Which way do the plates face??

**BigLittleTim** · 09-30-2005, 03:53 PM

I was just thinking about this the other night in the gym.

A kid was doing squats, pretty decent weight, but as he added more plates I realized that sometimes the 45lb. plates were facing "in" and sometimes the lettering was facing "out".

Now, I've been loading the bar with plates, 25lb.-ers, 10lb.-ers, etc with the lettering always facing "in" since I can't even remember when. I think a big dude corrected me once way back in school, and, noticing that everyone else seemed to load up their bar this way, I just started following suit.

Question to you all: Why do we do this? Is it some ancient gym superstition? Does it have a practical reason not readily apparent to me?

-BigLittleTim

**Evil Predator** · 09-30-2005, 04:52 PM

Always in. I cant concentrate with the lettering out. And I have pointed it out to more than one new guy around the gym. I tell em its bad karma

**almostgone** · 09-30-2005, 05:12 PM

..I lift by myself so I put them on the bar whichever way they come off of the tree...

**tonytone** · 09-30-2005, 05:22 PM

always facing in for me....why? i dont know

**ya_man** · 09-30-2005, 05:29 PM

always in, dunno why, just followed the crowd!

**Hitman** · 09-30-2005, 05:29 PM

What ever way i pick the plate up is the way it goes on, end of the day the weights on the bar.

**alphaman** · 09-30-2005, 05:36 PM

great question....... I've wondered this as well. I face them in, and I've never known why!

**ToTheBuckeT21** · 09-30-2005, 05:43 PM

Face em in.. its bad luck otherwise

**TheMudMan** · 09-30-2005, 05:49 PM

The plates at my gym have lettering on both sides so it doesn't matter.

**almostgone** · 09-30-2005, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by TheMudMan

The plates at my gym have lettering on both sides so it doesn't matter.

..Ivanko plates?...

**TheMudMan** · 09-30-2005, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by almostgone

..Ivanko plates?...

I never looked............ I will on Monday when I train again.

**SwoleCat** · 09-30-2005, 06:10 PM

Use machines then you don't have to worry about plates and karma.

~SC~

**chest6** · 09-30-2005, 06:11 PM

facing in...our fball coaches made us do it just seems right

**Keyser Sozey** · 09-30-2005, 06:22 PM

Plates always facing in. Also, they have to be identical plates.
...and out of left field, I never do 13 reps... Why? No idea....Superstitious, I guess.

**J.S.N.** · 09-30-2005, 06:30 PM

i like it facing in so that when i take the weights off, the indentation fits my fingertips.

**ginkobulloba** · 09-30-2005, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by Keyser Sozey

Plates always facing in. Also, they have to be identical plates.
...and out of left field, I never do 13 reps... Why? No idea....Superstitious, I guess.

Dude, I do the same thing. Never 13 reps, but if I'm going heavy on a set, I'll do 7. For calves and abs, I always do 21.

**Keyser Sozey** · 09-30-2005, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by ginkobulloba

Dude, I do the same thing. Never 13 reps, but if I'm going heavy on a set, I'll do 7. For calves and abs, I always do 21.

LOL. If I lose count at ten or eleven, i'll do an extra 4 or 5 reps, just in case..

**ToTheBuckeT21** · 09-30-2005, 07:03 PM

I hate doing odd numbers

**collar** · 09-30-2005, 07:14 PM

facing out
i carry big numbers
so i show it off hahah
jk
but yeah i do face them out
for what reason?/ i dont know just do

**Property of Steroid.com** · 09-30-2005, 08:25 PM

Face the numbers in. Thats the way it's been done since the beginning of time.

(Jerzey, it must be noted, faces them out....incorrectly.)

**decadbal** · 09-30-2005, 10:09 PM

wait, you guys lift wts... im in the wrong place

**Power40** · 09-30-2005, 10:19 PM

I always face them in. I asked my friend, who got me into lifting, why? He told me he did not know, but everyone does it that way.

