The barbell is a standard fixture in gyms across the world. In the early part of the 21st century, there are barbells with flexible spring steel and precision revolving bearings, but this was not always the case. Even in the early 20th century, competitors in the Olympics did not have the advantages of a revolving barbell, yet two of the same lifts have been contested since 1890. But the history of the barbell begins much earlier.
Early Resistance Training
While many cultures practiced forms of resistance training, the ancient Greeks were the first to formalize weighted competition in the fifth century B.C. Ancient Greek physicians often recommended physical training to improve health, and this was practiced by members of the military regularly. This aspect of Greek culture was later practiced by the Romans, but fell out of favor after the fall of the Roman Empire. There is little record of systematic physical training for more than 1,000 years after that.
Dumbbells
Dumbbells are a precursor to the barbell, having come about by using a rod to attach two bells that were called dumb because they made no sound, as the clappers were removed. This occurred in the 18th century, and these hand weights were used for exercise. The earliest mention of this form of training is 1731; it was also alluded to by Benjamin Franklin in letters to his son. Franklin wrote that "I live temperately, drink no wine, and use daily the exercise of the dumb-bell."
Barbells
In 1849, Hippolyte Triat opened a large gym in Paris, France, featuring bars with large globe weights attached to the ends, or spherical barbells. By the late 1890s, the term "barbell" was used to describe these implements. In Germany, solid-iron globe barbells were regularly sold. When York Barbell Club was founded in 1902, it began selling iron barbells with weights that could be adjusted by altering the amount of lead shot in each end. These were then altered into sections that could be removed or changed--forerunners to modern weight plates.
The Revolving Barbell
In 1910, Franz Veltum invented the revolving barbell, which became known as the Berg barbell. In 1928, the manufacturer, Kaspar Berg, invented a new type of revolving barbell that was immediately adopted by the Olympics. Shortly thereafter, Bob Hoffman copied this set; a variation of that barbell, the York barbell, is still being manufactured more than 75 years later. There are variations in weight, length and grip pattern, or knurling, but the barbell itself is essentially unchanged; it remains supreme as a weight-training device after nearly a century.
References
- "The Super Athletes"; David P. Willoughby; 1970
- "Benjamin Franklin"; Benjamin Franklin to Le Veillard, 22 April 1786; Carl Van Doren; 1938
- International Weightlifting Federation: Technical and Competition Rules
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