One of the primary concerns for home and garage gym owners is the associated noise. While we previously addressed this topic in our guide on reducing home gym noise, we realized that we hadn’t thoroughly investigated the matter with real world data, until now.
Recognizing that dropped barbells tend to generate the most noise in a home gym setting, we decided to conduct a comprehensive experiment to measure their loudness. While switching to bumper plates instead of metal plates is a well-known method for reducing noise in a gym, we were uncertain about the noise levels associated with dropped bumper plates.
We set out to quantify the difference in noise between competition and budget bumper plates, and to see if crash mats were as effective at reducing the noise of dropped weights as we thought they were. We wanted to create a resource for home gym and garage gym owners, so that you know exactly how loud a home gym is and how to mitigate the noise.
The findings from this experiment will assist you in selecting the appropriate equipment, allowing you to maximize your training benefits while minimizing disturbances for your family and neighbours.
The Key Results:
Dropped barbells are consistently between 110 and 115 dB when landing on rubber gym flooring, regardless of the weight. Dropping weights onto crash pads or dropper pads reduces their noise by 26+%. The difference is the equivalent of the noise of a nightclub vs. an average office.
The effect of dropper pads is the same for competition-level bumper plates and budget bumper plates.
Dropped barbells produce about the same noise whether dropped from hips, shoulders or overhead.
Our Experiment to Test How Loud Dropped Barbells Are
To conduct our experiment, we got our hands on a decibel reader available on Amazon. Our plan was to drop loaded barbells under different conditions. We chose to test the noise levels when dropping the barbell from overhead, the shoulders, and the top of a deadlift position because these are the typical heights at which a barbell is dropped in a home gym.
Our aim was to make several important comparisons:
- To determine the noise difference between competition bumper plates and budget bumper plates.
- The effectiveness of weightlifting crash mats (also known as drop mats) in reducing noise.
- To assess whether the differences between bumper plate types and the impact of dropping the barbell on the floor versus using crash mats remained consistent across different drop heights.
To ensure fairness, we loaded the barbells with approximately consistent weights, because the kilogram and lbs plates don’t line up perfectly. For example, we used 40 kg with competition bumper plates and 95 lbs with the budget bumper plates.
Each drop was onto either our ¾” thick rubber flooring or onto the Rogue Crash Cushions.
With these controlled conditions and careful measurements, we were ready to uncover the truth about the noise levels associated with different bumper plate types and the impact of crash mats.
How Loud are Dropped Barbells with Bumper Plates?
We have to start with how loud loaded barbells are when they’re dropped. Our research found that dropped barbells are consistently between 110 and 115 dB when landing on rubber gym flooring, regardless of the weight on the bar. This is similar to the loudness of a nightclub or concert.
No one wants to hang out in a small space, like a garage or basement, that is constantly as loud as a nightclub. And your family and neighbours don’t want to hear that either.
But what can we do about the noise associated with dropped barbells and home gyms in general?
Let’s dive into the rest of the results to see if there’s a difference in sound between different quality bumper plates and to see how effective weightlifting crash mats are at reducing gym noise.
Competition Bumper Plates vs. Budget Bumper Plates Noise Comparison
We were interested in the disparity in noise levels between our Rogue Competition Bumper Plates and Rogue Echo Bumper Plates. These bumper plates represent the higher and lower ends of the budget spectrum, each possessing distinct rubber densities and material properties.
Our hypothesis going into the experiment was that the competition bumper plates would be quieter compared to the budget bumper plates.
Are More Expensive Bumper Plates Quieter Than Budget Bumper Plates
To our surprise, the results of the experiment revealed that there was no substantial difference in loudness between the competition-level and budget-level bumper plates.
When the barbells were dropped on our gym floor, the average difference in decibel readings was only 0.4% (+/- 1.3% standard deviation). In this scenario, the competition plates were only slightly louder than the budget plates across various weights, but the difference was minimal.
The data became more erratic when the different bumper plate styles were dropped onto crash mats, as shown below.
