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08th Oct 2024
Elite Gym Maintenance is a mobile service that can deliver both maintenance and reconditioning on multiple types of equipment seen in most gyms. We work on rowers, bikes, Ski-Ergs, Runners and any brand of barbell. We have multiple service options available this range from replacing and fitting parts to reconditioning equipment. We half HALF and FULL-service options available, both of these options go in-depth and give a notice difference.
Our aim is to save our customers time and money by having to outsource the maintenance or repairs to companies that have no experience in these areas, as well as giving a professional service at the best cost.
We find that barbell maintenance is one of those elements that a lot of gyms overlook. After spending money on high end and expense barbell, the last thing you want is for them to rust. This is no different if you are in a commercial gym, strength & conditioning area, personal training studio, or a CrossFit Box, bars are one of the most used and abused pieces of kit. We are here to help you maximise the performance of your bars and make sure they serve you for as long as possible.
To prolong the the life of your barbells it is important that you clean them regularly. By doing this it optimise the bars performance for longer. The regularity of this is depending on the climate they are kept in and how often they get used. For example if you are a busy gym in a hot climate then you will have to do maintenance more frequently. This could also depend on the number of bars you have. It might not be realistic doing them all at once as this could have a negative effect on your classes. So potentially you can do half on one week and the other half on the other week.
One of the main issues we find is rust. We have to remember that that people sweat and steal rusts: combine the two and you end up with a rusty bar. Most manufacturers will try and combat this by coating their bars with black oxide, chrome or zinc however this does not last for ever and you still have to maintain your bar.
Following the next steps will allow you to maintain your bar in the conditioning that you received them in. Or as close as possible! This means good knurling and shine all the internal bearing maintenance can be done by a service engineer.
We recommend all busy gyms where barbells are subject to intense usage, sweat and chalk daily you should maintain them weekly. Home gyms can be a little more forgiving, and can be dictated by the finish of the bar, however for bare steel, black oxide or zinc bars, maintenance should be done bi-weekly.
What Do You Need To Maintain Your Barbell
Step 1: Clean Chalk/Skin out of knurling
The grime should be cleaned out of the knurling on a daily basis post use. To do this run the stiff nylon brush along the knurling until all the chalk is gone. This is important and a very easy procedure.
Step 2: Wipe down your bar
Wiping down your barbell is a straightforward way to maintain bar. How often you need to do this will vary depending on use and the facility. For example, a commercial setting where a bar is being used more regularly and individuals aren’t cleaning it after use, doing this once a week would be ideal. In smaller gyms or home facilities, twice a month should be fine. This part of the procedure should be performed after the brushing of the bar. Use a light coat of WD-40 this works because it is a water displacer and dries quick. Spray it onto a rag, wipe down the whole bar and leave overnight, then wipe it down again.
Step 3: Check the sleeves of the barbell
Most bars have oil impregnated bearings or bushings; they can be serviced by an engineer, you do not need to oil them. Some bars now have small oil holes in the sleeves, allowing you to drop oil (not WD-40) into them, this allows the sleeves to spin freely. Doing this once or twice a month is ideal.
How you store your barbells is also a crucial factor to consider in maintaining your barbell.
Firstly, strip your bar. Bars are designed to withstand weight during your lifts, but not permanently. Your bar will bend if you leave the plates on longer than necessary. Plus, it is just rude. Stripping your bars will protect the bar but it will also make the next user a lot happier than if they had to strip the bar before use.
Barbells can be stored horizontally on the rack (unloaded of course), on a wall frame in a horizontal position, or in a bar holder. Some people lean their bars up against a corner, but this isn’t ideal.
If you go for the vertical option, make sure you rotate the end that is at the bottom, some people suggest that the oil can leak out of the sleeves. If you are oiling your bars properly though, this should not be an issue.
Something else to consider is that you make sure the material the bars are stored on is also non-abrasive, such as nylon, rubber or plastic so it doesn’t damage the bar or its knurling.
As you can see it isn’t very hard or time-consuming to maintain your barbells. It is an effortless way to protect your investment, so they last for years and years. For any questions, queries or more tips head over to our page below! Happy Lifting!
– Elite Gym Maintenance
