We may earn a commission from links on this page.Before you can lift a loaded barbell, you have to find a bar and load some plates onto it. At some gyms, theres only one type of bar, and it weighs 45 pounds, and thats all you need to know. But thats not the only type out there, and if your gym has different bars of different shapes and weights, its possible to get confused. Check end of the bar firstIf youre wondering about what kind of bar you're looking at or what it weighs, always check the end of it. Sometimes youll find a label with a brand name, a description of what the bar is, and its weight. For example, this one has a little endcap that says The Rogue Ohio Deadlift Bar. 27mm. 20kg. Now you know that it weighs 44 pounds (20kg) and that its got a 27mm wide handle, just over an inch, which is slightly thinner than a typical power bar. Great! Problem solved.But on many bars, all youll see at the end is a rusty bolt, so we need to look for other clues. If the bar is seven feet long, it probably weighs 44 or 45 pounds. (How to know if it's seven feet long? Stand it on end, and compare to your own height. If you're six feet tall and it's about a foot taller, that's the kind I'm thinking of.) If youre suspicious, though, trust no one. Ive heard bystanders say oh yeah, that ones 55 pounds for everything from a standard 45-pound bar to a monster of a 69-pound trap bar. Theres a simple way to find out how much any bar weighs: weigh it. Almost every gym has a bathroom scale kicking around somewhere, so you can weigh yourself holding the barbell, and then weigh yourself without it and subtract your own weight. (Ask the front desk staff for help if carrying it around to weigh it would be awkward. They may either know the weight, or may be able to help you wrangle it onto a scale.)That said, these are the most common bars youre likely to encounter:Standard 44- and 45-pound barsThere are a few different kinds of bars in the 45-pound family, but Im lumping them together because they are about the same size and weight, and can be used interchangeably for many lifts. Some are 44 pounds (because that's 20 kilograms, and 20-kilogram bars are standard in international competition), and some are 45 pounds (which are basically the same thing, but more American). Honestly: dont worry about the difference. A 20 kilo bar loaded with two 45-pound plates is technically 134 pounds, but everybody in the gym will say it's 135 and you might as well go along with it.These 45(ish) pound bars are the most common ones you'll see in the gym. They are seven feet long, with the part you hold about an inch in diameter and the parts where the weight plates go about two inches in diameter. This type is sometimes called an "Olympic" bar to distinguish it from the "standard" bars that used to be common, and which you can still buy as home gym equipment. (Ironically, "standard" bars with their one-inch sleeves are no longer standard. But the name has stuck.) Within this category, there are a few different types of 44- and 45-pound bars: Mens Olympic bars are 20kg (about 44 pounds) for the mens bar, and 7.2 feet long. The sleeves (the wider parts on the ends) spin easily. If you load them up with plenty of weight, you will see that they tend to flex or bounce easily. These are designed with the two Olympic lifts in mind, the snatch and the clean and jerk. But you can use them for any lift you like, so youll still find them at gyms where nobody does any Olympic lifts. Cap Barbell THE BEAST Olympic Bar | For Weightlifting and Power Lifting, THE BEAST - Black/Chrome, No Center Knurl, 7' Olympic, (OBIS-86B) New Version $124.70 at Amazon $149.99 Save $25.29 Shop Now Shop Now $124.70 at Amazon $149.99 Save $25.29 Power bars, used for squat, bench, deadlift, and the like, are the same size and shape as mens Olympic bars. They tend to be stiffer (thus not bending or bouncing as much when they're loaded heavy) and the collars will probably not spin as easily. If theyre not 44 pounds, theyll be 45. Deadlift bars may be a bit longer than a typical power bar, and may be thinner and more whippy. They are usually still 45 pounds. Squat bars are a wild card here. Normally, the bar in a squat rack will be a regular power bar. But sometimes, it will be a specialized squat bar that is thicker and stiffer, and that may weigh 50 pounds, or sometimes 55 or more.Womens Olympic barsWomens bars are lighter and slightly thinner than mens Olympic bars, but they are also noticeably shorterabout eight inches shorter. They weigh 15kg, or 33 pounds. METIS Womens 33LBS Olympic Barbell [6.6FT] - Complies with IWF Standards | Ideal for Beginners & Female Lifters $159.