Eleiko recently launched its new NxG Barbells. Word on the street is that these new barbells are significantly improved and represent a massive update to their iconic weightlifting barbells. Is this fact or marketing fiction? Are there distinctive upgrades to justify the hype? We spoke to Rickard Blomberg, one of the owners of Eleiko, to get the inside story.

This Review:

Hyperlinks:

1. Eleiko’s Vision
2. How Are Eleiko Barbells Made
3. The Art of Knurling
4. Sleeves & Spin Enhancements
5. Game-Changing Bearings
6. Quality Control
7. Barbell Lineup and Comparison
   • Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Competition Barbell NxG
   • Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Training Barbell NxG
   • Eleiko Performance Weightlifting Barbell NxG
   • Eleiko NxG Rack Barbell
8. Choosing the Right Barbell for Your Needs
9. Final Thoughts and Recommendation

NxG is an acronym for next generation.  So what’s different?  After speaking at length with Rickard, apparently a lot!  It’s more complicated than a simple barbell update or a new logo.  Together they represent a beacon of change.  Eleiko is aggressively moving in an entirely new direction. 

 

Rickard said that for the next generation of athletes, they are still committed to producing top-quality weightlifting competition equipment. However, that market is minuscule compared to the number of big-box retail gyms around the country (and the world, for that matter) that are now expanding their equipment arsenal to include Olympic weightlifting platforms, barbells, and discs due to the increased demand caused by CrossFit and the desire for functional strength training.

Eleiko’s end goal is to be a complete one-stop shop and supplier for not only barbells, discs, and noise-free platforms (which he says people love very much) but also power racks, GHDs, squat racks, benches, rigs, and lots of other free-weight-related equipment. Very recently, Eleiko finished constructing a massive, state-of-the-art factory. It’s equipped with CNC equipment, robotic welding, automated product handling, and other modern machinery.

Gone is the old-school factory where you might have seen a barbell stress test being performed manually. With this new facility at their disposal, selectorized equipment may well be in their future. Purists of the sport might see this as a sellout, but from a business perspective, it’s a wise move. Change is difficult to accept for some, but it’s one of the few constants in life. Onward and upward.

https://youtu.be/y2OBnqAYLaY

To see this audacious vision become a reality, Eleiko recruited Roy Simonson. Roy is Eleiko’s project and production manager, responsible for barbell development, design, and production. He’s a veteran and extremely successful pioneer in the equipment manufacturing world with decades of experience.

Roy started Eagle Equipment, which evolved into Cybex, and later founded Free Motion—two massive, game-changing equipment companies. Recently, he relocated to Sweden to work in-house and take the helm of the new factory.

Under his direction, the Eleiko barbell lineup has become more extensive, featuring 22 models, yet it’s easier to understand the hierarchy and each barbell’s intended market. To the layperson, the previous lineup may have seemed confusing. Now, Eleiko’s barbell offering includes curl barbells, trap barbells, powerlifting barbells, and more.

Balancing Subjective and Objective Reviews

A subjective view is vital to a review of barbells because lifters go by feel and experience, not by stats. But to be fair and balanced, we reached out directly to Roy at Eleiko’s HQ for explicit details, clarification, and facts. He tolerated an hour plus of my tedious and pressing questions. If he is reading this, thanks again for your patience.

Learning how these barbells are made was of special interest to me. Growing up in Cleveland, a blue-collar city, I had numerous manual skilled-labor jobs. One, in particular, was working in a machine shop that serviced the auto industry’s tool and die makers with precision tool steels. This experience and practical understanding of CNC machines, horizontal lathes, vertical Blanchard grinders, and other industrial equipment made it easy to follow along when Roy was explaining.

First, let’s start with the steel:

Eleiko does not produce its own steel, and I don’t think any weightlifting equipment manufacturer does. However, they do have it made domestically in Sweden by a very specialized aerospace/specialty steel manufacturing plant. The formula and specs are specific to Eleiko’s demands and have not changed in decades. The big news is that the plant that manufactures their steel has recently updated and modernized its facility with new technology, so their steelmaking process yields the finest steel available. The end result is a ‘cleaner’ steel. Roy said that the plant, due to aerospace protocols, produces outstanding steel without impurities or flaws. It’s the polar opposite of some mass-produced pig iron. The steelmaking plant runs a massive batch for Eleiko that fulfills their needs for an entire year, then ships to Eleiko as needed. They do it this way to keep quality and consistency as high as possible between each and every barbell, year after year.

