IWF and IPA specifications are 450mm plates. 90% of all plates conform to this standard. Mentioning specific brands/models would be helpful.
I am about to buy new plates and just checked the diameter of the ones i have and they are 42cm. I checked the book and there a standard plate is mentioned have 20.5 cm from the ground to the center of the barbell. This makes 41cm total right? Then there is also mentioned a standerd plate is 45 cm. Am i missing something here?
IWF and IPA specifications are 450mm plates. 90% of all plates conform to this standard. Mentioning specific brands/models would be helpful.
This ought to assist: http://startingstrength.com/resource...hp/t-8378.html
I just looked through the book, the 20.5 cm you reference is immediately followed by "to the bottom of the bar and the floor" (SSBBT3 Deadlift chapter, heading "learning to deadlift") At several points later in the book it mentions the plate size of 45 cm (under the power clean, deadlift variations, and equipment sections). I suggest reading more carefully.
Some, maybe all (?), feds develop a standard (45 cm) for plate diameter so deadlifts at different locations, times, etc. are comparing apples to apples.
All you need is 2, maybe 4 plates (2 each side), with the right diameter for DLs. It doesn't matter for squat and bench.
If you are buying equipment with the goal of competing in a specific fed I'd recommend you research that fed's rules before you buy. It may help steer you towards one product or another.
45 cm is standard, but sometimes it is useful to have smaller plates. for example you can mix a 45 cm rubber bumper with a smaller metal plate and have only rubber touching the floor ( for cushioning ). this can save money as metal plates are cheaper than rubber ones. however, i would only do this if you don't plan to drop the weight more more than maybe 2 feet height ( like for a deadlift ). for cleans and snatches i would stick with rubber discs.
to summarize:
if you're getting rubber bumpers make sure they are 45 cm, unless they are very thin ( like a 5 KG bumper ) then they can be smaller.
for metal discs use 45 cm ones if you plan to use only metal discs, or you can use smaller ones if you plan to mix metal discs with rubber bumpers on the bar.
i would advise that unless you plan on deadlifting over 600 lbs get all 450 mm bumpers. however, because bumpers are wider, with good bumpers you will not be able to fit over 600 lbs or so on the bar, and with cheap bumpers you will probably not be able to fit more than 500. good bumpers should list the exact width in the specs so you can do the math and figure out if it works for you or not.
DHS ( maybe others like Ivanko ) makes a 50 kilogram ( 110 pound ) bumper that will solve the width issue for you, but gripping a 50 kilogram bumper by the edge is a challenge.
by the way, i can save you some time and just tell you that the best discs are:
weightlifting:
http://bumperplates.com/eleiko/eleik...g-colored.html
weightlifting:
http://www.roguefitness.com/uesaka-a...-bumper-plates
powerlifting:
http://bumperplates.com/eleiko/eleik...disc-25kg.html
powerlifting / bodybuilding:
http://www.ivankobarbell.com/products/omezh/
bodybuilding:
http://www.ivankobarbell.com/products/ouez/
i personally would not get any disc that is not on this list. ( except obviously the competition ( more accurately weight calibrated ) version of the first one )
Last edited by G1981C; 07-19-2014 at 02:55 PM.