If you're looking for a single barbell that does it all, a hybrid bar is the one for you. These versatile, multi-use barbells offer benefits for lifters across different training styles – perfect if you like to mix-up your sessions. So, who benefits most from a hybrid bar and when do specialist barbells come into play?

What is a Hybrid Bar?

A hybrid barbell is also known as an all-purpose or general use bar. It’s designed to handle a variety of training styles including Olympic lifts, powerlifting exercises, and general compound movements.

The barbell does this through a fine balance of spin, whip, length, weight and knurling. At Mirafit, our hybrid bars are available in a 20kg or 15kg barbell weight.

Both feature a hybrid grip pattern with dual knurl marks that show your hand position and provide great grip. They also have eight-piece needle bearings for superb spin. With no central knurling to scrape your neck on squats and a 680kg weight capacity, these bars deliver high quality performance for almost any lifting style.

Who are Hybrid Bars Suitable For?

Fitness Centres and Commercial Gyms

For any gym owners reading, hybrid barbells are a must. They’re the go-to multi-purpose bar that the majority of your clientele will be using daily. 

With a set of quality hybrid straight bars, you can accommodate everyone from casual gym goers to serious strength athletes. The multi-purpose nature means less equipment to maintain and more versatility for your members. Outfitting your gym? Take a look at our range of bar storage options that will keep your gym organised.

Home Gym Owners

If you're limited on space and budget, a hybrid bar gives you the most value, and use, for your money. Rather than multiple specialist bars, you’re likely to benefit more from one multi-use barbell that you can use for everything from bench press and military press to power cleans, squats and deadlifts.

Functional Fitness Fanatics

Functional fitness workouts combine Olympic lifts, powerlifting movements and general strength exercises – sometimes all in the same session.

A hybrid bar allows lifters to easily transition between these movements with no loss in performance from a technical point of view. This is especially important to keep functional fitness classes running smoothly - you don’t want twenty members all swapping between multiple barbells several times a session.

Beginner and Intermediate Lifters

If you're still exploring different training styles, a hybrid bar allows you to experiment without committing to specialist equipment for specific disciplines. The more moderate knurling won't tear up your hands either as you learn proper technique.

Benefits of Hybrid Bars

Versatility

The multi-purpose design means all of the major lifts can be done on this one bar. Bench press, squats, deadlifts, cleans and snatches are the tip of the iceberg. For hundreds more barbell exercises, check out our illustrated barbell training guides.

High Quality, Balanced Performance

Hybrid bars offer enough spin for Olympic lifts, good stability for heavy powerlifting and enough whip for deadlifts. They’ve also got sufficient knurling to get a good grip without being too sharp.

Cost Effective

One quality all-purpose hybrid bar costs significantly less than buying separate specialist bars. For gym owners, this can reduce equipment costs whilst still offering enough versatility to keep everyone happy. 

When Should You Use a Specialist Barbell instead of a Hybrid Bar?

Competitive Powerlifters

If you're training specifically for powerlifting competitions, or if squats, bench press and deadlifts are your main focus, our M3 Power Bar would be more suitable. With IPF standard specifications, a thicker 29mm shaft, aggressive knurling and centre knurl, it’s ideal for maximising your strength lifts.

Deadlift Enthusiasts

For those who live to pull heavy, our Deadlift Bar is purpose-built for big pulls. As featured in Europe's Strongest Man, this 230cm bar has a thinner 27mm shaft for increased whip and flex when getting the weight off the floor.

Squat Specialists

If squats are your primary focus, our Leviathan Squat Barbell delivers unmatched performance. This 25kg specialist bar features a wider 32mm diameter shaft that significantly reduces flex, creating a rigid platform for heavy squatting.

Olympic Weightlifters

For those focusing exclusively on snatch and clean & jerk, the Mirafit Showtime Olympic Weightlifting Barbell gives you improved whip and spin to better suit the dynamic nature of these lifts. 

Hybrid Bars - The Perfect Multi-Use Barbell

Whether you're setting up a home gym, running a commercial facility or just want a more versatile bar that can handle any type of lift, a hybrid barbell is such a good option. With their balanced spin, solid durability and knur marks, we recommend our hybrid 15kg Fine City Bar and 20kg Fine City Bar for outstanding performance across all training styles.

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Tags: Equipment > Bars & Weight Plates ; Exercise Type > Strength ; Misc > Gym Planning