 

The plating process follows, with layers of copper, nickel, then chrome being applied. Eleiko has experimented with different thicknesses of plating and realized that the thinner the overall coating is, the more resilient and effective it will be. Thicker coatings fill knurling, change the diameter, add weight, and also tend to crack and potentially dislodge and peel from the flexible steel. Super shiny barbells have a thicker coat of copper and nickel plating, which explains why the new NxG barbells’ coloring is slightly different from previous models. Prior to coating, extreme care is taken during surface prep to assure a great bond of the plating.

To add the knurling, first, the bar is placed into a CNC lathe. Using a CNC is new for Eleiko. Previously, their barbells were done on traditional lathes and hand-machined by Spinge—an Eleiko employee for 30+ years who now oversees three workers who perform this task. Contrary to popular belief, a minimal amount of metal is actually removed when the knurling is being machined into the bar stock. Their lathe has two small discs, also referred to as bits, that have a right-hand and left-hand pattern set at 180 degrees from each other. As the bar rotates in the lathe, the bits act the same way a field plow through dirt would and forcefully push and distort the steel. This process is actually squeezing the steel into the desired shape. The bits are obviously very, very hard and extremely sharp steel to be capable of distorting heat-treated forged steel.

The aggressiveness of the final knurling is determined by three factors:

1. How many revolutions the lathe makes prior to advancing the bits to the next portion to receive treatment.
2. The squeezing process from tension on the bits. Higher tension equals higher peaking and pointedness.
3. How sharp the bits are. The bits typically last for 4-5 barbells, then need to be replaced.

Number three is the tricky one. Due to the quick dulling of the bits, keeping consistent knurling from bar to bar is a challenge, to say the least. Eleiko’s previous product lines had occasions when the Sport Barbells had equal or stronger knurling than the Competition Barbells, which should never be the case. With the introduction of the new CNC machines, Eleiko has a significantly higher knurling consistency on the NxG product line. After the machining is complete, the bars are separated based on the intensity of the final knurling, then tagged, bagged, palletized, and isolated to avoid any confusion during plating and assembly.

If you look closely and inspect aggressive knurling, you either see a pyramid point or a diamond-flattened top. A diamond-flattened top is a result of a very strong squeeze of the bits, along with multiple deep revolutions, which resulted in an extremely high peak. But the peak was excessive, so it was ground flat afterward. The NxG IWF Competition Barbell’s aggressive knurling was engineered to create a perfect pyramid point. Eleiko will occasionally run the barbells through a traditional lathe and press emery cloth against them to take off the utmost burrs, but this is only a very mild treatment and not the norm.

A medium knurling looks like it has a “volcano” top because the squeeze of the bits was moderate and the rotations were average. Not allowing the steel to come to a full point leaves the center depressed. This volcano look is typical for normal, everyday barbells. The center of the competition men’s barbell is unique because the knurling is extremely mild, produced with negligible rotations and tension. All the barbells that are labeled “IWF” follow IWF protocol, which mandates that all men’s barbells must have center knurling, even if it is mild. This is the least aggressive knurling you will find on any Eleiko barbell.

In my opinion, the IWF Competition Barbell knurling provides the best grip surface. The IPF Powerlifting Barbell is the same shape; however, wider revolutions were used to create an even bigger pyramid and an overall more aggressive pattern. For maximum deadlifts, this is great, but not so much for doing a clean and risking injury.

The NxG IWF Weightlifting Training Barbell uses the same knurling formula as the NxG IWF Competition Barbell; however, they are the 3rd to 5th barbells machined with the bits, whereas the competition barbells will be cut 1st and 2nd. This machining order yields a negligible difference in the final product. It is pretty much unnoticeable by touch or sight when we had them side by side.

The NxG Performance Weightlifting and XF Weightlifting Barbells use the volcano style for a more mild, user-friendly feel. This is 100% noticeable without even touching them. Just looking at them next to a competition barbell, it’s obvious they are very different by the texture and depth. Our gym members who don’t compete really liked the feel of the Performance NxG barbell we have. It’s designed and actually perfect for everyday use because it won’t kill your hands but gives a solid grip and feel. Our high-level lifters prefer the Competition and Training bars because the more aggressive knurling gives them confidence when pulling big weights, even if there’s potential for large chunks of skin to be ripped off in the process.