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $159.99 at Amazon Womens Olympic bars exist for women to use when competing in the snatch and clean and jerk. They have two main advantages over a mens bar (if you are an average sized woman): They are thinner, making them easier to grip, especially with the hook grip that Oly lifters typically use. They are whippier, so that the bar doesnt require quite as much weight on it for it to be able to flex and bounce. This matters in Olympic lifting (for example, when you use the bounce to help you as youre standing up from a clean) and means basically nothing for other lifts. Because theyre specialized for Olympic lifting, youre only likely to see these bars in Olympic weightlifting gyms and in Crossfit gyms (and similar "functional fitness" spaces). You're not too likely to see these bars in your average commercial gym. In weightlifting and Crossfit gyms, you may also find lighter "technique bars" or "training bars" (often 5kg or 10kg, so 11 or 22 pounds) that exist to give you something lighter to work with if youre not ready for a full size bar. They are usually the same dimensions as a women's Olympic bar, and are used by kids and beginners learning the lifts. Again, you're not likely to see these outside of an Olympic weightlifting gym, but you never know. They'll be clearly marked on the endcap, and usually shouldn't be loaded past about 50 pounds total. Curl bars and shorty barsAll of the bars I discussed above are what you might call "full size" barbells. But there are also shorter bars meant for lighter lifts, often four or five feet long. They might be called a "shorty" bar, or just a "5 foot bar" or maybe, in a nod to one of their common uses, a "curl bar." (But not an EZ-curl bar, which I'll discuss in the next section.) These shorter bars are used for exercises like barbell curls where you aren't going to be using a ton of weight, so you don't need a full size barbell. A five-foot bar is a lot easier to manage, especially if you're carrying it around a crowded gym or storing it in a small space in your home gym. That said, I wouldn't buy a shorty as your only bar for a home gym, since they don't fit in standard squat racks, and don't have enough room on the sleeves to load much weight. Curl bars are often, but not always, 25 pounds. Check for a label or weigh one to be sure. Olympic Barbell Curl Bar EZ Bar 4/5/6/7 FT Barbell Bar 300/400/500/600 Weight Capacity Strength Training Bar for Home Gym $69.99 at Amazon Get Deal Get Deal $69.99 at Amazon EZ-curl barsThese are the wiggly ones. Theyre used like curl bars, for exercises that use smallish amounts of weight. Their handles are designed so that you can choose the position thats most comfortable for your wrists. They may be 25 pounds or less; this one is 15 pounds. Elevens EZ Bar Curl Barbell 4ft-22LB 330LBS Capacity Olympic Bearing Barbell (330LB-Sliver), 47 inches (A-YD04001) $42.99 at Amazon $59.99 Save $17.00 Shop Now Shop Now $42.99 at Amazon $59.99 Save $17.00 Trap bars and other oddly shaped thingsThere are a variety of other bars out there, in odd shapes and varying weights. One is the trap bar or hex bar, a hexagon big enough that you stand inside of it. (Its mainly used for trap bar deadlifts, where your hands are at your sides and you dont have to worry about whether youre going to smack the bar into your shins.) Some trap bars are 45 pounds, but some are more and some are less. CAP Barbell Olympic Trap Bar, Hex Bar, Shrug Bar, Deadlift Bar, Black $58.00 at Amazon $89.99 Save $31.99 Shop Now Shop Now $58.00 at Amazon $89.99 Save $31.99 There are also football bars, also called Swiss bars or multi-grip bars, that allow you to use a neutral grip for bench press or other pressing movements. Sometimes theyre 45 pounds, but again, sometimes they arent. You may also find safety squat bars, cambered bars, and other specialty items depending on your gym. Unusual bars arent standardized, so the weight is just whatever it ended up being when the bars maker welded all the parts together. Axles, which are two-inch-thick bars used in strongman competition, can vary wildlysome are made from a lightweight hollow pipe, and may only be 20 pounds or so. Others are made from solid metal and may be around 80 pounds. As always, when in doubt, weigh it.

