Home Gym: Olympic or Standard Plates?

Ive got a handful of barbells & dumbbells, all standard/regular plates - im about to build a home gym, is there any reason to go with olympic over standard? Its more expensive, but if its worth it, ill do it.

I really see no reason. I have had over 600lbs on the standard equipment, with no problems.

Plates should be the same price, but the better bars are worth it. Standard (1") bars are ‘rated’ by their manufacturer to hold 300lbs, but begin to bend around 150lbs. Standard-sized plates generally aren’t perfect, either, so they should be weighed for accuracy.
My opinion: you’re better to buy Olympic now than try to change over later, when it’s necessary. Selling equipment for a few years, it was all too common to sell standard plate packages, then take them as a trade (at 30c on the dollar) when the buyer upgraded to Olympic.

Quality over quantity.

I don’t know if you deadlift, but the type of plate can make a difference.

[quote]TheDudeAbides wrote:
Quality over quantity.

I don’t know if you deadlift, but the type of plate can make a difference.[/quote]

I agree, I stumbled upon some a couple hundred pounds of bumper plates, for free. Best “investment” I have ever made!

I cant see myself using anything buy oly sized equipment. Especially knowing that one day, the standard size stuff just is not going to cut it.

Take the hickey now, not later.

Yeah the stronger bars are what makes the difference. Better to start with the olympic ones.

Yeah the stronger bars are what makes the difference. Better to start with the olympic ones.

[quote]johnward82 wrote:
TheDudeAbides wrote:
Quality over quantity.

I don’t know if you deadlift, but the type of plate can make a difference.

I agree, I stumbled upon some a couple hundred pounds of bumper plates, for free. Best “investment” I have ever made!

I cant see myself using anything buy oly sized equipment. Especially knowing that one day, the standard size stuff just is not going to cut it.

Take the hickey now, not later.[/quote]

nice find and slightly (really) jealous

Thanks all…

Thanks all…

I am going to just be very blunt about this…Standard weights are for weenies. Standard weights are good for people who work out for two weeks and then give up. I know this because every garage/yard sale I have ever been to always is littered with Standard weights. You might as well get your self a set of pink 1.5 pound dumbells as well, preferably with Malibu Barbie decals on them. Guys who use Standard weights wear those fucking metrosexual workout suits and put fucking hairspray on and are called Todd.

Be a man. Get Olympic weights.

Are we marking a difference between ‘olympic plates’ and ‘bumper plates’?

I use Oly for barbell, standard for DB’s. Standards are more compact, but Oly’s are safer to use on barbell, because the bar won’t tip over as easily.

Whaaaargh?!?
I’ve already got over 660 lbs / 300 kg of standard plates!
Is there no company at all that builds strong bars for standard sized plates?

One of the guys I bought this stuff from was build like a brick shithouse and used to lift every day for 1,5 hours untill a shoulder injury stopped him and he sold most of his stuff. I’ve gotta ask him whats the most he ever had on the bar…

Just spend a little extra money on a GOOD standard bar. Like I said, you just have to be more careful loading it.

[quote]JayPierce wrote:
Just spend a little extra money on a GOOD standard bar. Like I said, you just have to be more careful loading it.[/quote]

are you meaning like when you take plates off one side the olympic bars are not as likely to flip up due to the plates still on the other side?

(I’ve never used olympic size)

[quote]Subliminal-Steve wrote:

are you meaning like when you take plates off one side the olympic bars are not as likely to flip up due to the plates still on the other side?

[/quote]

Exactly.

Doesn’t everyone take the plates off both sides in an alternating fashion so the difference is never more than 20 kg / 45 lbs?

[quote]kiwinomad wrote:
Doesn’t everyone take the plates off both sides in an alternating fashion so the difference is never more than 20 kg / 45 lbs?[/quote]

Of course, but I’ve still had them try to tip on me. But then, I had a narrow-post bench at the time.

[quote]entheogens wrote:
I am going to just be very blunt about this…Standard weights are for weenies. Standard weights are good for people who work out for two weeks and then give up. I know this because every garage/yard sale I have ever been to always is littered with Standard weights. You might as well get your self a set of pink 1.5 pound dumbells as well, preferably with Malibu Barbie decals on them. Guys who use Standard weights wear those fucking metrosexual workout suits and put fucking hairspray on and are called Todd.

Be a man. Get Olympic weights.[/quote]

Then i must say bro, you must be using standard plates cause you look like a weenie