The sleeves are a two-piece construction composed of a 50mm cylinder attached to a flange. The Powerlifting and Rack barbells have a thin flange, which can accommodate more weight being loaded, whereas the IWF Weightlifting barbells must comply with IWF specs, so they have a wider flange.

Roy told me that there is no actual human interaction in the sleeve manufacturing process. The pieces are now robotically loaded, welded, and offloaded without being touched by hands. Afterward, they are individually inspected with a level of scrutiny that Roy felt compelled to point out no fewer than six times—Eleiko has zero tolerance for flaws. They look for any porosity, defects, scratches, or any other issues that don’t meet their extremely high standards. He rated their quality at 99.999%. If any flaws are found, that sleeve is not used on a lower product line, as many would think; instead, they are scrapped and recycled.

After the inspection is complete, the sleeves move to the CNC milling process. They are machined to 50mm with a tight tolerance of +/- 0.025 mm, which is about 1/1000 of an inch. Eleiko manufactures the majority of their sleeves, but occasionally uses a local vendor when demand is extremely high. They maintain the same quality standard regardless of where the sleeve is made. The sleeves have only a couple of variations, unlike the barbells, which have numerous.

When training with brand new barbells and discs, the discs always seem to be super slick on the sleeves. I have attended dozens of international competitions over the years that used brand new equipment and witnessed professional lifters having discs fly off under normal, everyday lifting conditions when collars are not used.

This issue seems to subside as the barbells break in, so I’ve always assumed there was some coating on the sleeve that made them slippery, which broke down over time. This also happened to us when we trained on one of the new NxG Weightlifting Training Bars. I was not surprised because I expected it. Roy told me there was no coating, and I was taken aback. Confused, I asked what the manufacturing tolerance on their discs was. He told me that the hole size in the discs is 50.4mm. I found it extremely odd that they would manufacture the discs so loose and oversized, especially considering the amount of precision that was taken in manufacturing their barbells. But this explains the slippery disc issue. It’s not the barbells.

The NxG barbells have significant improvements in the end caps and clips. The 2015 IWF Competition Weightlifting Barbell had a threaded cap. This was a massive change from 1990–2010-era barbells, where the end caps were pressed in and a real pain to remove. Back then, destroying the caps to service the barbell was standard practice. The threads were an advancement; however, they screw in and screw out. Using blue Loctite on the threads became the norm because the caps notoriously fell off. The NxG barbells use neither of these methods. The new caps have a groove machined into them. With a snap ring fitted into the end of the sleeve, the cap is now pressed on and snaps into place. It’s the best of both worlds—snaps in place to stay put but also easily removable for service if the need arises.

There are two access holes in the cap to allow the use of a tool to remove the cap. The barbell label is also different. Before, it was just a puffy sticker to identify the barbell. Now, it’s a combination of a very thin plastic adhesive seal, which covers the access holes and fits snugly in the end of the cap. Finally, an identification sticker is placed on top of that. After removing these stickers to check out the internals, they didn’t stick back, so I’ll have to get replacements. Their goal was to make the sleeve ‘sealed’ to protect the internals. This is very important because sealing the end protects the bearings from dust and dirt that cause wear, ergo premature failure. The end cap improvement is trivial, yet welcomed. It also means you can skip the Loctite.

Over the years, I have had barbells fail, and almost always it was due to a retaining clip. Retaining clips are used to hold the sleeve onto the end of the barbell shaft. They are thin, fragile, and eventually break. The metal they are made from allows them to be flexible so they can be installed; however, it’s also their Achilles’ heel. The force from slamming on weights during loading or dropping a barbell unevenly makes these thin clips unhappy.

I’ve loaded a barbell, and when the disc hit the flange, the entire sleeve slid all the way to the center knurling. If a barbell stopped spinning, occasionally I would get lucky and find a small dog ear that broke off the retaining clip, floating around and getting wedged into a bearing. Once I got the cap off and gave the bar a shake, it would fall out, and boom! Barbell fixed. Usually, when a retaining clip fails, the sleeve slides on or off the bar, sometimes causing damage to the bearings.

