No plates smaller than 5 pounds

[mattciupak]

Hey Rip,

I'll start off by saying I've been doing SS for the past 2 months now or so, although I did reset practically all of my lifts because I realized I was using bad form. I'm 14, 5'8 and about 176 pounds (I was always sort of skinny-fat). I didn't take my weight or body fat when I started the program and I regret it, but at the beginning of this school year (September) I weighed 135 pounds at the same height, and couldn't bench the bar, not even once. I've been drinking half a gallon of whole milk daily, and eat close to 3500 calories every day. My gains have been OK so far, except I have one problem. My gym doesn't have any plates smaller than 5 pounds. I was thinking of ordering some 2.5 pound plates online and taking them with me when I go to the gym to make 5 pound jumps, but thought I might ask you first. What I've been doing thus far is trying to get 5 reps with whatever weight, moving up 10 pounds the next workout, and just getting as many reps as I can with that weight, usually like 3 or 4 with squats, 2 or 3 with bench, and 1 or 2 with the press. The workout after that I try to go for 5 with everything except the press, which I usually get like 3 or 4.

What would you recommend?
These are my lifts right now: 195x5 squat, 225x5 deadlift (probably would be a hell of a lot better if my gym didn't have those awful hexagonal plates), 135x5 bench, 135x5 row, 105x3 press. Just got back from vacation; hopefully they didn't go down.

thanks in advance.

[Mark Rippetoe]

You not only need 2.5s, but you need some 1.25s also. Save up your money and get them. They don't have to be new.

[Will Morris]

mattciupak - I bought a complete set of fractional plates online and had them shipped up to my house in Alaska for about $80. The set came with 2 1lb plates, 2 3/4lb plates, 2 1/2lb plates, and 2 1/4lb plates. The entire set fits in a small ziploc bag and goes right into my gym bag next to my chalk. Granted, $80 may seem a little spendy, but it was definitely a great investment and I use them all the time now.

Just do a google search for fractional plates and you should be taken to the site that happens to sell the Olympic lifting shoes most people use here. I don't want to post the link, but perhaps Rip can point you in that direction.

[MattJ.D.]

I got a pair of 1.25 lb plates off of rogue for like 6-8 bucks total counting shipping....if can gather up 20 bucks def buy a pair of 2.5 & 1.25 lb plates. I was in same boat with my gym didnt have smaller than 2.5 lbs.

[Mark E. Hurling]

You can also get the soft wrist or ankle weights that some walkers and aerobic exercise classes use. They are fairly inexpensive and can be found in big chains like Sport's Authority, Big 5, and Dick's Sporting Goods. Even the pink ones work.

[mlentzner]

A friend of mine went to the hardware store and bought some lengths of chain to use. Just loop them over the bar ends.

That's about as cheap and easy as it can be.

[Alex Willess]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=diy+fractional+plate

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=bat+weights

[halbritt]

I got a pair of 1.25 lb plates off of rogue for like 6-8 bucks total counting shipping....if can gather up 20 bucks def buy a pair of 2.5 & 1.25 lb plates. I was in same boat with my gym didnt have smaller than 2.5 lbs.

Probably the best choice. All the "fractional plates" I've seen were very pretty and very expensive. A set of 2.5s and 1.25s is all you need, which you can readily get from Rogue.

$16 bucks plus shipping: http://www.roguefitness.com/black-steel-plates.php

[Heather]

I bought a variety of really big washers at a hardware store that specializes in fastners. Weigh them on a food or postage scale and mark the weights with Sharpie. It's the cheapest way to go, just make sure the inner diameter will fit the bar of course.

[mattciupak]

Thanks so much for all the replies.