In some instances the competition bumpers were louder than the budget plates by up to 12%. Conversely, there were cases where the budget plates were 10% louder than the competition plates when dropping a weight of 40kg or 95lbs from the top of a deadlift position. On average, when the loads were dropped onto crash mats, the competition plates were approximately 2% louder than the budget plates (standard deviation: 8%).
Overall, when considering all of the data and summarizing it, there was only a 1% difference in loudness between the competition bumper plates and the budget plates. This difference is not significant and suggests that both types of plates produce the same level of noise when dropped.
Dropping Weights on Crash Mats vs. Rubber Floor - Noise Comparison
Crash mats have been a go-to solution for CrossFitters and Olympic Weightlifters who want to keep the noise from dropped barbells to a minimum. Dropping onto mats is a common practice in commercial gyms too, not just garage gyms.
If you’ve ever set foot in a gym equipped with dropper pads, you know firsthand that they work like magic in reducing the noise compared to dropping a barbell directly onto a rubber gym floor. We didn’t want to just rely on your experiences and anecdotes though—we wanted to back it up with hard data.
So, we dove into the data to determine exactly how effective dropper pads are at minimizing the noise of dropped barbells. Because having a quieter gym space is a game-changer, whether you’re in your garage or at a bustling commercial gym.
How Effective Are Dropper Pads on Reducing Barbell Noise?
Our results reveal some exciting findings regarding the effectiveness of crash mats or dropper pads in reducing the loudness of dropped barbells.
On average, using crash mats or dropper pads resulted in a 26 to 27% reduction in the loudness of a dropped barbell. In practical terms, this translates to a significant decrease of 23 to 38 decibels (dB) compared to dropping loaded barbells on rubber flooring. This is the equivalent of reducing the average noise of a nightclub down to the noise of an office workspace. Clearly, crash mats have a huge impact!
What’s even more impressive is that the effectiveness of crash pads remained consistent across various loads and bumper plate qualities. Whether you’re lifting heavy or going lighter, and regardless of the type of bumper plates you’re using, you can count on the crash mats to consistently deliver a substantial reduction in noise.
These findings clearly demonstrate the immense value of incorporating crash mats or dropper pads into your gym setup. You can create a significantly quieter environment for your workouts with a small investment.
It’s time to invest in crash mats or dropper pads – your neighbours and family will thank you for it!
Should You Buy Bumper Plates for Your Home Gym
If you’re planning to engage in Olympic lifting or CrossFit-style training, investing in bumper plates for your home gym is an absolute must. Bumper plates offer numerous advantages when it comes to noise reduction, safety, and protecting your subfloor compared to traditional metal plates.
The great news is that our research has revealed that the quality and price-point of bumper plates have no significant impact on the noise of dropping the weights. This means you have the freedom to choose a set of bumper plates that align with your budget without compromising on noise reduction. You can find options that fit within your price range and ensure a peaceful training environment for both you and your neighbours.
Extra Noise Reduction Tips for Home Gyms
Additionally, it’s worth considering the added benefits of doubling up your noise-reducing efforts.
Investing in crash mats, along with building a lifting platform, can further enhance the noise-dampening properties of your home gym. This becomes especially important if you’re lifting in a basement or a garage attached to your home, where sound insulation might be a priority.
By incorporating crash mats and constructing a lifting platform, you’ll create a comprehensive setup that minimizes noise, safeguards your subfloor, and provides an optimal lifting surface. It’s a winning combination that ensures a pleasant training experience while keeping the peace with your surroundings.
Final Thoughts on The Noise of Dropped Barbells and Bumper Plates
The findings from our experiment leave no room for doubt: weightlifting crash mats have a significant and noticeable effect on reducing the noise generated by dropped barbells. It’s clear that investing in crash mats is an incredibly worthwhile decision for any home gym owner who wants to minimize noise disturbances.
Our results also demonstrate that the noise produced when dropping budget-friendly bumper plates is on par with that of competition-level bumper plates, and dropper pads are equally effective with each. So, whether you opt for budget-friendly options or splurge on competition-level plates, you can rest assured that the impact on noise levels will be equally mitigated by the crash mats.
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