Lifemaxx weight plates

Why choose Lifemaxx weight plates?

Most brands in this category stop at rubber and cast iron. Lifemaxx goes considerably further and is the one brand here that carries the whole specialised spectrum: fractional plates for moving up in half kilo steps, calibrated plates with a very small weight tolerance, Competition Bumper Plates that follow IWF sizing and fixed colour coding, and Hollow Technique plates that have the diameter of a heavy plate but weigh almost nothing thanks to their hollow core.

In practice each of those four solves something concrete. If you have been stuck on the same 1,25 kg per side for months, a 0,5 kg fractional plate per side moves you up by 1 kilo instead of 2,5 kilos, and that is often the difference between progressing and stalling. If you are preparing for a meet, you do not want surprises on the day: with calibrated plates a 20 kg disc really weighs 20 kg, to within a few grams. And if you are learning the snatch or the clean, you want the bar at competition height while only 2,5 or 5 kg per side is loaded, which is exactly what a Hollow Technique plate is built for.

That does not make this a competition-only brand. The same range includes studio pump discs from 1,25 to 10 kg for group classes and a rubber 30 mm series that already starts at 0,5 kg, so lighter work and the class floor are covered as well. Also take a look at the other fitness equipment from Lifemaxx if you are still fitting out your space.

The Lifemaxx weight plate range

The range breaks down into six clear groups, from everyday to distinctly technical:

• Fractional plates: Crossmaxx Elite fractional plates from 0,5 to 5 kg, made for precision training and for keeping your progression going in small increments.
• Calibrated plates: Crossmaxx calibrated plates in 50 mm from 5 to 25 kg, with additional small discs of 0,25 and 0,5 kg, all calibrated to a very high accuracy.
• Bumper plates: coloured Crossmaxx bumper plates in 50 mm from 5 to 25 kg that can be dropped from height, plus Competition Bumper Plates from 10 to 25 kg with a separate 5 kg, colour coded according to the IWF rules.
• Technique plates: Crossmaxx Hollow Technique plates in 50 mm of 2,5 and 5 kg with a hollow, lightweight core, and a rubber technique plate of 5 kg without handgrips.
• Rubber, PU and cast iron in 50 mm: rubber plates with five handgrips from 1,25 to 25 kg for easy handling, PU olympic plates from 1,25 to 25 kg with high scratch resistance, and cast iron plates from 10 to 25 kg with a solid build.
• 30 mm and group classes: rubber 30 mm plates from 0,5 to 5 kg that protect against impact, and compact studio pump discs from 1,25 to 10 kg.

Which Lifemaxx weight plates suit you?

What you need depends less on your level than on what you do with the bar:

You have been stuck at the same weight for months: add Crossmaxx Elite fractional plates. At 0,5 kg per side you go up by 1 kilo at a time instead of the 2,5 kilos a 1,25 kg plate per side gives you. That matters most on the bench press and the overhead press, where big jumps break your progression.

You are preparing for a competition: choose Crossmaxx calibrated plates. The weight tolerance is small enough that your opening attempt matches what you lifted in training. The loose 0,25 and 0,5 kg discs also let you set every attempt exactly.

You are learning olympic lifting: take a Crossmaxx Hollow Technique plate of 2,5 or 5 kg. The bar sits at the same height as a fully loaded bar while the weight stays low. Once the movement is grooved, you switch over to real bumpers.

You drop the bar on snatches and cleans: go for coloured Crossmaxx bumper plates from 5 to 25 kg, or for Competition Bumper Plates if you want to train with the colour coding and sizing used at meets.

You simply train heavy at home: rubber plates with five handgrips or cast iron plates from 10 to 25 kg are the sensible pick. The handgrips help when carrying and changing plates, and cast iron is the slimmest per kilo so more weight fits on the sleeve.

You teach group classes or work in a studio: studio pump discs from 1,25 to 10 kg are compact and quick to swap, and the rubber 30 mm plates from 0,5 kg upwards pair well with them for lighter work.

What to look for when buying Lifemaxx weight plates

Your bar diameter: 30 or 50 mm

This is the mistake made most often. A 50 mm plate will not fit a 30 mm bar, and a 30 mm plate will not slide over an olympic sleeve. Almost the entire technical part of this brand, meaning the bumpers, the calibrated plates and the technique plates, is 50 mm, while the rubber series from 0,5 to 5 kg is 30 mm. Measure your bar or check the barbell bars to see which diameter you have before you order.

How exact does your weight need to be?

