About Us
Who We Are
When we first began Tru-Athletics, our goal was centered around barbells. Currently on the market, there are a large variety of Olympic barbells that meet IWF standards and are deemed “competition worthy”. With this in mind, our team approached the design of our Tru Competition barbell with two goals. We first looked for ways to make the barbell more durable and able to withstand years of max effort competition lifts and everyday use without loss in the performance, and precision expected in a high-quality barbell. Second, we wanted to bring this upgraded barbell to the market at an even more affordable price than the current comparable bars. We believe this will ultimately help us achieve our mission of using affordability to spread the sport of Olympic Weightlifting.
To improve durability, the first upgrade we made was in the in the loadable sleeve of the bar. We combined stainless steel bushings (an upgrade from the commonly used brass bushings used in most competition bars), with 10 HK self-lubricating needle bearings, and a stainless-steel end cap. This gives the bar a reliable, consistently smooth and quiet spin in addition to the upgraded stainless-steel bushings and end caps. Next, we made the finish, for both the shaft and loadable sleeves, hard chrome (another durability upgrade over the standard bright zinc finish seen on many other competition bars).
Additionally, we used a highly specialized spring steel shaft with a minimum 215,000 PSI rating that gives both the perfect amount of bend or flex necessary when performing the Olympic lifts and the strength needed for heavy squats and pulls. Finally, we used a minimally aggressive knurl pattern that gives the lifter a firm and reliable grip while keeping in mind the wear and tear on hands from long training sessions and cycles. The 20KG version comes with a non-aggressive center knurling and the 15KG without, both meeting the standard for IWF markings.
While we will continue to strive towards improvements on this product, we are very confident that we accomplished our goals of a more durable and cost-effective bar than the current industry standard. We believe that the Tru Competition barbell will help fulfill our long-term goal of spreading the sport of weightlifting and identifying the champions of tomorrow.
Flash forward to today, and we’ve expanded our inventory base to bring you the most reliable equipment we can at realistic and affordable prices. Our team strongly stands behind our products, because every piece of equipment we sell has been intentionally selected with care and tested by real athletes. We want Tru Athletics users to believe 100% in our products and have positive experiences that will promote and support the brand for a lifetime.