24 Hour Fitness = Plastic Weights?

[loco75_dfw]

So I signed up with 24 hour fitness last night. I needed a gym since the University gym modified it's hours for summer. This gym is 5 minutes from my house so I am excited. Anyway, I noticed the free weights were all made of plastic? They are Octagon shaped and have cutouts so u can grab them easier. I am old school and am used to the steel Olympic plates which looked thinner but again, they seemed more solid. I get underneath the bar with 225 loaded on and I did 8 reps. I typically do 5-6 reps. I went all the way up to 1 rep of 295 and then I stopped. I could only do 285 last week at my old gym with the steel weights.

So, i know many will say the weights are the same regardless if they are steel or plastic but, does anyone here have any doubts? Has anyone actually ever weighed a steel Olympic plate versus a plastic weight and compared their actual weight? I don't see how my bench could have gone up 10lbs in 1 week. Maybe it's a mental thing but the plastic ones felt a tad lighter....

 

[Kabeetz]

No it's not just a mental thing. Two plates even of the same material by different manufacturers can be different weights. Unfortunately only top manufacturers actually make a quality, accurately measured product. As you workout at that gym regularly, lifting more than you could the week before is all that matters, not so much the actual # the plate supposedly weighs.

 

[beerdrinker]

Maybe you got stronger? Yeah, I'd go with that one.

 

[s8nlilhlpr]

I've worked out at 24hr ripoff before....the plates are metal core with a rubber/plastic coating to 'protect' the floor incase they are dropped. weigh the same...

 

[sparetire]

la fitness has rubber coated round plates with 3 large holes for easier grabbing. Feel the same to me as my old gym with the olympic steel weights. I'd say its all in your head.

 

[Jayhawk21]

All in your head, I notice no difference. 24 hour fitness is an awesome place, but it's getting too crowded. At least at my gym, there are alot of dedicated lifters and they have everything I need. 20 bucks a month for 4 days a week, amazing value.

 

[loco75_dfw]

$20 a month? How did u manage that? I got suckered into $35 a month. My gym is empty after 9pm and that's the time I usually workout.

After working out again last night, I have to say this...I think the weight plates do weigh the same as the Olympics, however, I do not think that their bars weigh 45lbs. I think that is where the discrepancy comes in.

I usually warm up with the Olympic bar before I do military presses. Last night, their bar just felt lighter. I dunno....The controversy continues....

 

[Y_lifter]

I'm sure they have a friggin decent scale at a Gym.
Weight one or 2 or 3 of the plates to see what they weigh.

My bet is if they are stamped 45 and cheap plastic ones,
they may be light, but only by a pound or so at the most.

 

[blut wump]

You were using the 35lb bar.

 

[beerdrinker]

I used to use a 24 hour fitness, and they just had standard metal plates and standard 45lb bars. This was at a "Super Sport" 24 hour Fitness. Maybe they're getting even more health spa-ish.

 

[blut wump]

The hex plates are fine most of the time but they can be a real hazard when deadlifting. If the plates have moved at all on the bar then they may cause you to move out of line when you hit the floor. This will then throw you out of position for your pull with a 50-50 chance that the movement was towards you and bye-bye shin skin.

 

[Singleton]

@blut wump
see my shins for details.