An ordinary plate may be a couple of hundred grams off and you will never notice it in normal strength training. In competition preparation it does count: four ordinary plates each running 200 grams heavy turn your 100 kg into 100,8 kg. Calibrated plates take most of that deviation out. With no meet on the calendar, it is an investment you will not earn back.

Do you drop the bar?

If you always set the bar down under control, rubber, PU or cast iron will do the job. If you release it from hip or chest height you need bumper plates, because they are thick, fully rubber and built to absorb the impact. Put a proper surface underneath as well: a set of sturdy mats saves both your floor and your plates.

Handgrips, PU or bare cast iron

The rubber plates with five handgrips are the most comfortable if you change plates often or carry them across the room. PU is more scratch resistant and better finished, so it still looks tidy after years of use. Cast iron is the slimmest per kilo, handy when you want a lot of weight on one bar, but it is hard on your floor.

Which increment do you need?

Look at the smallest jump you still want to be able to make. With plates from 1,25 kg upwards your smallest step is 2,5 kg, with 0,5 kg fractional plates it becomes 1 kg, and with the 0,25 kg calibrated discs even half a kilo. The stronger you get, the more those small steps matter. Work out where all those loose plates will live too, and have a look at the storage systems if needed.

Our advice: settle your bar diameter first, then build a base in rubber, PU or cast iron, and only then add the specialised part you will genuinely use. A set of fractional plates or a pair of technique plates will do far more for you than a fully calibrated set that mostly sits in the rack.

Who are Lifemaxx weight plates for?

• Advanced strength athletes: you are past the stage of adding 2,5 kg every week. Fractional plates keep your progression going without costing you technique.
• Competitors and powerlifters: you want your training weight to match your opening attempt. Calibrated plates and Competition Bumper Plates with IWF colour coding give you exactly that.
• Beginning weightlifters: you are learning the snatch and the clean and need the bar at the right height. The Hollow Technique plates and the 5 kg rubber technique plate are made for precisely this.
• CrossFit and functional athletes: you drop the bar and want to recognise loads by colour from a distance. The coloured Crossmaxx bumper plates from 5 to 25 kg are built for that.
• Instructors and studios: you work with groups that need to change weight quickly. Studio pump discs from 1,25 to 10 kg stay compact and light enough to hand around during a class.
• Home users with a 30 mm bar: the rubber 30 mm plates from 0,5 kg upwards cover the lighter work and protect your bar and floor against impact.

This brand is less suitable if you simply want to get stronger in your garage or basement with no special requirements. That precision costs money and only pays off if you actually make use of it; in normal strength training a few grams either way change nothing, and simple rubber or cast iron plates are the wiser buy. Note as well that this range holds no complete packages including a bar, so the bar is a separate purchase.

Need help choosing?

Would you like to buy Lifemaxx weight plates but are you not quite sure which size, material or weight range suits you? We are happy to help. You can reach our fitness specialists by phone on +31 85 773 00 57, send an email or visit our fitness store in Volkel, the Netherlands.

Frequently asked questions about Lifemaxx weight plates

What is the difference between calibrated and ordinary plates?

The difference is the permitted weight tolerance. An ordinary 20 kg plate may in practice be a couple of hundred grams off, while a calibrated plate is accurate to within a few grams. With four plates on the bar that deviation can otherwise add up to almost a kilo. For competition preparation this is relevant, for ordinary training at home hardly at all.

Do I really need fractional plates?

Only once your smallest jump becomes too big. With plates from 1,25 kg per side you go up 2,5 kg at a time, which is a lot on lifts such as the bench press and the overhead press once you have been training for a while. The Crossmaxx Elite fractional plates from 0,5 to 5 kg halve that step or better. If you are still progressing every week, you can comfortably wait.

Will these plates fit my barbell?

That depends entirely on the diameter of your bar. The technical part of the range, meaning the bumpers, the calibrated plates, the PU plates and the technique plates, has a 50 mm hole and only fits an olympic bar. The rubber series from 0,5 to 5 kg is 30 mm and fits a standard bar. Measure your bar before ordering, because the two sizes are not interchangeable.

What exactly does a Hollow Technique plate do?

That plate has the outer dimensions of a heavy bumper but a hollow core, so it weighs only 2,5 or 5 kg. As a result the bar sits at the same height above the floor as a fully loaded bar while the weight stays low. That is exactly what you want when grooving the path of a snatch or a clean. It is not a replacement for a normal plate in heavy training.

Can I drop bumper plates on any floor?

Bumper plates absorb most of the impact, but they do not remove it entirely. On concrete, tiles or a floating wooden floor you should not drop anything unprotected. Lay a sturdy rubber surface or a platform where you lift. That protects both your floor and the plates themselves.