Olympic Articulated Multi-Purpose Barbell

One of the first things I think about when I try a new piece of training equipment is "how many exercises can I do with this?" I look at a bar or a machine or a bench and think to myself "what else can this be used for other than what it's supposed to be used for." I like to know that I'm getting more than just a one-trick pony when I buy a piece of exercise equipment.

Well, when it came time to test the AMP Bar (which stands for Articulated Multi-Purpose Bar), I found out that the maker of the bar had been thinking the same thing! The sheer variety (and effectiveness) of the exercises I was able to perform with the AMP Bar was FAR more than that of a regular barbell and rivaled that of a multi-gym station costing many, many times more.

And, of course, being who I am, I naturally took the exercises that the maker listed and came up with a bunch more...

The bar itself consists of three separate pieces. The main piece looks like a typical straight bar but with a couple of vertical posts on it. Attached to these posts on the main piece are two other bars that are moveable and removable. You can angle these extra bar attachments to dramatically alter the mechanics of exercises and provide very unique patterns of resistance.

Also included in the frame of the AMP bar is a hole that you can fit the end of a barbell through. This feature is used for Barbell T-Bar Rows (one of my favorite back exercises).

So what does all this mean for you?

It means you can use this bar to challenge your muscles in ways they've NEVER been challenged before. The exercises and unique patterns of resistance will allow you to build muscle more effectively and accomplish it with a much greater variety of exercises. This variety is vital for complete and balanced muscle and strength development. Variety also keeps your workouts from getting boring, which is EXTREMELY important!

Here is a list of exercises demonstrated on the manufacturer's site:

T-Bar Rows
45 Degree Handle Upright Rows
Counterweight Resistance Curls
45 Degree Handle Shrugs
Hammer Curls
Tricep Extensions
Push-Ups (using the bar as a base to grip on)
Forearm/Wrist Curls

The Plus Side:

The AMP Bar has a very good weight capacity and is well-constructed. I've loaded the bar with over 300 pounds for shrugs and deadlifts and it's rock solid. There's room for several more weight plates on top of this as well. You don't need nearly this much weight for the majority of the exercises you'll be doing with the AMP Bar, though. This bar will last a lifetime.

The unique angles of the moveable handles allow you to use leverage to generate more resistance in the exercises. Think of it this way...is it going to be harder to hold a 10 pound weight right in your hand or to hold a long stick with a 10 pound weight at the end of it? The placement of the weights really does a good job of changing the leverage of many of the exercises, making them more effective (the barbell curls, especially).

You can remove the extra handles and do almost any straight bar exercise as well. Because the main piece of basically just a straight bar with a couple of posts attached, it functions just like a regular straight bar. The posts make the bar more versatile, however, allowing you do exercises like hammer curls and overhead triceps extensions with a neutral grip (palms facing in).

The AMP Bar also comes with an attachment that allows you to mimic the excellent Forearm Bar that the company also makes (previously reviewed in a past issue of Better U News).

The Downsides:

The trickiest thing about this bar is learning how to properly use it. Once you get familiar with it, how it works and how much weight you need to add onto each weight post, it becomes easy but it can be intimidating getting started simply because it does have so many ways it can be used.

My advice: take some time and just play with it when you get it. Move the handles, change the weights, do each of the exercises for a few reps to get an idea of how they work with this bar. Basically, just get a feel for it before you try and use it in an actual workout. That way, you won't feel pressured to try and figure it out while the clock is ticking on your rest periods.

Adding heavier weight plates (35 to 45 pounders) to the angled bars can be a challenge but really, the only time you'll be adding plates like that is when you're setting up for shrugs or partial deadlifts. This can be easily worked around by laying the bar on the ground with the angled posts pointing up in air. When the weights are on, you can just roll the bar back over.

Conclusion:

When it comes right down to it, the downsides of the AMP Bar are minimal - any piece of equipment (even a dumbbell) has a learning curve on how to use it. The advantages you get from the bar really outweigh the negatives.

The unique design and multitude of exercises available to you with the bar make it an excellent investment not only for a commercial gym but especially for a home gym user who has free weights and is looking for a greater variety of exercises to do at home.

Weight plates are sold separately and not included with the bar.