Standard Olympic Weight Plates
Standard Olympic Weights should not be confused with Standard Weights. An Olympic weight plate has a 2-inch diameter hole, whereas a Standard Weight has a 1-inch diameter hole, but when we talk about a standard Olympic weight plate, we are referring to the common and most basic form of this type of plate. There is nothing complicated about these weight plates, but like anything, some are better than others depending on the quality of the materials used. Standard Olympic weight plates can generally withstand the Olympic style drops at heavier amounts as compared to rubber plates which may deteriorate faster.. These plates are nice and noisy and tough on floors but have been the ol’ workhorse of the Olympic weight design for a very long time and are also usually cheaper.
Rubber Coated Weight Plates
A rubber Olympic weight plate are completely covered in rubber and unlike the silver or black standard weights, they can be found in many different colors. They aren’t has hardy as standard but for most people they offer much more convenience. They make much less noise when being placed on the bar or when they come into contact with other weights, and of course it’s much more forgiving on your floor if you happen to drop them. There have been some problems with rubber coated plates becoming damaged but this usually happens when very heavy drops occur from certain heights. Another benfifit of rubber coated weight plates is that they are more resistant to rust which can be a very annoying problem especially for those those in humid or ocean bound people. For almost anyone, and especially for home gyms I would highly recommend rubber Olympic weight plates.
Grip Weight Plates
Olympic grip weight plates can be either stand or rubber and offer easier handling as well as alternatives to some of the lifting you might see with dumbells and others. With grip plates you can be sure that there will be fewer drops and less pinches when managing your weight plates. An unexpected benefit however is that you can actually perform with these plates without the use of bars. Single handed bicep curls, tricep presses, and others can be performed almost just as easily as using regular dumbbells, but it might not look as cool!
Convenience vs. Price vs. Quality
As with any purchase there are many things to consider and buying weight plates is no exception. You can even choose to buy polygonal weight plates which of course resist rolling. Over the years, the materials and technology of plates offer the customer many more options than they had in the past but in the end it’s all about lifting with good technique and sticking to a plan. As with any Olympic weight plates, you get what you pay for and hopefully you have a better idea of the type you want to include in your gym.