Rogue LB-2 bar vs IWF Olympic women bar

This is a comparison of the Rogue LB-2 Log bar and the IWF Olympic women bar including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which rogue specialty bar to get. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the IWF Olympic women bar

Rogue updated their line up in 2019 with several IWF standard products so you can run weightlifting competitions. Here are the pros and cons.

The IWF Olympic women barbell is the IWF approved women bar from Rogue. The main differences to the men’s bar are the weight, the diameter and the price of $525. This bar meets the standards to be used by Olympians. I n addition rogue added a design with Cerakote which makes it one of the first barbells with IPF approval which is just not plain steel. The specifications of the bar are:

Made in Columbus, OH, USA with US and EU Steel
Women’s Bearing Bar (International Weightlifting Federation standards)
Bar Weight: 15KG
Shaft Diameter: 25MM
215,000 PSI Tensile Strength EU Steel
Olympic Knurl Marks (no center knurl)
Bar Length: 79.14"
Distance Between Sleeves: 51.50"
Loadable Sleeve Length: 12.50"
Black Cerakote Color Finish w/ Chrome Sleeves
Official IWF branding on center of shaft and endcaps

If you always wanted some an Olympic barbell with some extra design this one is for you.

Pros of the Cerakote IWF women bar

The pros of the Cerakote IWF bar are:

IWF approval
Price
Design

The Cerakote women bar is one of the few bars of Rogue which Cary the prestigious IWF approval. This means that it is build to the highest demands which live up to the bar being used by Olympians. The IWF has the strongest demands on sticking to their specifications with a minimum margin for error to keep competitions fair and comparable. Compared to Eleiko bars the Rogue bar is comparatively cheap to achieve the same goal.

Cons of the IWF Cerakote bar

The cons of the IWF Cerakote bar are:

Cerakote coating
Cost
Design

The Cerakote coating is not an ideal combination with steel plates. These bars also do not will with metal rack pins. Cerakote tends to scratch a lot faster than stainless steel on metal to metal contacts.

The cost of the Cerakote IWF women bar is considerable when you combine it to the lower Rogue ranges. If you are looking for an all-purpose bar for your home gym or CrossFit bis you can get more bars for the same money.

If you don’t look at this design it works against rather than for this bar. In commercial settings, you might also want to keel the colors and the design more neutral based on the clientele you would like to attract.

Alternatives to the IWF Cerakote bar

The alternatives to the IWF Cerakote bar are:

The Rogue Ohio bar is the workhorse option from Rogue. This is the all-purpose bar from where the entire Rogue production line started. A solid bet at a reasonable price.

The Rogue Pyrros bar has been finalized by Rogue and the finest Olympic weightlifter of all time to produce the finest Olympic weightlifting bar there is. If you want the household name of the Greek lifting god in your home or gym, this is the bar to go for.

The Rogue Thor bar is another option for someone who wants more than a plain design but leans more towards powerlifting. The Thor bar sleeves are longer and can there fit more plates.

Summary for the IWF Cerakote barbell

If you like the design over stainless steel for an IWF approved barbell this is the way to go. If you are looking for a CrossFit bar save yourself $200 and get the Rogue Ohio barbell.

Overview and review of the LB-2 bar

This is an overview of the Rogue LB-2 bar including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which rogue specialty bar to get. Follow the links for more details.

Overview of the LB-2 log bar

Price $345

The LB-2 log bar is the smallest of the three log bars which Rogue has on offer. This makes it a good fit for smaller athletes and junior or anyone who is on rehab from an injury. It makes it also more accessible to a bigger group of people to introduce them to strongman training compared to the massive LB-3. The LB-2 weighs 51lb and can be loaded with plates. Take that this bar has smaller sleeves in diameter than a standard barbell. The full specifications are:

Weight: 51LB
Length: 70.8"
Diameter: 8"
Steel Notes: Laser Cut 0.125” Thick Steel
Fully welded end & internal plates
Solid 3/8" round bar protection on openings
Neutral Grip Handles: 23.5" on center
Laser-cut Rogue logo!

This is a great beginner log bar or something to get for everyone in your local gym as it is easier to handle.

Pros of the LB-2 log bar

The biggest pros of the LB-2 log bar are:

Price
Size
Finish

The LB-2 log bar is the cheapest of the Log bars available from Rogue and also the smallest. If you want your commercial gym to go into strongman training, this is where to start. If you only have massive 240-pound giants at your gym, this might be too small. For this price, you get a well made log bar that will hold up when you beat it into the ground.

Cons of the LB-2 log bar

The cons of the LB-2 log bar are:

Size
Storage
Fitting to plates

This log bar is the smallest log bar Rogue has, but is still hard to store compared to a regular barbell. It will not fit onto a regular bar rack. Working with J cups will also be a challenge. So mostly, it will lay on the ground or stand in a corner. If you have a home gym with kids around, definitely store it in the ground. It also does not fit great with standard plate sizes. This is what you get with all log bars, but has to be considered if for the same price you can get a safety bar from Rogue.

Alternatives to the LB-2 log bar

Alternatives to the LB-2 log bar are:

The Rogue strongman bag is a cheaper option to simulate strongman training. You can get versions ranging from 100lb to 400lb when filled with play sand. They are also easier to store as they can be emptied when not used. It is not the same experience as a log bar, but if you are limited for space and budget, this might be a better start to a strongman class. Also, if you have to buy and store in bulk, this is a more feasible option.

If you are a strongman/strongwoman meaning business, then the LB-2 is probably not for you. The weights you will face in the competition will have a bigger diameter and will be harder to handle than an LB-2. Therefore it might be best to go with the LB-3 as this comes closest to the real-life competition.

Home gym enthusiasts who want to strengthen their posterior chain might also want to look into the Rogue safety bar as an alternative. If your squat is what you are mainly concerned about, this is a better option to get to train your lower back when you have problems from too much barbell training.

Conclusion for the LB-2 log bar

The LB-2 log bar is a lot more palatable for the masses out there than the LB-3 or LB-1. Even though it is the smallest log bar in the line-up, it still provides the challenge of a weight that behaves very differently from a classic barbell. This is therefore the better option, f you only occasionally do strongman training or want to provide an interesting challenge to your clients with a new toy.