Why do the weights at the gym feel lighter than my home gym?

[Fat Guy]

Does this happen to anyone else? I have a membership to 24 Hour Fitness and I tend to hit 20lbs more pounds on my sets in the gym than when I workout at home.

I usually hit a 365lbs benchpress for 3 to 5 reps at home but at the gym I can easily hit 385lbs for 3 to 5 reps. Also, it’s the same when I do squats and deads.

I don’t know if it’s the air conditioning, or all the fake tits running around, or not wanting to look weak in front of others, or if it is just that the weights and bars in the gym are just lighter than my standardized weights at home. I have been actually tempted to weigh some of the weights/ bars on the scale at the gym just to make sure they are accurate.

Anyone else have this experience?

[Bojangles69]

I actually notice a difference too, just not to that extent.

When I use my home gym nearly everything I do is heavier. I literally go crazy. Take my shirt off, blast the music, and go crazy.
At the gym I can't really get into it quite the same way like I do at home.

[Skully44420]

i'm guessing probably just not wanting to look like a puss in front of people? LOL that and showing off to the tits...i mean chicks. i notice if i have a crowd i got more uummpphh lol

[Fat Guy]

I think the crowd makes a difference especially when they have nice tits wrapped up in a tight little gym top…

[ayomacs]

doing what?

[GT2]

Yeah mate, I've experienced the same phenomenon.
Whenever I workout in a home gym, my lifts are weaker than in an actual gym. And it actually seems like weights at the gym are lighter than what they are meant to be, but i sincerely doubt it

[T3/T4 GSR]

I noticed this from one gym to another. There are def DBs out there that weigh less than they say they do.

[Voice of Reason]

.....

[Amorphic]

i noticed a difference in dumbbells when i changed gyms. not sure if its a placebo effect though. some more comfortable dumbbells with thicker grips feel more comfortable to me and hence lighter.

[MuscleScience]

There are actually studies out there about this effect believe it or not. In almost all the studies those who workout in front of others report better and more productive results.

[Voland]

I noticed this from one gym to another. There are def DBs out there that weigh less than they say they do.

that would be my experiece too

[Fat Guy]

There are actually studies out there about this effect believe it or not. In almost all the studies those who workout in front of others report better and more productive results.

Maybe when you’re standing next to someone like this at the gym those test levels increase just a bit giving you more strength…

Copied from the cleavage thread… thanks.

[gixxerboy1]

db's and weight plates do vary. Cheaper brands dont hold a good tolerance.

Also gyms may vary because of pully ratio's. Cheaper gyms just dont give a crap. But some gyms do certian things at different ratios for reasions. Like the chest press may be 1:25 to 1. That way you can go heaver the nthe stack really is. But it might be .5:1 on the leg curl. So people can increase in smaller amounts and its a weaker exercise.

[DSM4Life]

There are actually studies out there about this effect believe it or not. In almost all the studies those who workout in front of others report better and more productive results.

I believe it. I use to workout at home but never put the intensity into like i do when i go to the gym. I don't get bothered by the phone, dog or the B/f. I get there work then get out which is how it should be.

[IronReload04]

do you have a smith machine at home? those can really vary. Their is a smith in one gym that actually is harder than free weights.


But theirs alot of factors too. different weights and dumbells and barbells all are engeneered slightly differently and have slightly different weight distributions. bar thickness is a huge factor as well.

here is a good example. you've all seen ronnie coleman videos right? notice how thin those bars are and how thin those plates are. then compare that to a new up scale gym with thicker chrome plated bars and often the plates look tougher and thicker.

ie. compare a jay cutler video to a ronnie coleman one. In some videos where jay is working out at a newer fancier up scale gym, those weights might be ever so slightly tougher.

thats a small difference. for me, strength might vary 5%. thats really it though.

[MuscleScience]

I believe it. I use to workout at home but never put the intensity into like i do when i go to the gym. I don't get bothered by the phone, dog or the B/f. I get there work then get out which is how it should be.

The researchers in one study likened the effect similar to lifting with a partner. Everyone knows that lifting with a partner helps improve your workout.

[MuscleScience]

Maybe when you’re standing next to someone like this at the gym those test levels increase just a bit giving you more strength…

Copied from the cleavage thread… thanks.

If I am lifting next to something like that I dont think my weights would go up.

[Chode Logan]

I notice this aswell, from gym to gym. I have a membership at 2 different places, and I couldn't figure out why I was so much weaker at my main one (with dumbells). Then I realized the bar was thicker, plus the 80 lb dumbells were 80 lbs of free weight, then the bar. At the other gym the bar was factored into the 80 lbs. That is the most obvious answer. Unless your gym has the rubber ones or any of the kinds that are all one piece. Those are weird to me, they feel so much lighter than they say. I went to a gym that had the solid rubber ones and could curl their 75 lb dumbells no problem, and at my gym 60's give me a kick in the balls. So I'm convinced they're all different and you never really know ha.

Always quote the weights you lift with the lighter dumbells though ;-) hahahah

[VeraDeMilo]

Maybe its a trick they pull like how some womens clothing stores put in slimming mirrors so all the clothes the chicks try on look better on them so they buy more.

You keep thinking you've gotten stronger since you started lifting at this gym. This keeps you renewing your membership and buying the protein shakes at the gym, lol.

[VeraDeMilo]

^^^ That was a joke, but on a serious note, I am good friends with the manager of my gym and we do have rigged scales there. Depending how much weight is placed on them, the more their accuracy is skewed. For example, if you are 250lbs it may be off by 10lbs and read 240. If you are 125lbs it may be off by 5lbs and say 120. People sometimes grow suspect that they are off and place a 45lb weight on them but sure enough, they say 45lbs. They only taper as you go heavier.

This keeps the guys there more trying to get bigger when they see they are lighter. And it keeps the girls going there more thinking they lost weight so their cardio is actually making a difference.

[Crest]

my gym just changed weights for these crappy rubber/plastic things and they are easily lighter than the old metal ones .... which is annoying.

[number twelve]

a lot has to do with the thickness of the grips. also you should actually weigh the weights. you would be surprised on the variations..

[DSM4Life]

The researchers in one study likened the effect similar to lifting with a partner. Everyone knows that lifting with a partner helps improve your workout.

I use people in the gym as motivation. Wait till someone looks at you then keep it in your head your being watch and it helps you push out a few more reps.

[mex83]

At my gym we have both the old metal plates and the ones ones that have plastic around them and yes I have notice that the plastic ones are ligheter than the old fashion metal ones.