Something I never thought of causing a bad day at the gym.

[tkav1980]

Just something recent I learned that i find interesting and i never knew so maybe some of you dont either.
So in my search for home equipment I came across something that explains those bad days in the gym when diet, rest and hormones aren't the culprit. Its the weights. It's seriously the weights.
When that 315 feels extra heavy its probably because it is or last week you didn't lift 315 at all.
I weighed each plate I purchased and not 1 was 45 lbs on the dot. So I called a few friends that have home gyms and same thing...
Except for 1 guy who spent the money on rogue calibrated plates.
Same thing with dumbells, I asked a friend who works at the commercial gym I used to go to to weight the 100 lb dumbells for me. 1 was 98 lbs and the other was 101.5
Then I started doing homework and came across a Mark Rippetoe video that confirms my suspicion.
Over 20 years of training I just now discovered that, unless they're high end competition plates, or you use the exact same plates every week at the gym, youre likely never lifting the same weight 2 workouts in a row.

 

[0893]

I have noticed the same thing too. I was curious one day and weighed some plates and even a few barbells. A few were like .5 to 2 lbs different, some were exactly what they were labeled as though.

 

[xpoc]

I trained at an old school gym that had the real weight painted on the plates. We used those traditional old metal plates and we had multiple brands. The 45's ranged from 42.5 to 49 and were marked accordingly.

 

[Matsuo Munefusa]

I trained at an old school gym that had the real weight painted on the plates. We used those traditional old metal plates and we had multiple brands. The 45's ranged from 42.5 to 49 and were marked accordingly.

Hardcore

 

[USMuscle9403]

Definitely not all accurate. I'm curious to know the parameters (tolerances) they're made to in order to pass quality control

I've noticed plates at 'fitness center' gyms tend to weigh less. Could just be my imagination. Go to an old school gym and those fuckers are every bit of 45lbs lol

 

[brutus69]

Definitely not all accurate. I'm curious to know the parameters (tolerances) they're made to in order to pass quality control

I've noticed plates at 'fitness center' gyms tend to weigh less. Could just be my imagination. Go to an old school gym and those fuckers are every bit of 45lbs lol

did u read the post above u...about the old school gym plates?

 

[USMuscle9403]

did u read the post above u...about the old school gym plates?

Yep, it's probably just my imagination. Our gym is all 'Iron Grip', I might scale a few in the morning, for the hell of it

 

[tkav1980]

Definitely not all accurate. I'm curious to know the parameters (tolerances) they're made to in order to pass quality control

I've noticed plates at 'fitness center' gyms tend to weigh less. Could just be my imagination. Go to an old school gym and those fuckers are every bit of 45lbs lol

From what research I've done, there isn't much QC on the weights selling between .50 and $1.50 per lb. You see a noticeable jump in price when you move to the better plates like rogue or even the calibrated rep fitness plates.
Im going to guess they find +- 5 lbs acceptable based on what I've been able to weigh myself.

 

[Dugbet]

If you want high precision, you have to pay for it, Eleiko for example.

 

[Dens228]

I probably have about 20 45 pound plates. Years ago I took the time to weigh and mark them to keep them in pairs that were as closely matched as possible. They were all within 1 or 2 pounds of 45 pounds but it all the heavier ones were on one side and the lighter ones on teh other that would be bad. LOL

 

[tkav1980]

I probably have about 20 45 pound plates. Years ago I took the time to weigh and mark them to keep them in pairs that were as closely matched as possible. They were all within 1 or 2 pounds of 45 pounds but it all the heavier ones were on one side and the lighter ones on teh other that would be bad. LOL

Lmao, im picturing that.

 

[maldorf]

I've seen online some guys making their own plates out of concrete. Using the chains is a lot easier. The concrete plates are pretty cool though. They made their own mold.

 

[lif22]

There are certain 45 pound bars that i notice this with as well.

 

[Kaladryn]

I trained at an old school gym that had the real weight painted on the plates. We used those traditional old metal plates and we had multiple brands. The 45's ranged from 42.5 to 49 and were marked accordingly.

I saw this in a gym once also, it was horrible: I'd always have to search for matching weights lol

Seriously, it makes no difference if they are off by a few percent, no one cares exactly how much weight you are lifting, not even your muscles.

 

[Samson250]

I noticed when I got a membership to a 24 hour after using my home equipment and where I was at with those then putting the same amount on at the gym it felt totally different but I kinda understood why the gym weight was like that. I figure to motivate the customers. It could also have been that their equipment was just shit. Idk.

 

[Fa Seeshus]

So true. I worked at an independent gun that used to be a 80's Powerhouse gym and our plates and dumbbells all were heavier than they said (me and my bud weighed them). We had a bunch of corrections officers who also lifted at a Retro Fitness near their work where all the weights weighed light (I checked those too). It was always funny to watch them get pissed off when they were lifting at my gym.

 

[akajavman]

A pound or two shouldn't make a difference. Mind set, rest, did you eat well, energy of the gym environment all these things come into play when you have a great workout. My best days are when I think I'm going to have a bad one. Suddenly I could feel my adrenaline going up and my whole outlook would change in an instant and have a freaking awesome workout!

 

[tkav1980]

A pound or two shouldn't make a difference. Mind set, rest, did you eat well, energy of the gym environment all these things come into play when you have a great workout. My best days are when I think I'm going to have a bad one. Suddenly I could feel my adrenaline going up and my whole outlook would change in an instant and have a freaking awesome workout!

No a lb or 2 won't but think about it, with the variance of the plates, after 3 plates per side you could be off by 12 to 30 lbs. All im saying is I never knew they were so inaccurate ant it does explain thos odd failures when all else is equal.

 

[3BILLS]

I notice the weight difference when I'm bench pressing if the plates are uneven. The gym I train at have old school plates and a wide mix of them.

 

[akajavman]

No a lb or 2 won't but think about it, with the variance of the plates, after 3 plates per side you could be off by 12 to 30 lbs. All im saying is I never knew they were so inaccurate ant it does explain thos odd failures when all else is equal.

Yeah they are off but if you start thinking about it too much you might be hindering your workouts by over thinking it. That's why I try and keep the same brand of plates equal on each side of the bar. My training buddy will freak out if one plate is not matching the opposite side and he'll moan and groan that it's going to be lopsided etc. I just tell him get in and lift the damn weight and bitch and cry afterwards. Now this is with warm up poundages not max LOL.