A guy at the gym today was complaining about "people who put the plates on backwards." I noticed he put them embossed side in, so if you were on a bench press, you could see the number and manufacturer name.
I've always put them the other way, embossed side out. I find it's easier to grab and pull on the lip to remove them.
Then I looked at NROL and BOM and both consistently show the weights with embossed side in.
So... is there a right way to put plates on the bar, and why?
__________________ The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same. -- Carlos Castaneda
The first plate goes with the embossed side out, all subsequent plates go embossed side in. Helps with aerodynamics, lowers drag, so I can lift more weight.
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I'm kind of supersticious and have always loaded the bar embossed side in...heard it was "bad luck" to do otherwise". But then again, the weights at the gym I work at have handles and are embossed on both sides. But when at home, my bar is loaded embossed side in.
IMHO don't worry about which way the plates are facing, just lift them. :-)
I've always been superstitious with weights. I usually put the embossed side facing in on the first plate and then it didn't matter on the other plates. What did matter was that both sides had to be symmetrical. If one side had all the plates facing in, the other side had to as well. And they had to be the same kind of plates. I always hated using plates made by different manufacturers. But at my gym now all the plates are embossed on both sides and made by the same manufacturer so I haven't had to deal with this in a while.
Technically the weights should go with the embossed side facing inwards, because that puts the center of mass further from the center of the bar. Hence, better balance.
__________________ You're not the only one improving yourself... I worked out with a dumbbell today -- I feel vigorous!!!
I put the letters facing out on each and every plate. It has something to do with the plates "facing me" as I put them on and take them off.
Maybe it's a sign of respect between me and the plates? lol
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And major action will certainly make you feel a bit uncomfortable, which is absolutely fine. You've gotta get excited about feeling uncomfortable, you've gotta love feeling slightly uncomfortable, because you know that you're stepping outside the boundaries that you used to create.
Zach Even-Esh
I've made some huge mistakes, but they were necessary, because without them I wouldn't have learned anything.
-Dave Tate
"Focus on making the 5 lifts stronger and getting enough food. There will be plenty of time to worry about glycemic indexes, PERs, and Bulgarian Split squats later. Much later."-Mark Rippetoe
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__________________ 2009: No races, No times. Slow year. So, now you're 96 cals short. You're now in starvation mode. Doomed. - LostDog
Blog entry: November 1, 2009, Pancakes LiveSTRONG daily plate log
I put them letters in, just always done it that way.
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I do not workout. I TRAIN.
I do not eat. I FEED.
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Letters out, but they do have to be the same brand either side.
letters in is just wrong,
wow, I have never even considered putting the letters in,
maybe i'll try it
The star-bellied sneetches had stars upon thars ....
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I don't really care either way but what does bother me is mixing the rubberized Hampton plates with the all metal plates. Not sure why, and it's not like it affects my lifts anyway so.....
I can't believe you people with the letters in. You should be ashamed!
lol you guys should start a club with the squat rack curlers. You're all just as weird.:p
__________________
And major action will certainly make you feel a bit uncomfortable, which is absolutely fine. You've gotta get excited about feeling uncomfortable, you've gotta love feeling slightly uncomfortable, because you know that you're stepping outside the boundaries that you used to create.
Zach Even-Esh
I've made some huge mistakes, but they were necessary, because without them I wouldn't have learned anything.
-Dave Tate
__________________
And major action will certainly make you feel a bit uncomfortable, which is absolutely fine. You've gotta get excited about feeling uncomfortable, you've gotta love feeling slightly uncomfortable, because you know that you're stepping outside the boundaries that you used to create.
Zach Even-Esh
I've made some huge mistakes, but they were necessary, because without them I wouldn't have learned anything.
-Dave Tate
__________________ 2009: No races, No times. Slow year. So, now you're 96 cals short. You're now in starvation mode. Doomed. - LostDog
Blog entry: November 1, 2009, Pancakes LiveSTRONG daily plate log
I like when the letters and lip face outwards so it's easy to lift off the bar too! Especially when you put them on the weight tree holder thingy
You put them back?! I thought people are just supposed to leave them there on the bar!
__________________ The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same. -- Carlos Castaneda
Which way do the plates go?
Linear Mode
