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How to Choose the Right Bumper Plates for your Home Gym
Are you thinking about creating a new home gym or upgrading your existing equipment? Buying the right equipment is a fundamental task and investing in the right bumper plates is what you can’t ignore. Bumper plates are one of the most popular and effective weight equipment. These weight plates are available in almost all gyms.
But you might be confused about which bumper plates to choose for your home gym. Don’t worry; we are here to make it easy for you. The guide will help you choose the right type of bumper plate for your home gym. Let’s read further about the bumper plates to understand the basics first.
Bumper plates are commonly found in all modern gyms. They are mainly used for Olympic barbells. Due to their popularity, they have many competitors. You won’t be able to choose the right one for you without knowing enough about these plates.
Bumper plates are made up of dense rubber and come in pounds or kilos. The purpose is to offer you a similar weight lifting experience as other plates. But they tend to bounce back, saving your gym flooring from getting damaged.
Not only this, but the thick protective rubber layer prevents the bending of the barbell. No noise, no wear tear as a beginner, no damages to the floor nor the barbell; all these things make these bumper plates different from other plates.
Best Bumper Plates for your Home Gym
Because of the popularity and fame, there are so many competitors. The different types of bumper plates in the market can confuse us. But the best thing to do is to understand the basics and types of bumper plates.
It is vital to know for what purpose you are buying them. It can be powerlifting, weight lifting, strength training, etc. So, if you want to get the best ones for your home gym, spend some time on the information.
There are different types of plates to help you with your desired training. Here are the types of bumper plates:
Training plates
Competition plates
Technique plates
Change plates
Fractional plates
The material difference also plays a vital role. Unlike cast-iron plates, bumper plates purely consist of rubber and not with a coating only. It makes a huge difference between the bumper and other plates. The bumper plates can virgin rubber, recycled rubber, and urethane. All three are good, but you should look for the factors according to your requirements.
Bumper Plate Stats
There are some factors you should look for when choosing the suitable bumper plates for your home gym:
Bending: When the rubber quality is not good, or the plate is not built correctly, you will notice plate bending. It should not happen. Only a good quality rubber build plate can save you from this problem.
Durability: Durability should be your top priority. If there is a crack on the inner steel ring, it will result in uneven load, so make sure you buy the high-quality bumper plates which don’t crack easily even after frequent drops.
Sliding: Good bumper plates should have a properly fitted steel ring for the bar sleeve to avoid too much movement while sliding when needed.
Bounce: Bouncing back is what makes bumper plates different from others. Check for the right bounce, as too much bounce can cause problems, too.
Benefits of Using Bumper Plates
Buying a good bumper plate can make your training journey better and interesting. There are several benefits of using these bumper plates; some of them are:
Safer
Unlike other plates, bumper plates are pretty safe to use, especially for Olympic lifts. You can easily drop them from overhead without worrying about the ground or floor.
Silent
Steel plates produce a horrifying sound, whereas bumper plates are known to be silent. Because of the rubber usage in manufacturing, there is no noise even on frequent dropping.
Versatile
Bumper plates are great for various workouts. You can use them both ways, with or without barbells. They feel stable on the bar as well.
Long-lasting
Unlike other plates, bumper plates are less prone to damages. They don’t even damage the flooring. With fewer cracks and damages, you can use them for a long. They are pretty durable and reliable. You don’t have to worry while dropping them frequently because they will not harm you or your gym equipment.
Exercises You Can Do with Bumper Plates
With or without barbells, bumper plates are great for a healthy workout. You can use them in any desirable way according to your training program. If you have set up a new home gym or upgraded, the appropriate bumper plates will be highly suitable for simple yet effective training. There are many exercises you can do with these plates, such as:
Snatch
Lift off from the start position to just below your knees
Push your legs together to raise the bar towards your knees. Your legs will then straighten slightly.
Keep your chest and back in neutral positions.
The hips and shoulders both move up at the same moment, keeping the same angle.
Clean and Jerk
Step up towards the bar until it is approximately in the middle of your feet.
Lean forward, and hold the bar with an overhand grip.
Take a deep breath and brace your core.
Smoothly and quickly lift the bar. Squat again to take the bar at the front of your shoulders. Remain straight on your legs.
To push the bar up, bend your knees slightly.
Grab the bar by ducking under it, and then catch it straight up with your straight arms.
Begin by stepping back with your front foot, then move forward with the back foot. Continue this process until your feet are side-by-side.
Then, control the bar with straight arms high above your head, and you will be standing with your feet together again.
Control the bar by lowering it.