In my opinion, this is the most significant update in the new NxG line of barbells, and it’s how it really sets itself apart from all previous models. For decades, Eleiko had used German-made, drawn cup needle roller bearings with open ends. This is the exact same bearing I found inside my vintage Uddeholm barbell (also made in Sweden) when it failed. I contacted the manufacturer of the bearings in Germany, which were used by Eleiko, Uddeholm, and many others, and Matthew asked me if they were “possibly on a weightlifting barbell?” I laughed and asked how he knew, and he said: “We sell the manufacturers tens of thousands of these per year.” From personal experience, these bearings are very reliable, and I have only had a few failures in 35 years.

During my conversation with Roy, I inquired about the number of bearings used inside the new sleeves, and he prefaced it by saying that discussing that stat could very well lead down a slippery slope. The reason being is that a higher number of bearings does not equal better performance. I agreed, and he continued. He went on to explain that there is a sweet spot with the number of bearings (or total width of coverage) used. Too few and the bearings fail, but too many and the steel can fail. He said that most people understand that Olympic barbells bend and oscillate, but many don’t realize that they also bend within the sleeves. The entire barbell flexes, not just the center.

Bearings are made of hardened steel, harder than the barbell and similar to the bits that mill the knurling. If the entire sleeve were filled from one end to the other with bearings, there would be no room for give. The first bearing located just inside the sleeve would act as a wedge. As the barbell flexes under load, the ends are held firmly by the thick, inflexible sleeve while transferring all the force to that one very specific spot. The result is either that bearing will fail or the bar will rupture. I have seen barbells snap before, and it’s always just inside the sleeve. I have also seen the first bearing distort and squeeze out of the inner sleeve. This is the primary reason that powerlifting barbells don’t use bearings but instead use bushings.

Additionally, there is no real reason for a powerlifting barbell to easily spin. Bushing barbells are the ultimate choice for long-term use under the heaviest loads because there is nothing to fail except the steel itself.

After countless calculations combined with decades of experience, Eleiko’s solution was to have two bearings on each end of a sleeve, totaling eight bearings per barbell—exactly like the previous barbells.

So if the number of bearings hasn’t changed, what has? The bearing itself. Instead of sticking with the status quo, Eleiko chose to use a closed-end sealed bearing.

This is very important for two reasons: durability and feel.

First, durability. This style of bearing is structurally unyielding because it’s a complete, self-contained unit engineered and built with precision to spin internally. You can chuck one of these against the wall, and it would still function. Try that with an open-end bearing, and you would have needles flying everywhere. Sealed bearings slide on top of the barbell as a complete unit. They do not use the barbell itself as a functional part of the bearing by having the actual needles touch it. Barbell steel was engineered for lifting weights, not withstanding the wear from bearings after hundreds of thousands of revolutions.

Secondly is feel. A barbell with tighter tolerance bearings will have a more snug spin and therefore “feel” different when lifting. This is a big deal.

This small change in bearings makes a big difference in spin. When the barbell has no load (sitting on the floor) and people try to spin it with their foot, it won’t spin well. Immediately, they will assume that the barbell is junk. This has been the exact method and reason many dislike Uesaka barbells. It is downright false. If they would put the barbell in a rack, load plates on it so the bearings are under load, then spin the weighted sleeve, they would see how well both the NxG Barbells and Uesaka barbells actually spin when it matters—under load!

From my experience, a barbell that spins too freely without a load is likely worn out. If I had to choose between a rusty barbell with no spin and an old Olympic barbell with excessive spin, I’d pick the latter, but neither option is ideal. Excessive spin during a lift can cause the plates to continue rotating when the barbell is overhead or during recovery, leading to loss of balance and an inconsistent feel. The plates should remain stationary throughout the lift, finishing as they started from the floor.

Barbells with a tight (or no) spin make it harder to change direction, while those that spin too freely make it easier but can be inconsistent and sometimes uncontrollable. Ideally, you want a balance between the two. Loose-fitting plates or unbalanced discs can also cause the barbell to rotate. Using a barbell with tighter bearings or less spin can help mitigate issues with poor-quality discs, though it won’t eliminate them entirely.

In the past, a barbell manufacturer made barbells that spun excessively easily, resulting in several athletes dislocating elbows at a competition. This highlights the need for balance in spin, which these new bearings provide. And by the way, don’t put your foot on the barbell—it’s disrespectful and makes you look unprofessional. You’re lifting weights for exercise, so don’t be lazy; bend over and adjust the barbell with your hands.

