The Lifting Platform

In the heart of the gym there is a platform, on which legends are created. This is the main lifting platform of the gym. A lifting platform is a sturdy construction of which it’s main function is to protect the floors from wayward dropped weights.

Typically movements in this space consist of deadlift, snatch, clean, presses, as well as many other epic compound movements, all of which take the weights from the floor. In order to get our security deposit back on the rental, we want to protect the floors from damage, which is exactly what this platform does best.

I want to make it absolutely clear, this is THE ONLY location at the gym where you should be using a weighted barbell which might fall on the ground. The platform has four thick sheets of sub-floor plywood under the top layer. The top of the platform consists of thick horse stall mat on the sides, and fine red oak plywood in the center section.

Though this sturdy construction is probably able to take a dropped weight from above the head at Newtown Fitness Club we prescribe to the concept that you should be in control of the weights throughout the movement.

DO NOT DROP WEIGHTS even though we have a platform. The weights are iron, not rubber bumper plates. They are not designed to be dropped. You could break the weights, or the concrete if the barbell happens to fall or bounce outside of this platform. It is against the Code of Conduct to drop weights.

Setup

As seen below, the platform is designed to accommodate a barbell with weights fully over the rubber horse stall mat. In this image below you can see how a barbell should be setup to fully utilize the protective measures of the platform.

It is recommended that you do not use the trap bar on this platform. It does not span far enough across the platform for the horse stall mat to protect the weights. If you want to use the trap bar for deadlifts, I suggest wholly placing the assembly on the horse stall mat.

Clean up

Please, please, please clean up after yourself. Please do not waste other people’s time by leaving weights strewn about all over it after your session. It is important with this type of gym to clean up after yourself and make sure all the equipment is put back to where it belongs.

It is a Code of Conduct violation in the User Agreement to not put equipment back where it was when you entered the gym. Be kind, put everything back where it goes.