Weight Plates

Why invest in quality weight plates?

Weight plates are a long-term investment. Well-made plates hold their stated weight accurately, resist chipping and cracking, and keep their finish through years of loading, dropping and re-racking. Cheaper plates often vary in weight, have rough edges, or use coatings that wear quickly - which affects training quality, noise, and safety.

Good weight plates also:

• Allow consistent load progression with reliable weight accuracy

• Protect floors and equipment with appropriate materials and finishes

• Reduce noise during training - especially important in shared or residential spaces

• Match standard or Olympic barbells correctly based on bore size

• Hold their value better if you upgrade or change your setup

The right choice comes down to how you train, where you train, and how the plates will actually be used.

Types of weight plates we offer

We stock multiple plate styles to suit different training needs:

Olympic weight plates

These plates have a 50mm centre bore designed for Olympic barbells. Our ranges includes cast iron plates and rubber-coated plates, along with fractional weight plates for micro progressions. Typically olympic weight plates will vary in diameter between sizes, with larger sizes showing larger diameters. See: Olympic Weight Plates

Bumper plates

Bumper plates are solid rubber plates designed to be dropped safely from overhead during Olympic lifts. Consistent at 450mm diameters, they can vary in hardness, thickness and calibration depending on the style of plate. See: Bumper Plates

Powerlifting plates

Powerlifting plates are thin, calibrated steel plates built to IPF or competition standards for powerlifting. Designed for maximum load on the barbell, these plates are made with minimal thickness. See: Powerlifting Plates

Standard weight plates

These plates have a 25mm centre bore, designed for standard barbells and home gym setups. Cost-effective and widely compatible. See: Standard Weight Plates

Change and fractional plates

Small-increment plates (0.25 kg to 2.5 kg) for precise micro-loading and progression. Available in various styles and finishes. See: Change & Fractional Plates

Each type has specific use cases. If you're unsure which suits your training, our team can help.

Choosing the right weight plates

Consider the following when selecting plates:

Training style and purpose

Olympic lifters will typically need bumper plates, while powerlifters benefit from thin, calibrated plates to maximise bar load. General strength training can use any type of plate, whether rubber-coated or cast iron Olympic plates, bumpers or powerlifting plates.

Barbell compatibility

Bumper plates, Powerlifting plates and Olympic weight plates are all designed to fit Olympic barbells (50mm sleeve) and standard plates designed to fit standard barbells (27-30mm sleeve). But check your barbell before purchasing as some brands are not compatible with others, even if both olympic or standard styles. Where possible, always buy from the same brand to ensure compatibility. 

Noise and floor protection

Bumper plates and rubber-coated plates can reduce noise between the plates, and offer some floor protection. Cast iron is durable but louder and harder on floors if dropped. (It’s recommended that all plates be used on rubber gym flooring to protect your plates, bars and your floors).

Budget

Rubber Coated and Cast Iron weight plates are the most affordable plates, but tend to have larger tolerances, and a wider calibration. Bumper plates and calibrated powerlifting plates cost more but offer specific performance benefits, including tighter tolerances and calibrations.

Space

Thinner plates (like powerlifting or steel plates) allow more weight on the barbell. Thicker bumper plates take up more sleeve space but are designed for drops.

Plate packages for convenience

If you're building a gym from scratch or adding a complete plate set, explore our pre-configured packages:

• Bumper Packages for Olympic lifting setups

• Bar and Weight Packages for complete barbell and plate solutions

• Powerlifting Plate Packages for competition-ready setups

• Olympic Weight Sets for traditional cast iron plate collections

Pair with barbells and storage

Complete your setup with:

• Barbells in Olympic, powerlifting, and specialty styles

• Collars to secure plates during training

• Plate Storage to keep your training area organised and accessible

• Power Racks for safe barbell training

FAQs about weight plates

What's the difference between Olympic and standard plates?

This refers to the size of the hole in the centre of the plate. 

Olympic plates have a 50-51mm centre hole and are designed to fit Olympic barbells with 50mm sleeves. Olympic weight plates, bumper plates and powerlifting plates fall into this category. 

Standard plates have a 30-31mm hole and fit standard barbells. 

Olympic plates, traditionally found mostly in athlete and commercial training environments are  more common in all home and commercial gyms.

Can I mix bumper plates and cast iron plates on the same barbell?

Yes, although it is not recommended as bumper plates are designed to be stacked together to share impact load if dropped. 

If you do mix plates, ensure that more than 50% of the weight is made up of bumper plates, and always load bumper plates on the inside (closest to the collar) so they contact the ground first if dropped. This protects the cast iron plates and floor.

How accurate are weight plates?

Calibrated competition bumper plates, powerlifting plates and calibrated change plates are accurate to within ±10 grams. Our other plates vary from 1% to 3% calibration. If precision matters, choose calibrated or competition-grade options.

Do I need bumper plates if I'm not doing Olympic lifts?

Not necessarily. Bumper plates are designed for dropping from overhead. If you're training with controlled movements and won't be dropping the bar, rubber-coated or cast iron plates work well and often cost less.

If you will regularly be training yourself or clients to fatigue and the plates will be dropped, even from knee height, bumper plates are recommended.

Looking for help and advice with Weight Plates?

Whether you're building a complete plate collection or adding specific weights, we can help. Call 03 9462 3943, email info@littleblokefitness.com.au, or visit our Melbourne showroom to test the gear and get tailored advice.