A good set of 5kg Olympic weight plates are a must-have for any home gym. But with so many options out there, choosing the right ones for you can be tricky.
Choosing the right set of weights for your needs doesn’t have to be so difficult, and we’re here to help you out.
Weight plates are available in either Olympic or standard sizes. At a glance, it can be difficult to tell the difference between the two.
Olympic plates are designed to fit on Olympic weight barbells. They have a larger hole than standard weight plates.
Because Olympic barbells are thicker they can hold more weight than standard bars: as much as 750kg. Not only can they hold more weight, but the added thickness makes them extra stable.
You’re less likely to injure yourself when making use of 5kg Olympic weight plates on an Olympic barbell.
The plates weigh the same, the only difference is their price and material.
Metal weight plates are cheaper, so they’re a good starting point for beginner weightlifters.
Rubber plates are, in general, better than metal ones. They are designed to distribute weight across the bar more evenly and are all a uniform height and diameter.
Another advantage of rubber plates is that they are meant to be dropped. Dropping a 5kg weight onto your floor with no rubber guard would cause a lot of damage, which rubber protects against.
Some gyms supply hexagonal weight plates with flat edges. This can seem like a good idea as you don’t want your weights rolling around, but in reality, they’re more dangerous than round plates.
Flat-edged plates will shift their weight around on the floor. The last thing you want after putting your barbell down is the weight of two 5kg Olympic weight plates smashing into your shins.
