How Do You Put a Clip on a Barbell?
Written by: Coach Slater
How do you put a clip on a barbell? We’d argue that the best method actually looks quite wrong.
While common sense says to slide a clip on with the handle facing out so it’s easier to put on / take off, we think physics says it’s better to slide a clip on “backwards”. Done this way, the clip acts like a *buttress dam* that braces against water thru its supports, called buttresses. The supports are designed like beams and, because they are directly in line with the force of water, redirect the force of the water into the stream bed where they are anchored.
Similarly, when a clip is applied the normal way, force from the plates is directed ALONG the barbell where the collar can easily slide out. But, if the clip is applied backwards, the force of the plates is directed thru the handle INTO the barbell collar, making it much harder to move.
Note: this is best applied against a full-sized plate (10s, 15s, 25s, 35s, 45s), not smaller change plates (5s & 2.5s).
