The Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Weight Plates

Barbells and dumbbells are the holy grail of all free weight training. The majority of people coming to the gym are looking to get stronger, bigger, and leaner with barbells that use weight plates. With the wide range use of weight plates, the question shifts to how efficient can they be as far as advantages and disadvantages go.

Advantages of Weight Plates:

Convenient:

One of the best things about using weight plates is the fact that it’s convenient for a lot of movements and exercises. Weight plates are typically used for barbells which means that you can work any muscle.

Easy to progressively overload:

Another great benefit with weight plates is the fact they range from as light as one pound and can go up to 100 pounds per plate. What this means is that you can slowly but surely increase the weight as the weeks go by to ensure that you’re making progress in the gym.

Wide range of use:

Weight plates are not used to load barbells only, they can be used as a weighted implement in itself. You can use weight plates for exercises such as squats, press-ups, front delt raise, side bends, and single-leg squat to mention a few. Moreover, you can also use weight plates as a way to increase the difficulty of calisthenics movements such as dips, push-ups, and pull-ups by hanging weights from a belt.

Disadvantages of Weight Plates:

Expensive:

Weight plates can be quite expensive especially if you’re advanced in your training. The stronger you are, the more you’re going to need weight plates for exercises such as the deadlift, squat, and leg press.

Storage:

Another common problem that you can run into with plates is storage. It can be difficult to store them in a place especially if you’re limited in space. This is why using a machine system or calisthenics can be a lot more viable as an option for someone who prefers to maintain a clean space.

The ideal set up:

While weight plates can be helpful. The ideal set up is to use something that isn’t as cumbersome for training. For instance, using resistance bands can be a better solution while it’s still not as easy to work with. A solution such as the GR8FLEX total performance is the ideal way to train. With over 100 workouts that you can try, the GR8FLEX is like having a whole gym to yourself at the comfort of your home. You can always increase the intensity as the machine accommodates for any level of fitness to help you progressively add more challenging workouts to your routine. Furthermore, the equipment is safe and easy to use with a comprehensive guide on every exercise you can do.

Conclusion:

Weight plates are excellent to use for heavy compound exercises that build strength and muscle. However, you may run into a few problems such as with storage. The best thing to do is to buy high-quality plates that are both thin and can last long. There is no denying that weight plates are a convenient useful implement that can push you further in your fitness goals.