What are Virgin Olympic Grip Plates?

Weight plates are a critical component of both a home gym and a commercial gym. It’s hard to plan a great workout program without using weights.

But weights come in different shapes and sizes and are made of different materials. So how will you know which are the right weight plates for your home gym? This article will tell you all you need to know to make that important choice so that you can make real progress on your journey to better health and fitness. Buying the weight plates that work for you is also a smart long-term investment.

We will also explain the benefits of Virgin Olympic Grip Plates and 100% Virgin Rubber grip plates.  

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Exercises you can do using weight plates  

Apart from straightforward bar lifting, weight plates have a number of uses, not all of which may be immediately apparent.

Here are some of the top exercises that you can do at home using plates, and the muscles they target:

• Plate push-ups: these push-ups target various muscle groups including shoulders, abs, chest, and arms
• Lateral raise: this exercise works your shoulders, deltoids, and upper back
• Front shoulder raise: ideal for shoulders, abs, and back
• Chest squeeze press: targets triceps, pecs, deltoids, and is ideal for more experienced users
• Overhead press: great for chest, triceps, shoulders, and upper back  
• Rotating squats: all-round exercise to work your lower back, abs, and obliques
• Side bend: target muscles include triceps, abs, thighs, glutes, and lower back 

So how much weight do you need on your weights?

If you are fine-tuning a fitness program at your home gym using weight plates, you need to have an entire sequence of weights that you can progressively add to the bar. If you choose only one weight set, then the jump from one set to the other may not be optimum. With the right selection, you can ramp up the weights in smaller sets and go up the ladder as you gain more strength and confidence.

The weights are either based on kilograms or pounds, though some will have both units marked on them.

A kg-based weight series may look something like this: 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25….

A pound-based series would be similar to this: 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, 25, 35, 45, 55, 100….

You don’t need to buy the entire set, of course, but the combination that works best for you. 

Types of weight plates—Standard and Olympic

The basic difference between standard and Olympic weights is the central bar hole size. Standard plates have a one-inch hole while Olympic plates have a two-inch hole. That might not seem like a big deal but in reality, Olympic weights are superior and more versatile.

Usually, beginners are advised to buy standard plates but the truth is, if you’re investing in your home gym for the long term, you’ll enjoy working with Olympic weight plates sooner rather than later.

There are many more reasons to buy Olympic weights. The central holes in the standard plates do not fit the Olympic barbell—which is the industry standard.  

Standard plates and bars are less durable than their Olympic counterparts, so the latter are best for your home gym. 

Olympic plates offer a more secure grip and are ideal for high-intensity training. You can also do a lot more with them than standard plates.

There is also a third type of plate called plastic or studio plates. They are best for studio exercises and have a 30 mm central hole.  

Types of Olympic plates

Given their universal acceptability and popularity, it’s no surprise that there is a lot of choice when it comes to Olympic plates. Here are some common types:

Rubber Weight Plates: These are coated in rubber which helps lessen skin irritation from repeated pressing in workouts. It also reduces noise.

Recycled rubber plates: Made from recycled tires and rubber, they are used by lifters requiring softer surfaces.

Bumper Weight Plates: Bumper plates have a raised center, making them easier to grip. Your fingers get more space when holding on to their outer curvature. Bumper weight plates are further divided into Technique Bumper Weight Plates, Training Bumper Weight Plates, and Competition Bumper Plates.

Fractional Plates: Here, the increase in weights is more gradual but they cover the same range.

Wagon Wheel Plates: Designed to be more durable, they consist of a raised outer edge around the plates, and four spokes surrounding the inner hub on both sides. 

Why Virgin Olympic Grip Plates are a great buy

Bare iron or cast iron plates make for noisy gyms, and guess what—the iron is going to rust with time. So any savings you make in the beginning may not last.

Cast iron plates are also rougher on the hands. That’s why most people prefer plates with a coating, and nothing beats 100% virgin rubber.

Virgin rubber is more malleable and the end product is smoother than plain or recycled rubber. Also, 100% virgin rubber is better for your floor, which is an important consideration because you’re going to drop these plates a lot of times during your workouts. 

Shop The Gear: MAGMA Virgin Rubber 2-inch Olympic Grip Plates, from $3.12 CAD

Olympic grip plates such as MAGMA Virgin Rubber Grip Plates offer better grip than ones which are pure cast iron with little or no coating on them.

So MAGMA Virgin Rubber Grip Plates are the right choice for your home gym.

Where can I buy Virgin Rubber Olympic Plates?

If you’re looking to buy Virgin Rubber Olympic Plates, MAGMA Fitness is coming up with a range of superior quality 100% Virgin Rubber Grip Plates for your home gym.

MAGMA sells the highest quality fitness equipment including dumbbells, weight plates, and benches.  Olympic plates are part of our weight plates collection.

Call us, mail us, or reach out on chat, so that we can assist you in choosing the right weight plates for your home gym. Great customer service is our motto.

Our products are available for shipping and warehouse pickup, with fast shipping.