**JDawg1536** · 10-01-2005, 12:35 AM

45lbs facing in is the same as 45lbs facing out

**chest6** · 10-01-2005, 12:37 AM

Originally Posted by Decadbal

wait, you guys lift wts... im in the wrong place

damn u crack me up

**63190** · 10-01-2005, 03:07 AM

Originally Posted by J.S.N.

i like it facing in so that when i take the weights off, the indentation fits my fingertips.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That's why. The indentation is for more grip when removing them and you're all tired/sweaty. It's a form of function, not a function of form. Out is for possers. >Jersey

< every one else
The one exception to the rule was a friend of mine who said that in Bah Rein or how ever you spell it, said he lifted with them out to keep them from sticking to each other when it was 120ºF and 80-90% humidity. I think if you put to smooth sides together they would possibly stick.

I've seen in competitions, the first two plates go on facing in then after that, out.

Don't know why that is though. They might do that to look pretty.

**steadygaining1** · 10-01-2005, 04:31 AM

Facing in, this way on bench I can keep telling myslf its only 135!

**31uniform** · 10-01-2005, 04:54 AM

Facing IN.

**Anna Bollick** · 10-01-2005, 12:18 PM

I face them out. That makes the rims easier to grab for stripping the bar.

Love
Anna

**chest6** · 10-01-2005, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by Anna Bollick

I face them out. That makes the rims easier to grab for stripping the bar.

Love
Anna

nah man that makes it harder

**Liquidred** · 10-01-2005, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by Anna Bollick

I face them out. That makes the rims easier to grab for stripping the bar.

Love
Anna

i was corrected last wends by a powerlifter at my gym. He said the way its done is the first one is letters facing in and the rest facing out so its easier and quicker to strip the bar. He said he would load the bar the same way i would until he went to his first comp and he learned to load it that way. I personally dont think it matters and i still load them however i grab them.

**wink182** · 10-01-2005, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by Anna Bollick

I face them out. That makes the rims easier to grab for stripping the bar.

Love
Anna

I have to agree with Anna, It is easier stripping the bar. I personally feel also that the lettering has to face in, or I may jinx a big lift.

**ant_8u** · 10-01-2005, 01:16 PM

Ivanko plates for everyone!!

**The Return Of Hoss** · 10-01-2005, 01:37 PM

Bad luck? Karma? WTF@all of you. Its still the same weight in the end

**thegodfather** · 10-01-2005, 01:57 PM

I usually always face them in as well...however now my gym moved into a 60,000 sq ft facility, and they have these new "better" rubber coated plates, half of which are in KG and half of which are in LBS, which makes it extremely fucking confusing...The plates also have 3 holes in them big enough to fit your hand inside, so no issues gripping them or stripping the bar. They even have half pound dumbells, like 17.5lbs and 37.5lbs. Never seen anything like it, feels like im messing around with legos and not weights...

**chest6** · 10-01-2005, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by The Return Of Hoss

Bad luck? Karma? WTF@all of you. Its still the same weight in the end

nope! It weighs less facing out so im lifting more than you!

**Hackamaniac** · 10-01-2005, 03:21 PM

Facing out just habit no good or bad karma just what i've done since my buddy got me in to lifting.

**Evil Predator** · 10-01-2005, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by The Return Of Hoss

Bad luck? Karma? WTF@all of you. Its still the same weight in the end

Don't diss karma dude...

---->you

<----Karma

**Londonboy** · 10-01-2005, 04:32 PM

I never really noticed before!

BG · 10-01-2005, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by TheMudMan

The plates at my gym have lettering on both sides so it doesn't matter.

Me too, with the built in handles.

**almostgone** · 10-01-2005, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by ant_8u

Ivanko plates for everyone!!

....I wish..my plates look a fitness graveyard....everything's olympic size, but there all mixed up..CAP, Hercules, Champs, Sears.....a bunch of old stuff...but olympic plates are olympic plates.....
..I really wish I had Ivankos...My 100lb. plates are a b1tch to load on the leg sled since the only way to grab them are the tiny flanges......