Standard Weight Collars
Every gym I've ever ventured into has a list of rules. One that I guarantee will be forever at the top of almost every gym's list is this one: Weight collars must be used to secure all weight plates.
You see, weight collars, or weight clamps as they're sometimes called, are responsible for holding the weight plates on your dumbbells, Olympic and standard bars. Obviously a good set of collars is important if you expect the weight plates stay in place. You can probably imagine the kind of injuries and destruction a loose 45-pound weight plate could cause to your body, your floor and your other gym equipment if you don't take the time to lock it on your bar.
Weight collars are just as important in your home gym as they are at commercial gyms, but first, you're going to have to pick what kind of weight-holding gizmo you want. Most standard weight collars just screw on similar to a big nut and washer. However, the better quality ones offer a self-locking mechanism that's held in place by springs that lock the plates tightly in place and only release them when you do it manually. These are called spring collars and you can find more information about them in this section as well.
Weight collars are available in heavy-duty steel and aluminum designs for about $30 to $50 dollars a pair, on average. If you're purchasing collars online just be aware that some of the clamp or screw-on collars are Olympic bars and standard bars specific.
After spending a decent amount of time in a gym, I've come to expect the following essentials from my weight collars:
- First and foremost, a collar should reduce risk of injury caused by a plate sliding.
- A collar should mar or scratch your bar as little as possible.
- A collar should come on and off easily so you can change your weights quickly.
- Weight collars should never be cumbersome or else lifters won't use them.
- Weight collars should be durable enough to withstand the abuse of weightlifting.
