Do You Need Bumper Plates?

Yes, a quality bumper plate is an incredible addition to anybody’s gym, be it in their home or a commercial location.

The best bumper plates on the market are durable and affordable. Beyond that, when you complete heavy lifts, you can drop them on the ground without doing any damage to the floor or foundation of a home or building. Also, bumper plates don’t make noise when they’re dropped—which is highly convenient when you’re training around other people.

However, the question in this blog is whether you actually need bumper plates.

The answer is no—you don’t need them.

Why Don’t You Need Bumper Plates?

The reason you don’t need bumper plates can be seen quite clearly in most gyms around the world. Especially since a lot of them don’t have such equipment. Many of these establishments have a “no slamming weights” rule even though they only have metal plates.

And throughout these gyms, you’ll see very muscular people performing heavy power lifts. They’re in control on the way up as well as back to the floor.

There’s the old adage (though not necessarily an accurate one) that if you can’t control the weight back to the ground during a deadlift, for instance, it’s too heavy.

To further elaborate, here’s a trick that’s been applied by powerlifters for years:

When it comes time to lower your deadlift, imagine there’s something delicate on the floor. Whether it’s an iPhone, your laptop, or a delicate china figurine is up to you.

Either way, you want to be able to lower the bar in a controlled, safe, and intent manner. In fact, the bar should be placed on the floor so gently, that it wouldn’t damage the delicate item that you’re imagining.

Now, this isn’t necessarily the most ideal way to lift weights. However, it’s not a make or break scenario. Lacking in bumper plates shouldn’t prevent you from putting in the work with your core lifts.

Is it Better to Have Bumper Plates?

Whether you need bumper plates and whether you’re better off with them are two different questions.

Yes, it is way better to work out with bumper plates. Since they’re so quiet when you drop the weight, it allows you to lift heavier and with more intensity. You’ll be worrying less about dropping the weight and making noise and focusing more on proper form and completing the lift.

Therefore, if you can afford bumper plates, it’s wise to purchase them an incorporate them into your lifting routine.

At Fringe Sport, you can find all manners of durable, affordable, and high-quality bumper plates. Read on to see what to look for in bumper plates.