Loading plates on bar: Does order matter?

[DannyP]

Other than looking stupid to load small plates first, or have them sandwiched between larger ones, how much does loading order actually matter?

Was lifting on a rack with all bumper plates today (so all same size) and ended up with 315 in the form of 45, 55, 35 (from closest to me to furthest). Ended up finding extra 45s because I started remembering something from high school physics about requiring more force to lift something the further out it was from you. Would that matter in this context? Do I want to get as much mass as possible as close to me as possible when lifting (in which case I'd be better off loading two 55s and a 25 to get 315)?

[Mark E. Hurling]

Also, it will cause Australia and New Zealand to fall off the face of the Earth. Because you have disturbed the force of the reverse coriolis effect.

[melody]

Mostly it's a good way to misload your bar.

[Jeff Illingworth]

I do this all the time, especially when they are smaller diameter, mostly to just be an ass. On whippier bars, having the bigger, heavier plates out to the ends does seem more noticeable.

[Chris McCarthy]

Depending on the bar, total weight and the exact order of the plates it certainly CAN make a difference - but in the scenario described above I wouldn't worry overly much about it.

For "heavy" efforts I do try to load plates in the "correct" order for the sake of consistency, mind.

[DannyP]

Mostly it's a good way to misload your bar.

Thanks. You're talking in terms of balance, right? Not as worried about that when everything is color-coded, but understand the potential issues when it's not. My greatest concerns were:

1. Making workouts harder by loading larger plates further from me.

2. Killing a puppy with every rep loaded this way.

3. That whole Australia thing mentioned above.

[Tim K]

I started remembering something from high school physics about requiring more force to lift something the further out it was from you. Would that matter in this context? Do I want to get as much mass as possible as close to me as possible when lifting (in which case I'd be better off loading two 55s and a 25 to get 315)?

Doesn't matter as long as the weight is arranged the same way on the other side of the bar. You hands should be equidistant from the center of the bar on pressing movements(whatever your grip width), or if squatting the bar should be centered on your back, so the load will be balanced either way. Heavier weights on the outside will cause the bar to bend or whip more in theory, but with a standard bar at 315 it's not going to matter.

[MBasic]

Other than looking stupid to load small plates first, or have them sandwiched between larger ones, how much does loading order actually matter?

Was lifting on a rack with all bumper plates today (so all same size) and ended up with 315 in the form of 45, 55, 35 (from closest to me to furthest). Ended up finding extra 45s because I started remembering something from high school physics about requiring more force to lift something the further out it was from you. Would that matter in this context? Do I want to get as much mass as possible as close to me as possible when lifting (in which case I'd be better off loading two 55s and a 25 to get 315)?

the way rubber bumper plates work 95% of the time . . . is the plates just get thicker or thinner with the change in weight. You have the same amount (inches thickness wise of rubber) if 55+45+25 or visa versa.

The only thing in the center of mass for each bumper combo is father away from the center.

So MAYBE, 405 with bumpers you may get more bar-whip/flex/bounce as opposed to 405 with iron plates.
(bounce or rebound at bottom of squat)
Even at that, would be very minor, maybe imperceptible .

[MBasic]

Thanks. You're talking in terms of balance, right? Not as worried about that when everything is color-coded, but understand the potential issues when it's not. My greatest concerns were:

1. Making workouts harder by loading larger plates further from me.

2. Killing a puppy with every rep loaded this way.

3. That whole Australia thing mentioned above.

as far as the above.
I remember see a hookgrip training hall video where the lifter used TWO 10's (small whites) and ONE 20 (big green) on either side.
(I mean, this was ontop of a bunch of other plates that did match)

If you studied the situation, his/her plate storage was empty for greens, so they just used two whites.

And those were snatches. It doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

[melody]

Thanks. You're talking in terms of balance, right? Not as worried about that when everything is color-coded, but understand the potential issues when it's not. My greatest concerns were:

1. Making workouts harder by loading larger plates further from me.

2. Killing a puppy with every rep loaded this way.

3. That whole Australia thing mentioned above.

No I mean in terms of doing quick plate math.