Overhead Press
Your feet should be shoulder-width apart. Keep your knees straight and your hips open. The barbell should be held in front-rack, with your elbows pointed forward and your hands shoulder-width apart. This is your starting position.
As you exhale, tighten your core and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
Press until your arms are fully extended. You should feel as if you are pushing your head through the window made by your arms.
Engage your back muscles, and then, while exhaling, return the barbell to its original position.
For more reps, you can repeat these steps or put the bar back on your power rack to finish this exercise.
Lunge. In order of ascending difficulty, you can go backward, forward, or, heck, sideways–exerciser’s choice.
You have many options for changing it up. Holding one or two bumpers or kettlebells in each hand is an option. The single-arm version allows you to hold the object in one hand, which places more emphasis on your core.
You can even try some other workouts without barbells, like plate curl, pate push-ups, front shoulder raise, plate planks, and more. They can be unique for your training program bringing some change for increased motivation. But, everything depends on the correct selection of bumper plate so it can be comfortable a reliable for you and your training.
Buying Tips and Traps to Avoid
Bumper plates are usually common for Olympic weightlifting. But buying them for your home gym is never a bad decision. They are good for many reasons and training types. But getting the right one matters the most, especially for newbies. Here are some tips to help you buy the best one for your home gym without getting into the trap:
Material
The popularity of these bumper plates is increasing day by day, due to which the manufacturers are doing different things to bring the cots down. Look for high-quality urethane bumper plates. They are odor-free, reliable, and flexible. Some manufacturers use low-quality rubber or urethane while adding cast iron core. So, check the purity of the material before buying.
Weight Accuracy
The stated weight should match the weight of the bumper plates. A slight difference is tolerable. But a weight variance of 3% or higher is not good.
Warranty
You should not buy a product for your gym without a warranty. Every good-quality bumper plate comes with a warranty. And that is what you deserve as a buyer.
Width & Diameter
The width and diameter of the plates should meet the IWF standards to avoid inconvenience. 450mm diameter and 50.4 mm collar opening is recommended for bumper plates, and they should be close to these values.
Color Coding Accuracy
Usually, black bumper plates are better to buy as a standard code, but you can look for various even colors. The only thing is that they should match the IWF standards.
Printed or Raised Letter
We usually see printed weight indications, but they fade away with time. So, if it’s possible, buy the ones with raised letters.
Steel Hub
Most of the trainers prefer steel hubs and not brass ones. Stainless steel with chrome or zinc plating is a fine option for reliable bumper plates.
Drop Test
Drop test is getting common; reputed manufacturers will have drop test data on the website. You should check for the maximum number of drops to get an idea.
DMOOSE brings you top-quality bumper plates to challenge your weight training, bodybuilding, strength training, Olympic lifting, and powerlifting routines. The most important thing about bumper plates is the quality construction. And here, you get the most durable and reliable bumper plates.
These long-lasting plates will stay silent while not bouncing back too much. The standard diameter matches the IWF standard so that you don’t face any inconvenience. Its 2-inch opening is suitable for the Olympic barbell.
Moreover, they are safe and stable to be used even in small spaces. Therefore, these exceptional bumper plates are what you need for your home gym. You don’t have to think twice while buying your home gym equipment from here.
Conclusion
Choosing the right bumper plates for your home gym can be challenging. But you can make it easier by understanding the purpose. Once you know everything about bumper plates, you will be aware of the available options. It is vital to focus on the requirements to get the best one for your gym.
Don’t forget to keep the essential tips and factors in your mind before purchasing to meet the standards. Moreover, buying from reputed manufacture should be the only choice to avoid inconveniences. Bumper plates can be a great addition to your home gym; if chosen correctly. Throw some weight around your gym with the help of your favorite bumper plates and enjoy your training journey.
The vegetarian diet is common as many people have adopted this lifestyle for a variety of reasons. Someof the reasons are nutritional and health-related, such as lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. Butthere is a popular belief that building muscle on a vegetarian diet can be difficult and stressful becauseanimal proteins are synonymous with muscle growth. However, there’s no need to fear becausedeveloping muscle as a vegetarian is absolutely possible. Read on for three tips on how to build strong,long-lasting muscle on a vegetarian diet.
1. Be Aware of Your Calorie Intake
The stepping stone in achieving your fitness objectives is to calculate the number of calories you need toconsume in order to maintain, or increase, your weight. Keep in mind that consistency is the key when it comes tofitness. So, if you want to gain muscle, be sure that what you’reconsuming is adequate. This rule applies to everyone, regardless of eating style.
