If you have been lifting weights for some time, you likely understand that fitness racks and weight plates can make a significant difference to your free-weight regimen. Using a stand provides security and confidence to push yourself, and having a combination of weight plates allows you to maintain incremental and healthy muscle growth. However, have you ever considered stepping outside of the rack and trying power-focused lifting exercises?
If you have a desire to thrust some real weight above your head, you will want to switch from traditional iron weight plates to bumper plates. Doing so will protect your home gym investment and provide significant opportunities for exercise versatility without risking your weight plate investment.
Important Resource: How to Choose The Best Home Workout Bar?
What Are Bumper Plates?
If you have never heard of bumper plates, you have still likely seen them. Bumper plates are those colorful stacks of weights when you enter a gym. They typically stand out with vibrant yellows, greens, reds, and blues.
The plates have a steel core coated in a thick rubber shell. Another common name for these plates is training plates. The design allows you to perform power-focused exercises, quickly thrusting a bar over your head, with the option of bailing on the exercise and letting the weights and bar fall to the ground. Because of the external coating, the plates will remain intact.
Bumper plates are popular in powerlifting and CrossFit routines. As long as the weights are maintained and cared for, you can expect them to last years or even decades. However, despite the rigid core and durable outer shell, these weights can still break, but they are more durable than traditional weight sets.
How To Exercise With Bumper Plates?
While the most obvious way to exercise with bumper plates is using a bar for powerlifting, it is not the only way. Weight plates are a versatile home gym tool, and there are many ways to incorporate them into your workouts.
You can use your bumper plates to perform weighted sit-ups. In the traditional sit-up position, grab a bumper plate of your choice, holding it close to your chest. As you sit up, extend the plate into the sky, fully extending your arms. Then, as you return to the floor, pull the weight slowly back to your chest.
Another popular weight plate exercise is the Russian Twist. For this, you will want to lie on the floor with your legs bent at the knees. Lift your upper torso to form a V-shape. Hold a bumper plate of your choosing out in front of you. From there, you will twist to the right or the left, touching the plate to the ground and holding for a couple of seconds before returning to the center.
Are you interested in some other exercises? Consider searching for instructions on the following:
- Bumper box squats
- Bumper blocks
- Deficit HSPUs
Bumper plates are an excellent tool for a variety of exercises. If you would like help selecting a weight set or discovering alternative workouts, consider speaking with a home gym specialist.