The knurling, bar-end treatment, and coating processes could potentially add minimal distortion to the barbell, so once again the bar is straightened prior to assembly.  It may seem a bit redundant, but quality and perfection is their goal.  Interesting to note is that each and every 28mm bar blank could end up becoming their premiere Competition Barbell, so extreme care is taken to maintain maximum quality for every single bar at each step of the process.

When Eleiko assembles the new barbells, they have four assembly stations. All four stations have a scale that is accurate to 1g and certified with frequent inspections. Each individual part of the barbell is put on the scale at one time to be certain that in total they weigh, including the assembly grease, 20kg +/- 10g. Too much grease can put a barbell out of spec. Ten grams is such a small amount that each tiny thing matters. This tolerance is due to IWF certification for Official Barbells, which is +.1% to -.05%. Because all the barbells, sleeves, and bearings are machined to such tight specifications, a variation of weight is nearly impossible.

We weighed the IWF Competition Barbell, and it was exactly 20kg on our scale. The NxG Performance was also 20.00kg. The IWF Competition Barbell and IWF Weightlifting Training Barbells have +20/-10g due to IWF specs (women’s barbells are +15/-7.5g). There is no mandatory standard on the NxG Performance Weightlifting Barbell or XF barbells due to them not being IWF spec; however, they are internally kept at +/-15-20g. This weight variation is mostly from the assembly materials and very little from manufacturing. After final assembly, the barbells are tagged and bagged, ready to be shipped out.

Summary: If you’re preparing for international competition and require a barbell that meets all official IWF standards, the IWF Weightlifting Competition Barbell NxG is the ideal choice. Its precise calibration, aggressive knurling, and lifetime warranty ensure you’re using a top-tier tool to maximize your performance on the main stage.

The premier Eleiko barbell is the new IWF Weightlifting Competition Barbell NxG, which succeeds the Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Competition Barbell. The IWF Weightlifting Competition Barbell NxG is calibrated and certified to IWF specs for international competition. It has a certification sticker on the center of the bar and ships with accompanying paperwork. IWF spec means that it has the exact weight, dimensions, and aggressive knurling as its predecessor, with the differences being the aforementioned steel, bearing, plating, and end cap upgrades. Because it’s Eleiko’s flagship barbell, it comes with a lifetime warranty and, of course, a brush to keep it clean. Retail price for this new hotness is $1,049 on their website.

Eleiko has remaining inventory of the previous version it replaces, the IWF Weightlifting Competition Barbell, and they are blowing them out! If you don’t care about the new upgrades, want a competition barbell for less loot, or are looking for a barbell that will last a lifetime at a bargain price, you can snag one for the same price as the IWF Training barbell at $829 with free shipping in the USA! If you want more info on the Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Competition Barbell, check out the review we did on the original barbell here. It might be worth a look since they are still available and on sale.

Either of these barbells is great to have. For over 20 years, I have only trained on two competition barbells. I purchased mine used, and pre-owned training barbells were not commonplace. The only issues I’ve had with these barbells were that the end caps kept coming off and that as the barbell broke in, the spin became a bit too fast and loose. Besides that, they have been golden. The actual sound of lifting on any NxG Barbell versus any used previous version Competition, Training, or Sport Training Barbell is very different because of the tighter bearings. As a barbell gets a bit looser from use, and even though it’s very minimal wear—literally a few thousandths of an inch—it gives the barbell a louder and more distinct rattle when you make contact with your body. The internal wear doesn’t need to be much for the barbell to feel and act differently. The new NxG barbell with its sealed bearings will be interesting to see over time if it stays as tight as it is new. The snap-on end caps are probably the thing I like the most. To me, there’s nothing worse than spending a G-wiz on a barbell to have the caps fly off. It’s like having a wheel come off a Koenigsegg. It just doesn’t make sense.

If you want the best Eleiko has to offer and the ability to use it at an official IWF competition, then the IWF Weightlifting Competition Barbell NxG is the one for you. If you don’t plan to stick it in a closet and use it only for competitions, then it’s likely overkill. Unless, of course, you have money to burn, want to see how durable your hands and neck are, or simply like the super sharp feeling. When we used this barbell for a training session, everyone’s hands—even international-level lifters—took a tiny thrashing. One lifter even mentioned that his neck had hickeys. This sharp barbell should be reserved for competitions or maybe used as an expensive training barbell for meet prep. Most people I know who got a competition barbell for training eventually rubbed wood, emery cloth, or sandpaper across the knurling to knock the edges down a bit.

