Barbell knurling is a crosshatch pattern on the shaft of Olympic Barbells that is designed to improve grip by increasing friction between your hands and the bar.
Types of barbell Knurling?
Despite the fact that practically every barbell has a different knurl, they all have the same basic shapes.
1. Hill
2. Volcano
3. Pointy Mountain
Why Knurling Matters?
Have you ever been doing a high rep set of deadlifts, and you lose grip with the bar?
A good knurl prevent you from doing so. No slipping out of your hand on a deadlift.
A Hill Knurl is one in which the individual “diamonds” have rounded tops instead of points.
The rounded tops lead to a knurl feeling less aggressive and therefore more difficult to hold onto.
This type of knurling pattern is commonly found on very aggressive power bars designed for 1 rep maxes.
The thought is because it’s cut deep and has a sharp point it feels more aggressive,
Instead of just a sharp point, a Volcano Knurl has a rim/circle that is sharp which gives more surface area to grip.
That means there are 4 points of contact in the same amount of area versus 1.
If you’re going to buy a barbell, this one is right.