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-   -   accuracy of weight plates (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=472969)

CallmeAnn Sat, Apr-09-16 12:17

accuracy of weight plates
 
I have heard it said that the weight specified on the weight plates is an approximation. Do y'all think this is true?

MickiSue Sat, Apr-09-16 12:30

Do you mean on the scales at a doctor's office?

I don't think there is such a thing, short of something so expensive that it's out of the question for even the wealthiest individuals, as a scale that's 100% accurate.

BUT. If we weigh ourselves, over and over, on a hard flat surface with the same scale, we'll eventually see whether the trend, based on that scale, is up, down or steady.

That's one of the reasons why how our clothes fit, and whether or not we need larger or smaller clothes is really a better measure of our progress than the scale, at times.

CallmeAnn Sat, Apr-09-16 12:35

Oh, no, I mean the plates at the gym that you put on the bar to lift. That's why I asked in this forum.

inflammabl Sat, Apr-09-16 14:35

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii really doubt that. People that lift everyday would be able to tell the difference between a 25+10+10 combination and a 45 if they were not accurate. Once upon a time when I lifted, I kept very detailed records of what I was doing and when. Moreover the cost per pound of weight is kind of a baseline for comparing one set to another when purchasing and there would be some mucho pissed of weight lifters if the printed weight was not accurate.

Then again, I wonder what you mean by approximate. +/-2%? That is, 1lb out of 50? Maybe. 10%? 5lb out of 50? No way.

thud123 Sat, Apr-09-16 16:57

So funny you should mention this Ann. I just did a little scale demo on this thread http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=472964 I dropped 3 cheap "10 lb" plates on my good scale and they came in high. I measured each individually and one one of the three measured at 10 lbs.

Again, CHEAP plates from China. I suspect plates at the gyms and name brands would take pride in making sure they follow a tighter tolerance. cheap plates from China are just fine by me however ;)

CallmeAnn Sun, Apr-10-16 09:18

Quote:
Originally Posted by thud123
So funny you should mention this Ann. I just did a little scale demo on this thread http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=472964 I dropped 3 cheap "10 lb" plates on my good scale and they came in high. I measured each individually and one one of the three measured at 10 lbs.

Again, CHEAP plates from China. I suspect plates at the gyms and name brands would take pride in making sure they follow a tighter tolerance. cheap plates from China are just fine by me however ;)


They are Weider brand. I thought those were reputable but who knows?

CallmeAnn Sun, Apr-10-16 09:20

Yeah, my wording wasn't very exact, was it? I just meant that they weren't held to a super tight rigid standard. I think I'll bring one to the store next time I buy a scale.

inflammabl Sun, Apr-10-16 18:13

Quote:
Originally Posted by thud123
I dropped 3 cheap "10 lb" plates on my good scale and they came in high. I measured each individually and one one of the three measured at 10 lbs.

How high?

Quote:
Again, CHEAP plates from China. I suspect plates at the gyms and name brands would take pride in making sure they follow a tighter tolerance. cheap plates from China are just fine by me however ;)

If they weighed more than 10lb then they were expensive weights.... that is, they put more metal than they should have!

thud123 Sun, Apr-10-16 19:26

Quote:
Originally Posted by inflammabl
How high?


If they weighed more than 10lb then they were expensive weights.... that is, they put more metal than they should have!

one plate was on, the other two together had 1.43 EXTRA iron, sorta like a supplement. Your comment really cracked me up, best laugh I've had all day :lol: Thanks!

Nancy LC Mon, Apr-11-16 09:10

What could be easier to test than a weight? Scales are ubiquitous. Maybe they'd be off a few ounces, but really... if you're lifting 9.9 pounds versus 10, or 10.2 pounds versus 10, would you even notice or care?

CallmeAnn Mon, Apr-11-16 13:28

Quote:
Originally Posted by thud123
So funny you should mention this Ann. I just did a little scale demo on this thread http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=472964 I dropped 3 cheap "10 lb" plates on my good scale and they came in high. I measured each individually and one one of the three measured at 10 lbs.


I wish I could just set the plates on the scale but for some reason, there has to be a person holding them.

inflammabl Mon, Apr-11-16 16:58

Quote:
Originally Posted by thud123
one plate was on, the other two together had 1.43 EXTRA iron, sorta like a supplement.

1.43 pounds out of 20? That's quite a mistake by the manufacturer. Seriously, it cost them an extra 7% in materials.

CallmeAnn Mon, Apr-11-16 18:09

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nancy LC
What could be easier to test than a weight? Scales are ubiquitous. Maybe they'd be off a few ounces, but really... if you're lifting 9.9 pounds versus 10, or 10.2 pounds versus 10, would you even notice or care?

Maybe not, but I want to be able to use them to test my scale.

MickiSue Mon, Apr-11-16 19:03

I understand wanting to get credit for every ounce lost. But in the macro, if the scale says 200 or 198, you still are the same mass.

It's the psychological payback of weighing less, and it's really not as important as being healthy, don't you think?

(None of this is to say that I WON'T celebrate when that scale finally says 145. But I try to understand that the number isn't the issue, even though my emotions say it is.)

Nancy LC Mon, Apr-11-16 20:00

Ah! Now I understand. Do you have a kitchen scale? Those are usually very accurate.


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