Summary: For serious lifters who train daily and seek a barbell that closely mirrors competition standards, the Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Training Barbell NxG offers the same high-quality features with slightly adjusted knurling for everyday use. Its durability and consistency make it a reliable choice for long-term training, providing the perfect balance between performance and practicality.

The Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Training Barbell NxG replaces the previous Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Training Barbell. It is almost identical to the IWF Weightlifting Competition Barbell NxG in terms of quality, calibration, materials, specs, bearings, color, and more. Actually, there are only minor differences. It does not come with a sticker and certification from the IWF, but fortunately, it still includes the cleaning brush. Additionally, it has a 12-year warranty instead of a lifetime warranty, and the knurling is a tiny (and I mean very tiny) bit milder, designed for daily training by serious professionals. After about three months of use, it would be about the same as a competition barbell—still aggressive by most people’s standards

I would recommend this barbell to very serious lifters for a few reasons. First, it’s good to have a barbell that is as similar as possible to what you will be competing with in a big competition. The knurling, spin, and overall feeling vary from barbell to barbell and brand to brand. In a competition setting, you want to stack the deck in your favor as much as possible, so using a barbell that is nearly identical to the one on the main stage will help best prepare you for that situation and eliminate one variable. It’s the reason we have five different competition barbells on hand at our gym. We train with the barbell that the target competition will be using.

Secondly, it will last your entire career without fail. You and that barbell will have many encounters and share many successes and failures together. For a retail price of $869 versus the previous version, which is still available at $829, it’s a no-brainer to opt for the newest version for less than a 5% difference. The bearings, caps, and more consistent knurling totally make this an easy choice. It’s also over 17% less than the IWF Weightlifting Competition Barbell NxG for basically the exact same barbell without a sticker! If you are a serious competitor and only going to have one barbell, then this should be it.

Summary: The Performance Weightlifting Barbell NxG strikes a harmonious balance between competition-grade quality and practical everyday use. Its milder knurling and sealed bearings provide a comfortable grip and smooth spin, making it perfect for regular training sessions without sacrificing the performance attributes needed for serious lifts.

The Eleiko Performance Weightlifting Barbell NxG replaces the Eleiko Sport Weightlifting Barbell. I believe this barbell is the sweet spot in their lineup if you already have an IWF Weightlifting Training Barbell NxG, IWF Weightlifting Competition Barbell NxG, or are not looking to compete frequently at national-level competitions. This barbell the exact same steel, sleeves, bearings, plating, caps, and attention to detail as the top two barbells. The differences are it’s not calibrated and has different knurling. That’s it!

Earlier, when the manufacturing process was explained, it’s important to remember that producing each individual component to a high level makes it nearly impossible to have a barbell that has any variation in weight. With absolute certainty, I am convinced that if you don’t have an entire set of calibrated, IWF competition discs and fractional plates, then the odds of the weights being further out of spec is far greater than this barbell will ever be.

We purchased 10 of the previous Eleiko Sport Weightlifting Barbells because I knew that the bearings, steel, and sleeves were all the same as the top two barbells. I figured that after a year of use, they would all look the same, and for $699, it was a great deal. I was right. After five years, our used competition barbells resemble the sport barbells. You literally can’t tell them apart—not even if you wanted to—because the caps identifying them have all fallen off. Only by close inspection of the serial numbers and user-inflicted marks (from epic misses) can we identify them. All our used barbells feel about the same now. This is why we set aside a training barbell for pre-competition preparation and a new competition barbell for meets.

Correction: Only the caps on the men’s barbells have come off. Every women’s barbell looks as they did from day one, including one that we have from the ’90s.

When we brought the NxG Performance Weightlifting Barbell to the gym to share with everyone, multiple people noticed the unique sound when the barbell came off the hips and that the discs only rotated slightly after the barbell was lifted off the platform. After inspection, I realized this minimal rotation was caused by egg-shaped discs that have been distorted over time, causing their imbalance to make the barbell rotate when the discs were suspended off the ground. Older barbells with loose bearings spun much more with these unbalanced discs.

