Competitive weightlifting is a highly regimented contest which uses specially designed Olympic bumper plates with low tolerances. Strength athletics is not.

Both designed to hold Olympic weight plates, weightlifting and powerlifting barbells have a similar purpose but are often very differently made in practice.

Devices like a folding workout bench give you the flexibility to create your own home gym, which has so many advantages for getting you fitter and stronger.

Whilst there are a lot of different weight plates and barbells, Olympic plates are uniquely designed, colour-coded and have very small variation tolerances.

When setting up a home gym, the best place to start is with a varied set of hex dumbbells, as their versatile shape will allow for a wide range of different exercises to be done with them. Of course, they can be used for the classic bicep curl, but they can also be used for bench presses and overhead presses, as well as adding resistance and challenge to other exercises such as squats and lunges. If you are just starting out with building muscle and only want to commit to one piece of equipment, dumbbells allow you to train every part of your body through an almost uncountable number of exercises. It is such an essential part of so many workout routines that it has existed long before any modern idea of fitness or physiology. It did not originate in the modern gym but in the Ancient Greek gymnasium. This may not be entirely surprising, but what can be somewhat unusual is that dumbbells were not originally designed for fitness, but to help people fly. Launch Of The Halteres Whilst fitness has existed since human beings have in some form or another, the link between exercise, health and education was established in Ancient Greece, and with that came the start of physical training as we recognise it. The predecessor of the dumbbell was the haltere, a carved stone piece of equipment that looked like a cross between a dumbbell and a kettlebell. Various halteres have been preserved, weighing somewhere between 2kg and 9kg, and the early physician and writer on fitness subjects Antyllus even described three primary exercises that very closely resemble three common exercises seen in many dumbbell routines. The Ancient Greeks had bicep curls, lunges with the halteres held by outstretched arms, and an exercise described as a “dead-lift” that is vaguely described but sounds similar to a modern dumbbell deadlift. However, whilst they were eventually a common exercise tool, that was not what they were originally used for. Instead, they were used to propel their bodies further. The Ancient Olympic Games featured a long jump event, but it is believed that, unlike the modern event, the running start was replaced by using a pair of weights to swing forward. A 2002 study suggested that the halteres added around six inches to a three-metre jump on average, although this would naturally vary based on technique, strength, the weight of the halteres and so on. However, they were also used as part of drill exercises to build physical strength and as part of training exercises. The original semicircular shape may have been chosen because it resembles the types of round shields used by gladiators of the era. One of the most important single figures for the focus on fitness and the use of halteres for this purpose is Galan, another Greek physician who trained gladiators in Asia Minor. He developed a set of exercises, possibly the three that Antyllus would also note, and given the connection between athletics and war that was found in the ancient world, it stands to reason that Olympic events were designed around drills that would also build up muscle strength needed for combat. When Ancient Greece was conquered by the Romans, the latter co-opted a lot of the former’s inventions and customs, which included the halteres themselves, as well as the concept of progressive overload. The Ancient Greeks would often tell the story of Milo of Croton, the most famous wrestler in Ancient Greek history, who allegedly got his almost Herculean strength by carrying a calf from the day it was born until it became an ox, caring a full-sized one through the Olympia stadium as a demonstration of his power. Progressive overload was far less possible with the halteres due to the rather inconsistent weights they had, but the concept ultimately proved to be highly influential to modern fitness regimes and is the reason why people often buy adjustable dumbbells with plates that they can keep adding to. The Romans took this part, but with a focus less on fitness for the sake of improving mental and physical health, and more as part of a civic duty. You support the Republic in war by fighting and in peace by preparing for war. This push, largely developed by the Roman general Gaius Marius as part of a power play to gain political control, helped to develop a fitness regime that is not far removed from elite fitness routines commonly practised today and all originating from a stone that helped people jump a little bit further.

  At-home gyms have only grown in popularity since the pandemic and there’s a huge amount to be said for the convenience of having gym equipment in very close proximity, giving you even more opportunities to get fit and stay healthy. One of the most popular additions to these gyms is, of course, the assault bike, a stationary cycling machine that uses a fan to create resistance for you to work against, alongside handlebars that you push and pull for an awesome full body workout.  Remember that the harder you pedal, the more resistance you’ll get, so you can really challenge yourself and really put yourself through your paces, all without even having to leave the house! To get the most out of your bike, you need to focus on form at all times. Make sure you keep your feet on the pedals and your hands on the handlebars, with your back straight and your core muscles switched on. Don’t just hold onto the handlebars as you pedal, but make sure that you’re pumping with your arms as well to get your upper body working hard, as well. Once you’ve got to grips with the mechanics, you can start training hard - and assault bikes are absolutely perfect for high-intensity interval training where you perform short bursts of intense exercise, followed either by a rest period or less intense activity. The more you do the better you’ll get at it but if you’re new to the bike, perhaps start off by pedalling as hard as you can for 20 seconds and then resting for 60 seconds. Repeat this sequence three times.  The fitter you get, the longer you’ll be able to pedal for. Make sure you take note of your recovery times, as you may want to reduce these as you become more proficient. Of course, these are only a couple of hints and tips for assault bike success. If you need any further help or advice, get in touch with us today!