 35#, how is that divided on the barbell?

Thanks.

Sharon:+

 

[rcook]

Yes, the total weight of the barbell and the plates total 20#'s ...... Rhonda :7

 

[Cleosmom]

There is still hope. - Arwen LOTR

Thanks Rhonda!!

Sharon

 

[kathryn]

Does that
>mean she used a 10# plate on each end to make 20#? And when
>she uses 35#, how is that divided on the barbell?
>
>Thanks.
>
>Sharon:+

Be sure to take into account the weight of the bar itself when figuring weights. A Troy Lite barbell is 5#, so to get 20# total, you'd need to load a 7.5# plate (which Troy has) on each end. For 35#, you'd add 15# worth of plates to each end.

1" Bars other than Troy Lite are often 10#, but some may be 8# and others may be 12#. You can check their weight by standing on a scale, first holding the bar, then without the bar, and substracting the second weight from the first.