The second major update to Hades II adds a mysterious "final confrontation," an updated Altar of Ashes and the return of the god of war... Ares. (Were you expecting someone else?) And there's more to come: In addition to Wednesday's Warsong Update, developer Supergiant Games says its third big one is in the pipeline for "some months from now." Although Supergiant is staying mum about who is involved, it teased a "Final Confrontation on the surface" as the headlining feature of today's update. "Discover what lies beyond the Guardian of Olympus... if you dare!" The sinister and demonic voice in the video below suggests it might not have the best of intentions. Also new (in the sequel, anyway) is Ares, the god of war. He has "varied and vicious" Boons on offer, as one would expect from a bloodthirsty God of Olympus. Supergiant also updated the Altar of Ashes with new art and reworked Arcana effects, a new Animal Familiar and other changes. The Warsong Update is free and an automatic download. Of course, Hades II is still in early access. Given that the first game stayed there for nearly two years, you probably shouldn't hold your breath for an imminent public release. Regardless, you can check out the sequel's new content on Windows and macOS via Steam or Epic. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/hades-iis-second-major-update-adds-a-final-confrontation-and-more-220401973.html?src=rss

Indie horror game Mouthwashing is making the leap to consoles. Developer Wrong Organ shared today that its creepy creation will be available on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch later this year. As well as appearing in the digital storefronts, the console versions will get a physical release and additional merch courtesy of Fangamer.This is one of many truly excellent horror games that debuted in 2024. Mouthwashing harkens back to the low-poly look of games from the early 2000s, the type you would have found cutting edge at the time and which still retains a nostalgic appeal for many players. But rather than cultivating any warm fuzzies, Mouthwashing tells the tale of the doomed space ship's crew as they turn on each other, lose their minds and die.Wrong Organ also announced that the game has reached 500,000 sales to date on Steam, which is a solid performance for a team that specializes in surreal, story-driven games and is only on its third release.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/horror-game-mouthwashing-will-land-on-consoles-later-this-year-204817692.html?src=rss

Pika Labs releases AI video app for iOS.

HPE expands ProLiant lineup with Intel Xeon 6, delivering powerful, secure, and energy-efficient compute solutions for enterprises.

The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more.Virgin lithium mining is a focal point for the U.S. and is necessary for the nations growth in the critical minerals market. Yet, there is another primary source to secure key battery materials (lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese), and that is recycling end-of-life and scrap batteries. Domestic sourcing is crucial to expanding our manufacturing efforts, and its imperative that recycling and mining complement one another if we want to succeed in our supply chain stabilization efforts.Currently, the U.S. produces black mass (the output recycling lithium-ion batteries metals that can be put back into the supply chain). We will have a large supply of this material in the next few years that will be readily available to the domestic market. Whats also important is that well have increased refining capacity to extract critical materials contained in the domestically available black mass to enable cathode producers to manufacture cathode powder for cell manufacturers.The global critical minerals industry is on a growth trajectory, and there is a tremendous opportunity to recover these metals within our borders and reuse them to produce new materials including energy storage systems, technological advancements, consumer products, and defense applications. Now is the time to strengthen the U.S.s critical materials strategy and global competitiveness with a focus on key factors:Accelerating access to domestically sourced critical mineralsBecoming a leading critical minerals producerCommitting to increased raw battery material manufacturing in the U.S.Global impactBattery recycling refinement industry challenges are similar to other growth industries, with a lot of new entrants not fully understanding the investments needed for market success. The key is experience and understanding this complex web of interconnectedness that streamlines the workflow to offer useable domestic material. Other factors such as inflated material acquisition costs will need to be reset much lower for the industry to succeed. And with todays metal prices on the London Metal Exchange, expectations should focus on a return on invested capital to produce these critical minerals.Enabling domestic sourcing that prioritizes onshore capabilities in the critical materials space, with a specific focus on refinement, is the path to stability. Once these materials are within our border, we need to keep them here. We can achieve this through a closed-loop system. When consumers and original equipment manufacturers have a battery at end-of-life or scrap, they should coordinate with a certified recycler to safely transport, sort, disassemble, process, and extract critical materials into battery-grade salts to be put back into domestic supply chains. By activating this proven model at a larger scale, we can increase access and capacity domestically, however it has to be profitable. Becoming a critical minerals production leader would enhance the new administrations commitment to U.S. manufacturing, national security, global competitiveness, and strengthening our supply chains.Onshore manufacturingTo ensure there is sustainable investment throughout the critical minerals supply chain, the entire supply chain needs a profitable business model that can deliver a return on the required investment. Also, the U.S. can be a leading critical minerals producer and powerhouse by onshoring manufacturing to further the national defense stockpile sources, reducing the nations mineral reliance on foreign entities of concern and supporting the priority of accelerated access to domestically sourced critical minerals.By recycling and recovering these materials, we can start to enhance our supply chains in the short term, ultimately working towards ensuring that the U.S. secures critical materials for long-term viability.David Klanecky is CEO and president of Cirba Solutions.

