How many bumpers do I really need?

[Joe Fortenberry]

I'm looking at entering into the wonderful world of garage gyms. I plan to start with a bar and bumper setup and then go from there. I like to go heavy on squat and deadlift fairly often, but I'm a novice at best on the Oly lifts. My question is, how many bumpers plates do I really need? I would like to get enough to get by and then possibly add iron plates bought locally for when I need to go heavier. I don't have anything as of now, so I'll probably start with one of the 230 or 260 lb sets (probably 230 b/c I think I'll purchase iron 10s and 5s locally as well). Mats and a squat stand will follow closely behind.

I'm really digging the War Chest packages from Rogue and will probably go that route if I decide I need extra bumpers.

[Jesse Kodadek]

230 would get you to 275 with a bar, that should keep you busy with oly lifts for a while.

If you can find cheap 45 pound iron plates, that will be fine for deadlifting/squatting when you need to go heavy.

[Ben Sparks]

Just like Jesse said, get 4 or 6 iron 45's for your heavy squats & deads and the 230# set of bumpers will be plenty.

I got the 260# set (45's, 35's, 25's, 15's, 10's) and almost never use the 35's. I would have been better off getting 4 45's and no 35's even, as 25+10 takes up less space on the bar (Hi-Temps) than a 35 does, but 35+10 takes up more space than a 45 does.

[Michael Leach]

as many as you can afford! shipping is outrageous so if you're already spending like $125 for freight for your 260lb set, add as many bumpers as you can afford as the shipping costs probably wont change.

initially i bought:
4 - 10s
4 - 15s
4 - 25s
2 - 45s

and paid $125 in freight for them. shortly thereafter i kicked myself for not getting a couple more 45s at the same time. well fast-forward a couple years later and i finally bought 2 more 45s. except the price went up from like $45 per 45# bumper to $69 per 45#, and it cost me $54 for UPS shipping. i've now got four of each 10s, 15s, 25s, and 45s and im a very happy man

[John Devine]

If money is at all an issue, I would suggest an alternate strategy which has worked for me. I bought used iron for $90 which included a bench, squat rack, oly bar and about 300 lbs of weight. A friend then gave me a squat stand, another bar and about 230 lbs of weight.

I just started adding bumpers as I wanted to do more oly lifting. I started with 25's and 10's, 2 each. I think I may add 2 more of each next. That will give me increments of 45, 65, 85, 95, 115, 135, 145, 165 and 185 just using those 8 bumpers. I don't see the point of using 15's or 35's since I can add iron 2.5's, 5's and 10's for the loads in between. Once I max out at 185, I'll add some 45's. This works for me since; A) I'm not that strong and; B) I'm doing higher rep sets not 1RMs stuff.

[Joe Fortenberry]

just looking at Rogue, and I can get the SPX stands, Rogue bar, and 4-45 lb bumpers for just over a grand. then i can add a pair of 25s for about $100 shipped. sound like a good start?