Above grouned-level oly platform?

[theonidas]

Hey Mark,

I have a question about building and using an oly platform in an apartment building above ground level. First some background: I’m on a tiny desert island in the Arabian Gulf called Bahrain. Only celeb fit and bodybuilding gyms here so I’ve converted my apartment gym–bought a power rack, rings for dips, bands, some extra plates, etc. Now I’m accumulating plywood and hopefully grabbing horse stall mats in the next few weeks with the intention of building an oly platform. Problem is my gym is on the 4th floor.

Is it possible to build a simple platform which can protect a wood-paneled floor well enough when I’m dropping weight from overhead? I have the plans from SS and other platform how-to's, now I just want to know if it's practical on wood-panelled flooring, 4 floors up.

I know you don't know the building specs in this part of the world, but in general does it seem like the 4th floor of a building is structurally sound to the point that repeated heavy barbell drops from overhead won’t send me crashing to the floors below? I’m not worried about the sound as I can train when the building is mostly empty. Plates are rubberized but not bumpers.

Max C&J is 90 kg right now so I won't be dropping 300-400 lbs to the ground for some time, but I’ve been training without ever being able to drop weights and I feel like that is a serious detriment to progress.

Anybody have experience with oly lifting above ground level?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Plates that are rubberized but not bumpers will last approximately 20 attempts before dissolving, so this question is probably moot. Many facilities are in use above the ground floor around the world, and the key is enough platform to distribute the force out around the floor surface area. But bumper plates are required if you are going to drop the bar.

[theonidas]

Ah I see, shipping bumper plates out here will be too great an expense--I'll be here less than 1 year longer.

I'm just going to continue getting strong then. And when I head back stateside I'll find a weightlifting club and do it right. This is kind of a win-win situation.

Thanks--

[Konstantinos Kavos]

My home gym is on the 3rd floor.

I put down 0.5 cm thick plywood, then on top of that I put that soft spongy "puzzle" crap that they sell in fitness stores for "gym flooring", and then on top of that 0.5 cm rubber mats (horesemats).

(This is just for the two strips which the plates will drop on. The bit in the middle that I stand on is solid heavy thick plywood).

That should distribute the weight well enough.