The knurling is milder than that of the Competition and Training barbells, resulting in a feel that takes no time to get used to—no break-in time and it didn’t murder people’s hands. It’s actually ideal for most training situations.

Our strategy is to use the NxG Performance Weightlifting Barbell (previously Sport Training Barbell) for daily training. When we’re two to three weeks prior to a competition, we switch to an IWF Weightlifting Training Barbell NxG. On the last max day, we break out the competition barbell for only the one or three max attempts to simulate the meet. This is the ideal situation.

Using a competition barbell all the time will murder your hands until it wears down (or you develop crocodile skin), but then its purpose is defeated. The retail price of this barbell is $729. To spend over 19% more for a Training barbell or almost 44% more for the Competition barbell doesn’t make sense for the majority of people.

Overall, I really like this barbell. Like I mentioned, we already have IWF Competition barbells, so if I were going to get more barbells for our gym, these would be the ones. If you miss a snatch on this barbell, I can guarantee you it’s not because of the barbell.

Summary: I strongly advise against the Eleiko Power Lock Weightlifting Training Barbell. My experience with a similar grooved barbell was extremely negative: collars jammed after drops, standard clips didn’t fit, and the grooves often pinched my hands, causing injuries. I believe the grooved design is fundamentally flawed and unnecessary, so I don’t recommend this barbell.

When I first moved to Las Vegas, I trained at Gold’s Gym on Flamingo. It was the best gym in town until it closed a decade ago, then ABG took over that title :). I didn’t have my Eleiko Barbell sent from Cleveland yet, so I was forced to use the equipment they had there. That included an unknown grooved barbell with collars and half-split Ivanko bumpers.

After looking at photos on the internet, it looked exactly like a Russian barbell. I loathed that piece of scrap metal! Each time I dropped it on the pot-holed floor with those non-elastic rubber-coated steel wannabe bumpers, the collars would jam. I had to keep a 2.5kg plate handy to smack the release button, or I couldn’t get them off. Looking for a plate between every weight change was a hassle. Sometimes kicking the crap out of the side of the outside disc would loosen it up, but not often.

To remove the collar, you had to hold the release button the entire way off, or it would lock into a subsequent groove. The real joy came when I would be holding the button in and sliding the collar off, and the skin on my outside lower palm under my pinky would get pinched between the collar in a groove. Holy hell, that sucked. I can’t tell you how many times the collars got spiked, and I had blood blisters two inches long on my hands. FYI, having a collar ricochet back and hitting your shin when it was chucked at max velocity at the floor is not fun either.

When I tried to use the normal gym spring clips, they wouldn’t slide over the sleeve and took two hands and a wrestling match to get them on or off. It was so infuriating. Normal collars would not work on this barbell, so I was forced to take my chances with the corresponding collars and just try to be careful not to pinch my hands.

The floor was so shoddy that lifting without any clips would send the barbell one direction and the discs another. Joking aside, I would have an entire side unload from the barbell, skipping across the floor. Another drawback of this style was that when you loaded bumpers, change plates would always land in one of the grooves. The small metal plate would flop all over during a lift, making lifting without collars an option. If you dropped the barbell without collars or clips, the change plates would fly off and bounce around the gym. Once, I had a change plate fly super high, land, and roll 15+ feet across the gym, cracking a wall mirror. Don’t let me forget to mention that the barbell spun worse than a dreidel in wet concrete.

Now, even though I have never touched this Eleiko barbell and have no intentions to, I’m fairly certain that it rotates 1000% better than the one I trained on. The clips might also work perfectly without incident; however, the idea of grooves still seems really, really stupid and completely unnecessary. On a traditional barbell with good clips or proper collars, the need for grooves is zero. The original barbell was designed by communists, and if their engineering of cars was a showcase of their abilities, it’s understandable why Cuba has American cars from the ’50s everywhere.

Summary: The NxG Rack Barbell is an excellent addition for commercial gyms and dedicated training facilities. Designed as an “anti-snatch barbell,” it eliminates knurling near the sleeves to protect racks and benches from wear and tear. This specialization makes it a perfect choice for gyms looking to maintain high standards without compromising on functionality or durability.

