Design for a Quiet, Low Vibration Olympic

Weightlifting Training Platform

By Bill Brian

1. Background

I have Olympic weight lifted for more than 30 years in many different gyms. The problems and experiences that I have encountered include:

• Gym owners, managers, trainers, and members often express irritation and fear as a result of the noise and vibration that results from controlled or uncontrolled dropping of Olympic weights from the overhead position.


• Olympic weightlifting is sometimes perceived to be a violent sport because of the noise/vibration that results from controlled or uncontrolled dropping of weights.


• Damage results to Olympic bumper plates and bars from weights dropped at an angle onto a solid surface or platform with insufficient padding and noise/vibration dampening ability. Some of this damage occurs because the bar quality is poor, the plates are not secured to the bar with clips or collars, or in some cases, abuse by lifters. In many cases, I have been in gyms that did not provide collars or clips, or did not replace them when they were stolen or damaged.


• Olympic lifting is prohibited or discouraged by many gyms even though they have the basic lifting equipment and a rudimentary platform because of the above problems.


• Olympic lifting is banned or prohibited by gyms by either removing the existing Olympic lifting equipment and platforms or not providing it in the first place because of the above problems.


• Out of ignorance or inconsideration, or poorly placed platforms that invite foot traffic across them, gym members walk onto a platform while a lifter is performing a lift, inviting injury and irritation.

I believe that the above list covers the primary problems that must be addressed and solved in order to enable Olympic lifting to be re-introduced into gyms and have it accepted as a friendly and safe sport. To this end, I have designed a platform that seems to adequately dampen noise and vibration to an acceptable level for even the most skittish gym owner or club member. This being said, common sense must be used around free weights, and there is no substitute for awareness and being in the right place at the right time. Along with “Don’t drive and drink,” we can add “Don’t be stupid in a weight room.” It is also essential to use collars or clips and bumper plates instead of steel change whenever possible. Instead of a 10k steel plate, use a 10k bumper plate to help spread out the impact and lessen the clanging of steel against steel

2. Platform Plan

A simplified, low cost platform that adequately dampens noise and vibration can be built with minimal effort and expense. Two platform lengths are suggested: 6’ and 8’. The 8’x 8’ platform requires less cutting of material than the 6’x 8’.

A. Cushions: The drop cushion is a composite of old carpeting and carpet foam padding sandwiched in layers and built up to about 8” thick, topped with a ¾” horse mat to distribute the weight across the cushion. The cushions fit into the cushion wells. The 5” thick cushion didn’t work too well, but 8” seemed to dampen the vibration and noise to a whisper (we test-dropped 150k from full height.) Place one layer of carpet on the bottom of the well, add the carpet pad pieces, and then place a carpet layer on top. You can add more carpet layers in between the pad pieces if you have them. Try to keep the majority of the cushion comprised of padding since it does most of the cushioning. The carpet adds strength and keeps the pads from disintegrating by direct contact with the horse mats or bumper plates. Additional cushion thickness might be needed for big weights. It is a simple matter to build more cushions and adjust the center section height by adding more sheets of plywood/horse mats. After assembling the platform and cushion well, cut the padding and carpeting into 2’x 8’ pieces and stack enough of them together inside the wells until the height (including the top horse mat layer) is parallel to the center section. Test with a barbell loaded and pressing down on the mat/cushion. Since horse mats are usually 4’x 6’, cut one in half to get (2)-2’x 6’ pieces.

B. Platform Frame and Cushion Wells:The base of the platform is made from (4) - ¾”x 4’x 8’ sheets of plywood, with 2 sheets rotated 90 degrees to the other sheets, and fastened together with 1 ¼” drywall screws. The center section is built up from either (11) - ¾”x 4’x 8’ sheets of plywood with a ¾” horse mat placed on the top of the plywood or (12) sheets without the horse mat. Alternatively, the center section can be a floor joist frame structure to replace the multiple plywood layers. The floor joist structure would use 2x6 joists spaced no less than 12” apart, to support the lifter adequately, with (3) ¾” thick pieces of plywood and a horse mat on top of that or (4) sheets without the horse mat top layer. Use 1 ¼” drywall screws to assemble to layers of plywood together and to fasten the first layer to the plywood base. Use 2 ¼” or longer drywall screws to fasten the 2x6 frame members together. Use 2 ¼” drywall screws to attach the 2x2 cleats to the plywood base.

C. List of Materials for 8' X 8' Platform:

(2)-8’ 2x2’s

(2)-8’ 2x6’s

(2)-8’3” 2x6’s

(7-8 with or without horse mat top layer)- ¾” x 4’x 8’ plywood (For the Center Joist Floor design) or

(15-16 with or without horse mat top layer)- ¾”x 4’x 8’ plywood (For the Solid Center Design)

(3)- ¾” x 4’x 6’ rubber horse mats (For Top Layer of Center Section and Top of Cushions) or

(1)- ¾” x 4’x 6’ rubber horse mats (For Top of Cushions with ¾ “ plywood for Top of Center Section)

(40)- 2’x 8’ pieces of foam carpet pad (get used pad free from carpet stores)

(4+)- 2’x 8’ pieces of carpet (get used carpet free from carpet stores

(1 #) – 1 ¼” drywall screws

(24) – 2 ¼” drywall screws

D. Key Dimensions:

Outside dimensions: 8’3”x 8’3” or 6’3”x 8’3”

Center (lifting) section: 4’x 8’ or 4’x 6’

Outer cushion (weight drop) section 2’x 8’ or 2’x 6’,

Minimum cushion thickness: 8”

8’x 8’ Plan