
CRUMB WEIGHT PLATES CRACK
Inferior quality plates will crack around the inner ring, which imbalances the bar while floor resting. Bumper plates get dropped constantly, becoming gluttons for punishment. Durability: Cracking poses the #1 threat to bumpers.A combination of poor rubber quality and excess slimness will bend the plates, resulting in an imbalanced load, that makes for a shaky pull off the ground. BEND: Ten-pound weights are notoriously thin and fragile.If not, the weights can slide if the rings are too wide. SLIDING: The bumper’s inner, steel ring should fit the bar’s sleeve well.Recognize these four traits of quality bumper plates when selecting the best for you.

However, there are much more important details to consider. Weightlifters can now add more weight to the bar without bulky rubber weights or cast-iron.īumper plates are commonly sold in pairs, and in a wide variety of colors and finishes. Now, many bumpers feature a steel disc in the center which increases the weight without compromising its thickness. The earliest versions limited the amount of weight that could be added to the bar, due to their thick, bulkiness. Initially, Olympic weightlifters used cast-iron plates, until lifting (and carefully lowering and dropping) them became a safety risk and impractical. Olympic weightlifting birthed bumpers, and further pushed their evolution. Over the years, bumper plates have improved. Competition bumpers tend to strictly employ colored varieties. The bumpers usually come in black, but colored variations are readily available. “Bumpers” for short, are a type of weight plate for Olympic bars that is made almost entirely of dense rubber (with a steel or brass collar in the middle that accepts an Olympic bar).īumper Plate Characteristics: The plates are Olympic-sized, come in both pounds and kilos and offer the same weight spectrum as regular cast-iron weightlifting/strength training plates. However, by investing a little more in bumper plates, you’ll get more bang for your buck. If they’re in your price range, enjoy the cleaner look than raw iron, and like the lack of clanging and banging, these might be for you. They can’t be dropped from overhead, thus come up lame for Olympic weightlifting. Commercial gyms frequently use these because they’re better looking than raw iron, safer, easier to lug around the gym and are quieter.Ĭoated plates price closer to bumper plates, despite lacking distinct features of bumpers. Urethane-coated steel plates are also a go-to for strength training needs. Steel Weights Coated with Rubber/Urethane Steel plates also cost less per pound than their counterparts. For anything that isn’t an Olympic lift, cast-iron plates will suffice.

Although, many strength trainers tend to prefer bumpers, at least for deadlifts, as they don’t sound and feel like a rickety tank. Powerlifting or regular barbell training, employing presses, deadlifts and squats don’t require bumper plates. Steel plates are commonly used for general strength training.

This will help determine what type of plates you use.

The first thing to figure out is what type of training you’ll be doing: powerlifting, weightlifting or Olympic lifting. Ready to throw some weight around your home or garage gym and confused about bumper plates? Maybe you don’t know if steel plates, rubber bumper plates or Olympic plates are best? We’ve got the lowdown for you right here.