When following a vegetarian or vegan diet, protein intake tends to be one of the areas where most peoplemiss the mark. Therefore, protein intake needs to be closely monitored, because protein is the pillar of muscle growth. Bear inmind that carbs are crucial as well, so make sure you’re eating enough to meet your energy needs. Other than that, investing in some kitchen devices like an electric scale or measuring cups is a great startto identify portion sizes and understanding how much you need to build muscle.
It’s also critical to keep track of how much you eat. If you’re not sure how much you should get on adaily basis, try using an app like MyFitnessPal to monitor your food intake. While it may not be necessary for the long run, tracking calories are useful to assess your overall food intake. Keeping trackfor at least five to seven days can help you see how much or how little you normally eat.
2. Choose the Right Plant-based Protein
When following a vegetarian diet, it doesn’t imply you can’t eat protein. You actually can consumeprotein like eggs. Eggs are one of the most frequent protein sources for vegetarians, because they provide a nutrient rich protein punch. Fortunately, there is also a vast variety of plant-based proteins to choose from,all of which can help with muscle growth.
Soy Protein: You can opt for soy protein, which is one of the most common vegetarian options. The flavorful soyprotein is extremely low in fat and cholesterol.
Pea Protein: Pea protein is likewise high in protein, cholesterol-freeand has a good branched-chain amino acid profile. And it is vital to consume an adequate number ofessential amino acids, because failing to do so will result in the degradation of existing muscle tissue.
Hemp Protein: There is also hemp protein, which is high in magnesium and iron and is high in Omega-3s.
Whey Protein: The final option is whey and other protein powders, which are popular among athletes for bulking up quicklyand safely. It is significantly easier to meet the required daily protein amount by adding these proteinsto fruit and yogurt smoothies. Just remember that as long as you’ve eaten enough calories and protein throughout the day, you can gain muscle without a problem.
3. Avoid Nutrient Deficiencies
Generally, fruits and vegetables are abundant in a well-planned vegetarian diet. However, any diet thatdoes not include full food categories can contribute to a deficiency of certain nutrients. There is nodoubt that a meatless diet can be healthy, but vegetarians and vegans, in particular, must be aware oftwo major deficits on a plant-based diet.
The first is vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 is essential for healthy blood cell development and DNAsynthesis. However, B12 is usually available in a variety of animal-based meals and the kind of B12 foundin plant-based foods is not as efficiently absorbed by the body. Furthermore, low B12 levels can causefatigue.
There is also zinc deficiency, which arises as a result of zinc being found largely in animal-based food butnot so much in plants. Zinc is required for regular growth and development. It is involved withtestosterone production, helps regulate hunger, and many other things for most athletes. To combatthis, consider increasing your intake of nuts and seeds.
To help prevent either of these nutrient deficiencies, we recommend you take both a zinc and vitamin B12 supplement daily.
Conclusion
In conclusion, do yourself a favor by following these tips and consume sufficient nutrients so that youcan feel good about yourself and get the most out of your healthy lifestyle. If you want to begin a fitnessadventure as a vegan or vegetarian, read more to determine which diet programs are ideal for you.
Practice makes perfect, but subtract the exercise component, and you may not be living up to your maximum athletic potential. Contrary to popular belief, even low-impact sports such as golf or yoga require ample and particular exercise routines to improve your sports performance.
Remember, your equipment only contributes a fraction of the work. And no—walking for exercise isn’t going to cut it. If you’re looking to improve your overall form and performance, here are a few workout styles you need to incorporate into your fitness routine.
High-Intensity Interval Training
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an all-time gym favorite. It involves periods of quick sprints and slow-paced recovery zones that force your cardiac muscle tissue to increase strength and endurance, quickly.
HIIT is ideal for improving your performance in any sport, as it’s versatile and completely customizable. If you like you can even do HIIT workouts in the pool by doing swim sprints!
Strength Training & Cardio
While many gym enthusiasts will recommend separating strength training and cardio, we recommend combining the two. Why? Grouping these two together will help increase your endurance, which is vital for improving overall sports performance.
Also, strength training isn’t just an excellent test of your strength—it also improves your mental fortitude, which is an underrated aspect of sports training. The quicker you can achieve your strength-related goals, the more you will see your sports performance thrive.
Drills, Drills, and more Drills
You can never go wrong doing sport specific drills. So, in between your cardiovascular and strength training sessions, try to get in some plyometric and agility training. Exercises such as lateral plyometric jumps and dot drills do wonders for improving speed, coordination, power, and targeted sports techniques.
We recommend forward-running, high-knee drills and lateral running to engage your legs and core, if your gym has an outdoor space. Otherwise, you can easily perform in-gym workouts such as box jumps that improve your response to resistance.
