Photograph by Sunstreak Productions, Inc.At most gyms, you find a wide array of dumbbells, lined up from lightest, usu-
ally 3 pounds, to heaviest, as much as 200 pounds. At larger gyms, you also
find a selection of bars with plates welded to each end, starting with 20
pounds and increasing in 10-pound increments.Virtually every gym has bars without weight plates on each end. The long
bar(also called an Olympic bar) alone usually weighs 45 pounds. To increase
the poundage, you slide weight plates— round plates with a hole through the
center — to each end. You then secure the plates with clips called collars.
An assortment of these weight plates, typically from 2^1 ⁄ 2 pounds to 45 pounds,
sits on a rack near the bars. If you want to lift 75 pounds, you add a 10-pound
plate and a 5-pound plate to each side of the 45-pound bar. After you finish,
be sure to remove these plates and put them back in their proper place.
Otherwise, you risk unfriendly stares from the staff and the guy or gal who
uses the bar after you.If you’re lucky, your gym will have weight plates made by Iron Grip. These
plates are easier to carry than the traditional ones because they have han-
dles built in. Imagine the difference between carrying a suitcase with a handle
and without. We suspect they prevent back problems caused by improperly
lifting standard weight plates. The handles also keep the plates from slipping
and dropping to the floor. A few other brands have copied this concept, but
we like Iron Grip the best.Figure 13-1:
You can use
dumbbells
for
hundreds of
exercises.
Chapter 13: Demystifying Strength Equipment 197