A solution to the hex plate problem?

Bands, chains, wraps, straps, racks... are you sure this is training related?

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CaptainAwesome
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A solution to the hex plate problem?

#1

Post by CaptainAwesome » Wed Sep 28, 2022 1:51 pm

Anyone used anything like this before? I'm curious if they are a viable option or wishful thinking. I have to drive to gyms that are almost a half hour away to get access to true bumper plates for my deadlifts and such. Meanwhile there is another location I use when I have nothing from the floor to do that is much, much closer, but only has the dreaded hex plates. Something like this could save me a lot of time during the week.

https://hexbumper.com/

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mgil
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Re: A solution to the hex plate problem?

#2

Post by mgil » Wed Sep 28, 2022 4:13 pm

I dunno.

Doing deadlift sets where you reset the bar with minimal time between pulls vice doing them sequentially is the same stimulus.

CaptainAwesome
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Re: A solution to the hex plate problem?

#3

Post by CaptainAwesome » Wed Sep 28, 2022 4:46 pm

Always feels like a race against the clock though. Also, the things spin unevenly, you can end up having to twist and turn plates. I just don't like it. The "bumper" part might also be of some value since I don't think my close-by gym has options for lessening the blow of 405+ loads hitting the floor.

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mgil
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Re: A solution to the hex plate problem?

#4

Post by mgil » Wed Sep 28, 2022 5:12 pm

I’d expect those things to fall apart.

Don’t treat the “set” concept like a hallowed idea. It’s just density of reps for convenience. Set the bar down, stand up, take a breath, reset, pull. Maybe a set of 5 takes a minute now. No big deal.

Honestly, I’d just swap them out for Pendlay Rows.

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mouse
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Re: A solution to the hex plate problem?

#5

Post by mouse » Thu Sep 29, 2022 3:38 am

If someone snuck into my garage and replaced all my POS iron plates with stop sign plates I would just do controlled touch and go deads...

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mbasic
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Re: A solution to the hex plate problem?

#6

Post by mbasic » Thu Sep 29, 2022 7:34 am

mouse wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 3:38 am If someone snuck into my garage and replaced all my POS iron plates with stop sign plates I would just do controlled touch and go deads...
I have many years with those 12-sided plates .... and its not so bad once you get used to it.

For the OP, yeah, if you wholesale-completely-drop your deadlifts in the ground, yeah the bar moves around.

But if you super softly touch and go at the bottom its doable.

OR, deadlift standing a plinth or a plate, and do floating deadlifts.

OR, just be careful, set it down, and completely reset everything and take your next rep.

===============

Also, the bumper wrap gizmo, HAS to add height to the plates.
But then again, the hex plates probably aren't standard/regulation height to begin with.

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Re: A solution to the hex plate problem?

#7

Post by Theophilus » Thu Sep 29, 2022 11:59 am

I had this same issue, maybe ten years ago, working out at 24 Hour Fitness, and ended up finding the same product online -- I'm actually shocked they're still in business, as I've never seen this contraption in use out in the wild. My solution, which works well enough with at least 3 to 4 plates on each end of the bar, is to rotate each plate by a few degrees such that the points/flats of each plate are alternating, thereby producing a sort of almost round surface. This reduced lateral bouncing and I found I could get a few decent reps in before I had to readjust the plates.

CaptainAwesome
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Re: A solution to the hex plate problem?

#8

Post by CaptainAwesome » Thu Sep 29, 2022 3:47 pm

Has anyone out there actually used these things though? Bueller?

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Re: A solution to the hex plate problem?

#9

Post by KOTJ » Thu Sep 29, 2022 6:46 pm

I tweaked my back once with those stupid plates because a corner of the plate caused me to rotate/twist.

Then I just bought 45lb bumpers. Left them in my trunk and took them to the gym.

And now I have those bumpers for the home gym

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