The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more.The future of AI is bright, yet its continuous evolution and an uncertain regulatory environment cloud its reality for many businesses. The new year has begun with a more relaxed stance on AI policy and DeepSeeks supposed better mousetrap, giving CIOs pause on which direction to go. But these are good reminders for organizations to proactively establish best practices for AI implementation. Doing so will ensure future compliance while effectively leveraging AI for transformation and growth.How regulation may impact innovationIn the U.S., California legislation has taken a first stab at defining guardrails domestically, following the footsteps of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act. However, these early regulation attempts will take time to enact and be vetted for successes, failures, and inevitable adjustments.We expect AI to be governed differently according to three broad categories:AI creators: OpenAI and hyperscalers creating AI models from scratch. These entities face unique regulatory challenges related to responsible and demonstrable data sourcing.AI adapters: Fine-tuners of the creators models that embed them along with retrieval-augmented generation and similar technologies, adapting them for specific business application development. Enterprises must ensure they are sourcing models that can be attested to on intellectual property (IP) infringement or have some sort of protection against IP infringement.AI consumers: Most businesses taking advantage of the adapters AI applications in their day-to-day operations. These organizations must ensure their data sets are cleansed and compliant with regulations.The perils of AI misstepsWeve seen a lot of enthusiasm from CIOs trying hundreds of different uses for generative AI. But two years in, theyre still largely lost on how to scale and monetize it.Enterprises need to get back to the basics, treating AI initiatives like traditional IT application development rather than uncharted territory. Narrowing the scope to two or three projects can make innovation more manageable and bring demonstrable value. That means asking fundamental questions like: How do we vet the use case? How will we validate it? How will we support it once its built?Start with a clear understanding of the business problem, create requirements, and ensure the solution will generate a measurable advantage, such as increased productivity or cost savings. Its also crucial to follow a structured development lifecycle that includes cost controls, security measures, and governance.Build from where you already have good utilization metrics. For example, you might run a call center and know that your customer service representatives handle 10 calls per hour. If you deploy a tool that allows them to handle 15 calls, thats easily measurable. The key is to find opportunities within your organization that you can optimize and deliver a smarter process.6 practical steps to AIThere are several ways in which your organization can establish a solid AI standard:First look inward: Focus on internal applications to optimize workflows, automate processes, and reduce risks. They are easier to identifyand safer because youre not exposing yourself to external vulnerabilities. Starting here also allows organizations the grace to learn and adapt before expanding to applications that impact more stakeholders, including customers. You can scale outward once you understand a solutions full implications like security concerns, legal ramifications of how the models were trained, how theyre really licensed, and your operating costs.Ensure data integrity and compliance: Data integrity and compliance are critical for all three AI use case categories. For creators, ensuring responsible sourcing of data is essential. Adapters need to cleanse and comply with data sets, while consumers must vet software-as-a-service providers and confirm proper data management.Follow the lead: Learning from state-level regulations, such as Californias, can offer insights about future federal frameworks. Businesses should learn from how others adapt accordingly.Adopt ethical AI: Implementing responsible practices is imperative to navigate the regulatory landscape. Business leaders and technologists should prioritize transparency, data privacy, compliance, and continuous learning in their AI programs, along with flexibility to adapt to new or changing regulations and technologies.Surround yourself with knowledgeable teams: Leaders should surround themselves with knowledgeable teams to navigate AIs complexities and understand their businesss true needs. AI projects success rely on a cooperative effort from cross-functional teams, including business functional areas addressing specific challenges, development, data science, IT, and FinOps. Establishing an AI center of excellence unites them.Avoid past mistakes: The current rush to adopt AI mirrors past technology adoption cycles, such as the rush to adopt cloud services without proper planning. Avoid being swayed by the allure of new technology without assessing its implications. Instead, methodically approach AI as you would any other enterprise tool.Our industry is at a leaping point from abstraction and conceptual thinking to tangible AI implementation. The goal is to find the real value in the challenges it can solve for your business.For AI to generate new revenue streams and streamlined operations, prioritize practical solutions over grand innovations. Focus first on the unsexy work that frees your employees from the mundane tasks that no one loves.Moving beyond merely trying AI to doing AI requires starting with sound processes and practical applications that not only will insulate your organization from future uncertainties, but drive it forward. Returning to IT fundamentals is the key to making AI a reality.Juan Orlandini is CTO, North America of Insight Enterprises.

