Do you prefer working out at home to going to the gym?
Commercial gym membership offers some degree of convenience. However, nothing can be compared to the comfort you derive from your own home gym.
A home gym can’t be complete without a good Olympic Weight Set. These pieces of equipment are one of the excellent ways to improve your fitness levels.
However, not all Olympic weight sets will meet your individual needs. In that light, we’ll tell you why you should invest in one of these sets:
- York Barbell 300 lb. G-2 Dual Grip Olympic Weights
- USA Sports 300 lb. Olympic Weights
- Troy Barbell VTX Rubber Coated 300 lb. Olympic Weights
- Rubber Grip Olympic Weights with Chrome 7 Ft. Barbell
- Gold’s Gym 110 lb. Olympic Barbell Weights
What Should You Look For In an Olympic Weight Set?
There are many options for Olympic weights in the market today. Picking the ideal one can be difficult.
You’ll be able to choose the best weight sets for your needs if you take the following factors into consideration:
1. Purpose
It’s imperative that you know your objective. This will help you make a wise decision on the ideal weight and barbell set.
If you’re looking to build muscle, for instance, heavier weights will be ideal for you.
However, your fitness level notwithstanding, you need to consider weight sets as a long-term investment. You don’t have to upgrade them every year.
Hence, it’s advisable to always go for high-quality products.
2. Size
When working out, your comfort level is largely dependent upon the size of the Olympic barbell. Some exercises need a lot of space.
Take barbell lunges, for instance, you’ll need to stay clear of any stuff to avoid accidents.
Olympic barbell bars are pretty long, and the set will take plenty of room.
Therefore, be sure to have sufficient space not only to exercise but also to store the equipment.
3. Coating
In light of the fact that you’ll mostly be working out in your living room, steel weights can damage your flooring.
Even the hardest floor surfaces can suffer from scratches, with time. Hence, it’s advisable to choose sets that have coated plates.
Alternatively, you can invest in rubberized panels that can support the weights.
4. Olympic Weight Plates
It’s also important to consider the number of weight plates when choosing the best Olympic weight set.
Never underestimate your needs. You don’t want to find later that the plates you purchased are just not sufficient for some exercises.
You should take your learning curve into consideration. This will not only save you money in the long run, but it will also allow for the diversification of your workouts.
Moreover, a larger selection of Olympic weight plates will give you a wide range of options as you progress.
5. Your Training Style
Your choice of weight and barbell set will also depend on your training style.
If you are a CrossFit user, for instance, coated plates with a low bounce could be your best choice.
However, CrossFit training needs a lot of space, and hence can hardly be done at home. For that reason, the plates should be protected by rubber as you may need to use them outdoors. This will ensure that they last long.
Conversely, if you are a powerlifter, any type of weight will be okay for you, as long as they’re heavy.
You shouldn’t worry about the coating of the weights and other special features.
6. Functional Training
Something else you must take into consideration when buying a weight set is functional training.
Functional exercises should be performed on a regular basis. They are beneficial for improving your resistance and balance. Likewise, they are normally great for joint mobility.
Therefore, you should go for a set that allows for functional training.
7. Exercise Guide
A comprehensive training guide can come in handy, especially if you are a beginner.
It can be your first personal trainer when you buy your first home gym equipment, which will most likely be a weight set. However, most Olympic weight sets don’t include a training guide.
Therefore, it’s advisable to go for a weight set that comes with a comprehensive training guide. You don’t want to get disoriented at the beginning.
The guide should explain the significance of every element of the weight set. Likewise, it should show you how to work out safely.
Now, which Olympic weight set should you go for? We cover that in the next section.
Five of the Best Olympic Weight Sets You Can Buy
York Barbell 300 lb. G-2 Dual Grip Olympic Weights
York Fitness is a reputable fitness company, known to produce quality products. The York Barbell 300 lb. G-2 Dual Grip Olympic Weights is no exception.
One of the most remarkable features of this weight set is that it comes with a 45-pound, 7 feet Olympic Bar.
Most Olympic weight sets come with a 35-pound bar.
This Olympic weight is made with a great finish, and it will provide you with the needed comfort when working out.
The only setback is that it doesn’t have grip spacing in-between the plates.
PROS
- Reputable fitness company.
- Striking touch and finish to the plates.
CONS
- No rubber coat
- No grip spacing between the plates.
USA Sports 300 lb. Olympic Weights
Are you looking for a high-quality Olympic set that has a professional feel?
If yes, then the USA Sports 300 lb. Olympic Weights should be the ideal choice of weight set for your power rack or weight bench.
This weight set comes with a selection of 14 plates that not only look but also feel professional.
What’s more, it comes with a 7-foot, black Olympic Bar and a pair of spring collars. It also features nicely crafted plates.
Another remarkable feature about this weight set is the tough black satin enamel finish. This remarkable finish adds a fine touch to the design and quality of the weight set. It also makes up for the lack of the rubber coating.
PROS
- Incredible professional feel and design.
- Black satin enamel finish.
CONS
- Doesn’t have rubber coating.
Troy Barbell VTX Rubber Coated 300 lb. Olympic Weights
If you are looking for a sleek weight set, then the 300-pound VTX by Troy Barbell could be your perfect choice.
Besides being one of the sleekest weight sets on the market, the VTX plates also offer easy handling.
You should expect this weight set to serve you for as long as you live, thanks to the strong rubber coating on the plates.
The Troy Barbell VTX Rubber Coated 300 lb also features a striking design and finish.
PROS
- Excellent finish and design.
- Olympic VTX rubber cased grip plates.
- Hard-wearing.
- Great grip spacing.
CONS
- No user has complained yet.
Rubber Grip Olympic Weights, with Chrome 7 Ft. Barbell
If you are worried about your floor getting chipped or cracked, the Rubber Grip Olympic Weights could be your perfect choice.
The plates of this weight set are encased in heavy-duty rubber, which ensures that your floor doesn’t get damaged.
You can effortlessly lift and place the plates on the 7-foot Olympic bar, thanks to the quad-grip design.
What’s more, the plates are impact-resistant. They are hard wearing and won’t crack or rust. You should expect them to last a lifetime.
This weight set also features an integrated sleeve placed into each plate. This ensures that the plates will not only easily slip onto the bar, but will also hold firmly.
PROS
- Quad-grip on plates
- Impact-resistant plates with rubber coating
- Integrated metal sleeve on plates
CONS
- Plates have a strong odor
Gold’s Gym 110 lb. Barbell Weight Set
If you prefer a weight set with a lighter Olympic bar, the Gold’s Gym 110 lb. Barbell Weight Set could be your ideal choice.
This weight set comes with a 30-pound Olympic bar, with handles to lock the weights in place.
Also, you can easily load and carry the bar, thanks to the use of tri-grip spacing between the plates.
It is worth noting, however, that the plates for this weight set have no rubber coating. Hence, it’s not a good choice if you care about your floor.
PROS
- Made of solid cast iron.
- Uses tri-grip spacing.
- Olympic bar has 3 parts
CONS
- Plates lack rubber coating
Our Recommendation
You don’t need a commercial gym membership to stay in good shape. You can build your own gym at home, which offers the best degree of comfort and convenience.
We highly recommend the York Barbell 300 lb. G-2 Dual Grip Olympic Weights.
Olympic weight sets are the most recommended as opposed to standard weight sets. They are more stable, safer to use, more durable, and offer the highest level of comfort.
There is a wide selection of Olympic weight sets available on the market today. It can be difficult to choose the best one that fits your needs.
With this review, however, you will be able to make an informed decision on the best Olympic weight set to buy.