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How Do I Choose the Best Aerobic Bar?

Dan Cavallari
Dan Cavallari

An aerobic bar is a device used to help you stretch as well as enhance aerobic workouts with added weight. Choosing the best one starts with determining your ability level as well as how you intend to use the aerobic bar. Such bars come in various lengths and weights, and they are useful for different types of activities. If you perform a significant amount of aerobics, it may be useful to buy more than one bar to give you more options for weight and length.

Look for an aerobic bar that is made of steel. This ensures stability during use and will help prevent any bending or other damage to the unit. The steel bar is usually coated with a foam grip for comfort. Try to choose a bar with a high-quality foam grip that will not tear, wear out, or otherwise degrade over time. The ends of the aerobic bar should feature plastic caps that will help prevent damage to floors as well as prevent injuries from sharp edges. Some bars feature a capability of adding weight discs to either end; if you want to have a bar that is adjustable in weight, this is a good system to seek out, but keep in mind that this will raise the cost of the bar.

Woman posing
Woman posing

The aerobic bar will come in a set length, and it is important to choose the length that is appropriate for you. Look for a bar that is long enough to be useful but not so long that it is difficult for you to wield it safely. The bar can be used as a stabilizer during certain exercises, which means you should be able to safely move the bar into position and lean your weight against it. A bar that is too heavy might throw you off-balance, while a bar that is too light will not give you the weight benefits you need from the bar. Longer bars will generally weight more than shorter ones.

Many bars feature color-coded labels on the end. This helps you keep track of how heavy the bar is during a workout. You can grab different bars quickly by paying attention to the color coding rather than stopping to read the weight printed on the bar. If you will only be purchasing one or two bars, it is best to either purchase a full-size bar and a short bar, or two full-size bars in different weights.

Discussion Comments

Ivan83

People often think of aerobic bars as exercise equipment designed for women, but let me tell all the guys out there that they can get a great workout that combines both strength training and cardio by using an aerobic bar with a little more weight on it.

I work at a gym and one of the trainers here has developed a whole series of workout designed to build full body strength and produce amazing fat loss results at the same time. The secret is the aerobic bar. Both guys and girls can do it but it is pretty high intensity and the course seems to mostly attract men. And for good reason. It works.

ZsaZsa56

I am only a little bit familiar with aerobic bars. I think I saw them in a Reebok commercial but that is about the extent of it. How do they work? Do you use three or four with a range of weights or is one all you need?

I have just started trying to get back into shape and I know that I need to incorporate some kind of weight into my routine to increase the intensity. I am not so old yet that I can't pick up a five or ten pound bar.

jonrss

There are two things you need to figure out before you spend any money on an aerobic bar. First, figure out what kind of aerobic exercise routine you will be doing. The type will change the kind of bar you will want. Fast paced high energy classes may require different bars than classes more focused on strength or stretching.

Next find a bar that is comfortable for you. You can find deals online but I would really recommend going to a sporting goods store and trying out several different kinds of bars using your own hands and body. If there is not a sporting goods store around you might be able to go into a gym and ask if you could try out their equipment for a few minutes. One way or another, try it before you buy it.

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