Squats
When it comes to sports that require mobility, power, and balance, squats can take you a long way. Even variations like split squats improve mobility, strength, and stability, while goblet squats can improve carry-through movements in the hips and thighs.
Compound Exercises
While engaging one part of the body is an excellent way to whip it into shape, compound exercises like squats and deadlifts are more effective at building total body muscle and strength. In addition, by focusing on compound movements, you engage multiple joints at once, which improves workout efficiency.
Banded Exercises
Training with bands does more for your body, and overall sports performance, than you might anticipate. When you react to a resistance band, your muscles have to continually contract faster and harder to keep the weight moving; improving your strength, power, and even endurance. You can start by getting some light bands and adding a little tension to your main lifts once a week!
The Bottom Line
Ultimately, building strength and endurance can go a long way towards improving your sports performance. Along with maintaining a good diet, regularly engaging your muscles and building power can make you the athlete you want to be. By regularly hitting the gym and making the most of your time, you can start inching your way towards championship wins and broken records!
Using sandbags for strength training has been around for quite some time. But not everyone has jumped on the bandwagon and traded their dumbbells for a burlap sandbag.
Besides being cheap to purchase (or making one yourself), sandbags offer several strength benefits that make it worthwhile in adding to your workout routine.
Here are a few examples…
Builds Core Strength
It’s always a good idea to strengthen your core muscles as much as you can. Core exercises strengthen your underlying muscle tissue and can help to prevent injuries.
When doing a sandbag strength training routine, you’re engaging your core muscles with almost every movement. Even if the exercise itself is not entirely focused on core strengthening.
A sandbag shifts it’s center of gravity constantly. Which feels different and often more difficult when compared to traditional weights. Also, by switching between different types of sandbag fillers, you can add diversity to your workout.
Sandbag Training Doesn’t Require Much Space
Barbells, plates, machines, and squat racks can all take up a lot of space. If you want to improve your strength, using sandbags for weight training is not only affordable, but they also require very little space. This makes them perfect for home gyms and home workouts where you can have a flexible way of working on your strength whenever you feel like it.
You can also take them anywhere. So if you ever find yourself somewhere lacking exercise equipment, for example when traveling, then getting a sandbag could be the answer!
Versatile Exercises
Sandbag workouts are not only effective but also versatile. You can use them for almost any type of exercise.
They can be used for traditional compound exercises such as squats, bench press, power cleans, deadlifts, and more. And because sandbags are soft, they have a low impact on your joints and you can perform less rigid movements.
There are exercises that are unique to sandbags such as the bear crawl; which are good for building stamina and working the core. There are also bear hug squats which are a good alternative to the front squat.
When it comes to cardio-related exercises, there are sandbag sprints and carries. These are not only high-intensity but they also heavily work the legs.
In a similar way you might use a wobble board for stability and balance, this sort of training can also be developed with a sandbag. You can even combine the two for a crazy stability building session. This work with unstable objects can be useful for many sports.
As you can see, sandbags can replace a lot of the equipment needed for most exercises.
Sandbags Come In Different Types
No matter which level you are in your fitness or strength training, you’ll find that there is a sandbag to accommodate your needs. Some bags can weigh up to 400 pounds; which are perfect for those wanting to gain serious strength.
You can also choose from different material qualities, the number of handles, and sizes.
As mentioned earlier, it’s possible to use different filler weights; you can add or remove them accordingly to suit different workouts. This makes them perfect for CrossFit routines where different exercises are performed in a single session.
Pricier sandbags can be water-resistant and withstand heavy-duty usage. With all the different sandbags available on the market, you shouldn’t have a problem finding one that can suit your level of fitness and your exact requirements.
Various Strength Training Variables
When compared to weight training, using a sandbag offers an excellent range of training variables to enhance your strength. Your body’s position, holding position, and the plane of motion can have a larger scale by using a sandbag when compared to traditional weights.
For example, there are around 11 positions to hold a sandbag versus only four positions when using a barbell. There’s a whole list of possibilities of training variables when you use sandbags.
These ways of lifting sandbags and making changes to your body’s position can alter how an exercise feels and the results that come afterward.
Also, planes of motion with a sandbag, such as shoulder squats, rotational lunges, and lateral drags, can make your strength training more elaborate and progressive.
Conclusion
Sandbag training can be a game-changer for your strength training routine. Depending on your fitness level, there is a lot of gym equipment that a weighted bag can replace.
As we’ve discussed, there are so many exercises that are possible with one training bag.
Progressing your strength training is very achievable using heavy sandbags. And if you want a versatile workout that you can perform almost anywhere, then a sandbag is a fantastic option!