The iconic American roadster from the 1910s is marking its presence again with a modernized appeal all thanks to Stephen Wright. Yes, Im talking about the Cyclone motorcycle designed and developed originally by Joerns Motor Manufacturing Company. This performance roadster was way ahead of its time as it was capable of reaching speeds over 150 km/h, driven by a 996cc engine.The bike made frequent appearances at the board track racing circuits until 1917 when other bike makers offered cheaper versions. Ultimately the Joerns had to sell it to Ignaz Schwinn of Excelsior Motor Company who later developed many machines engineered on the two-wheeler. The Cyclone motorbike was officially discontinued in 1920, and to date, only a handful of examples have survived the sands of time. In fact, only 14 bikes exist in current times, and five of them are pure racing versions. Thats how exclusive this classic motorbike actually is!Designer: Stephen WrightIt is hard to believe that the motorcycle is more than a century old and still in sublime condition. Most of that can be attributed to Stephens effort in restoring the yellow-painted V-twin bike. For the unassuming, the two-wheeler could be nothing special, but for collectors, it is a prized possession. This was the first ever overhead-camshaft motorcycle and since there were only a limited number of units churned out in the three-year-long manufacturing run, the bike was second to none. Being powered by a 61ci air-cooled OHC engine configuration, having a Schebler carburetor mated to a single-speed transmission controlled via a foot clutch, the machine churned out 45 horsepower. That amount of thrust for a bike in the early 1900s was totally unheard of. Also, it is worth mentioning that the two-wheelers engine employed self-aligning roller bearings instead of the more commonly used plain bushes. These were in place to adjust for the misalignment of the engine due to vibrational movement.The engine combustion chamber has an elongated dome-shaped configuration and classy fenders which lends the bike a distinct persona in the signature yellow hue. Joerns Motor Manufacturing Company also sold the bike in blue color, but for this one-off restoration, Stephen opted for the eye-popping color. As mentioned on the auction website, the bike was a bit fragile when going over speeds of 150 kilometers, since it depends on the small metal well filled with oil for lubrication that drips on the two camshafts.To get over this issue, the rider has to stop occasionally and add more oil to the cam drippers. But that wont be necessary as we rarely have street-legal bike riders get an empty stretch of the highway to take such an exclusive piece of history for a spin over speeds of 150 kmph. For the undisclosed proud owner who bought it off the auction for 1.32 million, this is going to be the centerpiece of the garage.The post Century old Cyclone Motorcycle marks a comeback as restored roadster, sells for record-breaking amount first appeared on Yanko Design.

Tiny house builders constantly seek ways to maximize living space, and this clever model addresses the challenge with an innovative interior design that includes a rooftop terrace, complete with seating and a pergola. Designed by Modern Shed, this tiny house is constructed on a triple-axle trailer, measuring 34 ft (10 m) in length and 10 ft (3 m) in width. This increased width creates a more open interior feel but requires a permit for towing on public roads in the US. The exterior features a painted shiplap finish.Designer: Modern ShedAs previously mentioned, the layout of this tiny house deviates from the standard design in different ways. The main entrance consists of sliding glass doors that open directly into the living room, creating an inviting and airy transition from outside to inside. This central living area occupies the middle section of the ground floor and includes comfortable seating, clever storage solutions, and a ceiling adorned with wood elements. The space also includes an underfloor heating system to offer warmth during the cooler months.The kitchen isnt adjacent to the living room as seen in most tiny homes. Instead, it has been ingeniously positioned in one of the loft areas, accessible via a short flight of steps. The kitchen boasts generous headroom, allowing easy movement and an airy atmosphere. It comes well-equipped with modern appliances, including a fridge/freezer, a compact dishwasher, an electric cooktop, and a microwave. A cozy small dining table provides a perfect spot for meals. The kitchen also features an impressive ceiling design that merges wood and cork, adding a unique aesthetic appeal to the space, and a touch of nature.The rooftop deck is conveniently accessed from the kitchen area by climbing some steps that cleverly double as storage units. This elevated outdoor space is outfitted with comfortable seating and tables, making it an ideal spot for relaxation and enjoying leisurely meals in the open air. The deck is topped with a pergola that provides a pleasant mix of sunlight and shade, and is designed to be easily removable for safe storage when the house is on the move.The bedroom in the home can be accessed via a set of steps from the living room. The loft space is equipped with a double bed, and an overhead skylight which allows natural light to stream in during the day, while offering a view of the stars at night. A lowered standing platform elevates the functionality of the bedroom, making it much more convenient for residents to stand upright comfortably and get dressed easily. The bathroom is on the ground floor of the house, and it contains a vanity sink, toilet, shower, a washer/dryer, and direct access to the outside through a secondary entrance. This little dwelling is currently priced at US$149,000.The post Luxury Meets Micro-Living In This Tiny Home Blessed With A Rooftop Terrace first appeared on Yanko Design.

DOGE technologists Edward Coristinethe 19-year-old known online as Big Ballsand Kyle Schutt are now listed as staff at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.