Okay, so I finally got my hands on an Oso barbell. I’d heard a lot about them, mostly good things, and I was pretty pumped to try it out. I’ve been lifting with a pretty standard, kinda beat-up bar for a while, so this felt like a serious upgrade.
Unboxing and First Impressions
First off, the packaging was solid. This thing arrived in a super sturdy cardboard tube, all wrapped up tight. No dings or scratches, which is always a good start. I pulled the bar out, and man, it just felt… different. It was noticeably heavier than my old bar, and the knurling – that rough texture on the bar – felt way more aggressive.
Setting it Up
Getting it ready was pretty straightforward. I just slid my plates onto the sleeves, like I always do. The sleeves spun really smoothly, which I could already tell was going to be nice for Olympic lifts. I’ve got those cheap, kinda sticky collars, but they still clamped down on the Oso bar just fine. No problems there.
The First Workout
- Warm-up: Started with some empty bar work, just getting a feel for the thing. I did some overhead presses, some rows, and a few squats. It just felt solid. Really solid.
- Cleans: This is where I really noticed a difference. The aggressive knurling helped my grip, and the spin on the sleeves made the turnover way smoother. I felt way more confident going for heavier cleans.
- Deadlifts: Again, the grip was a huge plus. No slipping at all. The bar felt super stiff, which I liked for deadlifts. It just felt like I could pull more weight, you know?
- Squats: The bar sat comfortably on my back, and the knurling again prevented any slipping. I felt really stable, even when I went a little heavier than usual.
My Verdict (So Far)
Honestly, I’m impressed. I’ve only used it for one workout, but I can already tell this Oso barbell is a big step up from my old one. My grip felt better, the lifts felt smoother, and I just felt more confident overall. I’m definitely looking forward to putting it through some more serious workouts in the future. I think I can feel a PR incoming!
