Do you want to buy weight plates for home or commercial gym purposes? What are weight plates used for? What factors should you consider when buying weight plates? What is the importance of adding weight lifting into your workout regimen? Ever wondered which materials are used in its manufacture and how this affects the price of the plates? What are the various types of weight plates in the market? If you are looking for a place to buy weight plates, look no further.
Weight plates
This is a disc that is usually slid onto a barbell and used for strength training or weights-based cardio sessions. To grow stronger, weight plates allow progressive overload weight training. You should add lifting weight to your workout regimen to:
- Be strong.
- Look good.
- Promote long-term health outcomes.
Depending on the exercise you want, there are different types of weight plates to choose from. They are easy to store and can be used for:
- Endurance work.
- Balance.
- Flexibility.
- Strength training.
- Prevention of injury.
They can be costly so this is why you need to research before making a purchase. These are some of the tips on buying the best weight plates.
Factors to consider when buying weight plates
- Material.
Depending on the material used to manufacture it, the price differs. Your lifting space determines the material used to make the weight plates. Rubber and Iron or steel plates coated with urethane are good for wooden floors. Do not use rubber or coated plates on a concrete floor. Some of the materials used include:
- Rubber.
They are kind to the floor and are slightly more expensive when compared to cast iron plates.
- Cast iron.
They are not quite durable and can damage the floors. They are a cheaper option.
- Urethane.
They are highly durable and commonly used by commercial gyms due to their beneficial quality. However, they are an expensive option.
- Steel.
They are expensive because of their strength and durability. It is an alloy of iron hence durable and resilient.
- Rubber.
A good example is a bumper weight used in Olympic lifting. The rubber allows the lifter to safely drop the weight in front and lowers the risk of damaging any equipment.
- The diameter of the barbell sleeve.
The diameter of the barbell should be a perfect fit for the hole in the plate’s center. A standard Olympic bar has a diameter of 2 inches. Before buying any plate, make sure to check the barbell sleeve’s diameter. An unstable bar creates a safety risk when the plate slips off.
- Thickness.
Thick plates like bumper plates do not damage the floors. They are a good choice for home and CrossFit gyms. You cannot load a lot of plates on the bar because they are thick. If you are buying plates for commercial purposes, an Olympic plate is a good option. Thin weight plates are better as it allows the user to add more weight plates on the bar. The thickness of weight plates depends on the following factors:
- Weight of the plate.
- Quality.
- Raised inserts and handles.
It helps to improve accessibility. A handle makes it easy to lift. Smooth weight plates can be hard to carry around because it only allows you to use your fingers. Raised inserts give you room to your fingers beneath the plate when picking it up. It is because the weight plates don’t lie flat on the floor. New rubber weight plates coated with urethane don’t have a pleasant smell but are easy to handle and don’t damage the floors. If your exercise focuses on shoulder-strengthening exercises or bicep curls, find a barbell with cutouts or grips to make carrying around easy.
- Weight.
A small surface area in a solid steel powerlifting plate packs more weight allowing you to load the bar to the maximum. However, they are noisy and susceptible to rusting if left outside for long.
- Shapes.
They come in circular or hexagonal shapes. Hexagonal weight plates are stable when placed on the ground since they don’t rollover. It is tricky to deadlift with a hexagonal plate. Your range of motion and rhythm will be affected if the flat side fails to come down properly.
Types of weight plates
- Olympic plates.
The diameter of the center hole is 2 inches. It is a standard size in the fitness industry as it fits all commercial bars found in the gym.
Advantages.
- They are more versatile hence the number of exercises you can do with them is a lot.
- Their lifting bars can withstand heavy loads.
- They are stable on the weight lifting bar when loading weights.
- They return to a straight position when it bends due to heavy load.
- Plate loading is safe and convenient due to the added thickness.
- Standard plates.
It is common and mostly used in home gyms. It has a center hole with a 1-inch diameter. It is cheaper when compared to Olympic plates.
Advantages.
- They are cheaper.
Disadvantages.
- They permanently bend with heavy loads due to low maximum weight capacity.
Benefits of using weight plates
- To strengthen your bones.
- To shift unwanted body fats.
- It prevents the natural loss of muscle that happens when we grow old.
- It improves the toned appearance and composition of the body.
- It is used in resistance training to help with muscle growth.
- It helps to gain strength.
Conclusion
A weight plate is a disc that is fitted onto a barbell and used for weights-based cardio and strength training exercises. You need to purchase a high-quality weight plate that fits your exercise needs. Consider factors like weight, material, thickness, raised inserts and handles, and diameter of barbell sleeve before selecting the best weight plate. The various types of weight plates in the market are standard and Olympic plates. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of each type before making a purchase.
