Olympic plate sizes

[5kgLifter]

I just came across a site that is selling Full Size Olympic Technique plates but they state, each time, that they are 43cm diameter...I thought they were supposed to be 45cm (450mm) for the Olympic sized plates.

Does anyone know if there is some discrepancy and/or variation concerning the size plates used in Olympic and Olympic style lifting?

[BendtheBar]

Standard size is 450 mm for 10kg and over (I believe). Do you have a link?

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

Standard size is 450 mm for 10kg and over (I believe). Do you have a link?

Here you go:

Products | Absolute Performance


the 28th item onwards

[BendtheBar]

I thought 10kg and over had to be 45 cm, but perhaps it's over 10kg have to be 45.

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

I thought 10kg and over had to be 45 cm, but perhaps it's over 10kg have to be 45.

Feels to me that maybe there's a bit of misleading going on with their advertising? People reading that will assume that's how big ALL the olympic plates should be only to find out they are 20mm too small, in relation to the biggest plates used; a distinct possibility.

[Pull14]

The IWF standard is indeed 450mm for all bumpers 10kg and above. All comp and legitimate training bumpers will also conform to this. In regards to techniques, I haven't seen a lot of them, but are for the most part in the 440-450mm range. 430 is a bit small and not "full size."

5kg, are you looking at purchasing or just wondering?

Edit: Keep in mind the true purpose is to be able to practice technique with very little weight AND be able to drop the bar. Bumper plates below 10kg just do not have enough mass to withstand it's own weight and the bar. Dropping a bar with a 5-7kg bumper will not last more than a few drops, depending on height. Plus there aren't many bumpers that go below 10kg - in WL comps, weight below 10kg is all iron/rubber incased iron at the regular "iron" size.

[BendtheBar]

I have metal plates that are about 43 and the small difference makes pulling much harder for me. But I have a belly.

I have to pull off blocks.

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by Pull14

The IWF standard is indeed 450mm for all bumpers 10kg and above. All comp and legitimate training bumpers will also conform to this. In regards to techniques, I haven't seen a lot of them, but are for the most part in the 440-450mm range. 430 is a bit small and not "full size."

5kg, are you looking at purchasing or just wondering?

I'm just trying to make sure that if I lift in 2 separate places (the gym and at home) that the barbell is the exact same height from the floor in both instances so that I don't need to keep altering technique slightly each session.

I can either have a neighbour make me 2 wooden discs, or get 2 blocks to set each end of the barbell (inside the plates) that get the barbell raised to the correct height.

I'll have to use the wooden spacers at the gym because they have small plates with only the 25kg ones being of any decent size, and oddly they have no 15kg plates but with the barbell being 20kg, the collars possibly 5kg (for the 2), the wooden plates 5kg (? possibly for the 2 MDF), that's 30kg without even adding a plate, so 2 x 25kg plates would take me around 5kg over my max lift ...so, I'm left having to use the smaller plates there and, I'd really like all my home lifts to be from the same height...unfortunately all my plates vary in size depending on weight and the largest is still nowhere near the right size.

[Pull14]

I see. If your not putting much more weight on the bar, 2-3 layered plywood "plates" should hold up pretty well for the time being assuming your not dropping them from above the waist on a regular basis. If there is an issue... wood is cheap and can be replaced.

As for "real" technique's -- hitech techniques seem to be pretty popular over here and are 17.5" / 445mm.

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by Pull14

I see. If your not putting much more weight on the bar, 2-3 layered plywood "plates" should hold up pretty well for the time being assuming your not dropping them from above the waist on a regular basis. If there is an issue... wood is cheap and can be replaced.

As for "real" technique's -- hitech techniques seem to be pretty popular over here and are 17.5" / 445mm.

Nope, no dropping occurs, apart from possibly during the last inch or so if grip gives before I start using the straps, but that's not very often. the other issue is that I only have a cheap bar so it's a 1" barbell diameter, so most 45cm plates won't fit, in fact, I don't think any of them will.

I'm seriously considering the block idea, instead of the wooden plates route; I reckon they will be more durable, should I slip at during the latter part of the lift.