One of the new barbells that caught my eye and that I thought was a great idea is the Eleiko NxG Rack Barbell. This barbell is an “anti-snatch barbell,” as Alex Murray from Eleiko phrased it. There is no knurling near the sleeves. The goal is to protect racks and benches from being marred by knurling. Knurling that’s extremely wide is totally unnecessary on a health club’s “house” barbell anyway.

It was a brilliant idea to eliminate knurling if your training is not weightlifting-specific. Over the years, I have seen hundreds of barbells in numerous gyms where the contact patch of the barbell against the rack has knurling that is smashed and useless. Why it was put there in the first place is simple: most barbells were manufactured and ultimately purchased by people who don’t lift. Barbells were clearly copied from original weightlifting barbells, and as gyms evolved to add more racks and benches, the barbells never changed. Eleiko finally used their brain, and this barbell handles those issues.

When the barbell is released, it will retail for $679. It will replace the Eleiko XF Fitness Barbell, which, at $499, is a solid deal. There are four major differences:

1. Diameter: The NxG has a 29mm diameter compared to the XF’s 28mm.
2. Warranty: The NxG offers a 12-year warranty versus the XF’s 10-year warranty.
3. Bearings: The NxG has eliminated all bearings, while the XF utilizes a combination of bushings and bearings.
4. Markings: The XF features dual markings, whereas the NxG is powerlifting only.

The steel is also different, which we previously covered, but it’s of minimal consequence because the steel is the same or better than the previous IWF Competition Weightlifting Barbell, which has a lifetime warranty. Therefore, I wouldn’t worry about the differences.

In commercial gyms where knuckleheads leave barbells loaded, drop them in cages, etc., I would probably wait for the 29mm NxG barbell to be released because the thickness will be slightly more resilient under those situations, but nothing is idiot-proof. While squatting or pulling bigger loads (+275kg), you will feel a notable difference between a 28mm and 29mm barbell. The oscillation is much less and makes walking out a squat much easier.

Its 29mm diameter and hand markings are identical to IPF-approved powerlifting barbells. (At the time of this review, Eleiko had made one run of 40 barbells on 29mm bar stock with both weightlifting and powerlifting markings—a very rare item if you are a collector. When these are gone, all future NxG Rack Barbells will only have the powerlifting markings.)

The NxG Rack Barbell has great knurling, although not as sharp as Eleiko’s IPF-approved barbell, stiffer flex due to the additional 1mm thickness over the XF, and lack of knurling on the ends make this a perfect choice for benching, pulling, and squatting in power cages.

Made of the same high-quality specialty steel as their elite barbells with a 1500kg load capacity. If you want a wonderful barbell specifically for a bench or power cage, this is the one.

Choosing the right Eleiko barbell ultimately depends on your specific training goals and requirements. Eleiko’s NxG lineup exemplifies the brand’s commitment to innovation, quality, and meeting the diverse needs of its customers. By addressing the requirements of both competitive lifters and everyday trainers, Eleiko ensures that their barbells not only meet but exceed expectations in terms of performance, durability, and precision.

Here’s a quick recap to help you decide:

• Competitive Lifters: Opt for the IWF Weightlifting Competition Barbell NxG to ensure compliance with international standards and to gain a competitive edge.
• Daily Trainers: The Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Training Barbell NxG and Performance Weightlifting Barbell NxG offer excellent durability and performance for those who train regularly.
• Powerlifters: Choose the Eleiko IPF Powerlifting Training Barbell for its robust construction and ability to handle heavy loads effectively.
• Commercial/Home Gyms: The Eleiko NxG Rack Barbell provides specialized features that protect your gym’s infrastructure while delivering reliable performance for various training scenarios.

Whether you’re looking to upgrade your personal training arsenal or equip a commercial gym with the best, Eleiko’s NxG barbells are a worthwhile investment. They offer unparalleled quality and functionality, making them a reliable choice for achieving your strength training goals.

Still Unsure Which Barbell to Choose?

If you’re still undecided or want more detailed information to make the best choice, I highly recommend checking out Eleiko’s Official Barbell Guide. This comprehensive resource delves deeper into the features and benefits of each barbell, helping you find the perfect fit for your needs.

By visiting the guide, you’ll gain access to:

• In-Depth Comparisons: Understand the nuances between different bar models.
• Expert Insights: Learn from Eleiko’s expertise in barbell manufacturing.
• Buying Tips: Get advice on what to look for based on your training style.

👉 Explore Eleiko’s Barbell Guide Here