Hey Buddy, Got a Quarter? by Anthony “Big Ant' DeAngelis, Natural Pro, NPC National Level Competitor With strength comes size, we all know this right? The hundred pound plates on the leg sled and the forty-five pound plates on the Olympic bar when pressing, shrugging and deadlifting are what makes the muscles grow. But, for me, some exercises I prefer the twenty five pound plates. Let me explain why. T-Bar Rows. I am talking about the “old school” T-Bar rows with the Olympic bar placed in a corner of a gym, and using the “V” handle on the other end of the bar. Sure the forty-five pound plates will fit on this apparatus, and it will impress most of the regular gym members who are training for health and fitness. But it will also shorten your range of motion; muscles that should turn on and should get worked are not. Would you do half movements on the bench press or barbell curl? No, than we should not do half movements on the T-Bar. I use the twenty-five pound plates when T-Bar rowing. Again better range of motion is what I am after and also muscle contraction. When exercising with proper form, I feel this movement in my latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius, spinal erectors and posterior deltoids. Seated Front Barbell Shoulder Press. I have had my share of shoulder injuries from torn rotator cuffs to tendonitis. I know I have to warm up more than the average person. I see most guys come into the gym; launch into seated shoulder presses with a pair of forty-five pound plates on each side for their first set and than throw another two forty five pound plates for set two. Again that is them; my protocol is a little different. I use the twenty five pound plates for my increases, it forces me to gradually warm up more and move up slower to the max-weight for six to eight repetitions. Also it is much easier to pull off the twenty five pound plates for drop sets, ever do drop sets with twenty five pound plates? Try them you and your body will love them. Upright Rows w/ Curl Bar. A great movement for the trapezius using a close grip and lateral deltoid with a wide grip. I am strong enough to pile on the forty five pound plates. When using the curl bar, I get less strain on my wrists and with the twenty five pound plates, my elbows will not hit the sides of the weights. My elbows get killed by hitting the forty five pound plates when exercising with both grips. Again a gradual increase in weight takes the “danger” out of this movement. Weighted Crunches and Hyperextensions. Again, the twenty five pound plates are the perfect size (for me) to add resistance and extra weight when doing incline crunches and hyper extensions. If one quarter is not enough weight, just grab another and hold them together. Next time you're at the gym, you will probably see weight trees loaded with twenty five pound plates and most of the forty five pound plates will be in use. Give the above exercises a try with the twenty five pound plates and let your body experience the new muscle growth it deserves.