Bumper Plates – Everything You Need To Know
Bumper plates are some of the most common plates found in gyms, particularly home gyms. They generally attract people’s attention because of their durability and ability to be used anywhere.
Durability
Cast Iron plates are fantastic for those that have previously installed rubber flooring or something like a deadlift platform to protect the plates when they come into contact with the floor.
Many people are looking for the simplest solution possible when building a home gym. For the minimalist that is just getting started, bumpers are a great option.
Our bumpers are made of recycled crumb rubber that is then blended with urethane. Our bumpers are virtually indestructible, able to be used indoors and outdoors for most lifting applications.
Diameter
Another great reason to use their uniform diameter. A standard Olympic barbell plate is 450mm. This size is based off the start position for movements such as the deadlift, the snatch and the clean and jerk.
Cast iron plates will vary in diameter, with the only plate being 450mm being the 45 lbs plate which means 135 lbs is minimum weight for Olympic lifts.
Our 45lbs, 25lbs and 10lbs bumpers are all the same size, making it possible to perform these movements from the correct height with weights less than 135 lbs.
Olympic Lifting
Bumpers are also great because for the snatch and the clean and jerk, the weights can be dropped onto the platform.
The snatch is a lift that starts at the ground is lifted overhead in one movement. Because of the speed that movement must be performed, sometimes a lifter will “miss” a lift and the barbell and plates will come crashing to the ground.
The same is true of the clean and jerk in which the barbell is lifted to the shoulders and then jerked over head (locked out above shoulders). Again, this is another lift where the lifter may “miss” from time to time resulting in the barbell falling a few feet to the ground.
COST
The last reason that someone may choose bumper plates over cast iron is cost. Our Cast Iron plates are formed, then transported to another facility to be machined, and then transported again to be e-coated.
This extensive process increases the price for cast iron plates, especially since its all done right here in the USA!
Our injection mold bumpers are made of recycled crumb rubber, a more affordable material than iron and once they come out of the mold they are ready to go!
So pound for pound bumpers can be a more affordable option for olympic barbell plates.
Iron Plates Vs Bumper Plates
When it comes to selecting the right weight plates for your fitness program, the choice between bumper plates and iron plates can significantly impact your training experience. Each plate design brings its own set of advantages and considerations.
Both Cast Iron and Rubber Bumpers bring their own set of advantages and considerations.
Iron plates are thinner and take up less room on the barbell which allows for more plates on the barbell sleeve and also keeps the mass closer to the lifter, resulting in less whip on the barbell. Our Cast Iron plates also feature a nice, easy to grip lip for loading and unloading and with their e-coat finish are good for both indoor and outdoor use. They do require that you put some type of flooring down, such as our deadlift mats, and the lighter variants (below 45lbs) are of a smaller diameter.
Bumper plates are all the same diameter regardless of weight; this allows trainees just getting started to lift lighter weights off of the floor (such as the deadlift) while still being in the correct starting position.
Being made of rubber, bumper plates also allow the bar to be dropped when performing the Olympic Lifts as well as remove the requirement for flooring for those training in their garage. They do take up more space on the barbell, so the lifter's usage and overall strength should be considered.
So which should you buy?
It really depends how far you are along in your lifting career and what lifts you perform regularly. We think a combination of iron and rubber plates provide the most options and versatility for lifters, coaches and gym owners.
