Strength Training and the Quick-release Collar - London Strength
Strength Training and the Quick Release Collar
London Strength, the strength community done right - The opening line on our about page. Kristian founded London Strength to bring together the best coaches in London. We train hard, perform well and focus on the small things that improve performance.
Strength coaching is what we do
The team here focuses on coaching strength and working with clients who appreciate the finer detail of what we do. With names like Kristian Mcphee, Omar Keshta, Shafiq Malik, Noorin Gulam, Deborah Alawode and Jess Gordon-Brown, you can be assured of the highest quality tips, advice and training from this exceptional team. If you are interested in membership, find out more on our memberships page.
Strength training and the detail
The smallest things can make a difference when you’re training, and the team here at London Strength is lifting and training every day.
We get asked by our clients about weight bar collars, so we’ve put this post together, which we hope is useful.
Choosing the right Olympic weight bar collars
In the gym, we all have our favourite items and things we love, be it a particular drop pad, weight bar or location in the gym. However, the one thing we are unanimous about is our Mirafit weight bar collars. Until recently, we only had a few sets and always fought over them. So why, and what makes them so helpful in training?
Why are quick-release weight-bar collars important?
1. Bar grip
They really grip the bar. When lifting weights, you need to be confident in the clips holding onto the weights, so we choose the Mirafit Weight Bar Collars as they grip the bar more fiercely than other brands.
2. Easy to see
Some are Black with white print and others bright orange, so they are easy to find. Although this might seem like a small thing, plain black clips can easily be lost on the mats and floors in the gym.
3. Easy on and easy off
They are quick-release, so we can add or remove weight plates quickly. This is important when training as you do not want to cool too much or even struggle to switch out the clips, as this can impact your mindset and fatigue.
4. They last
If you buy collars, you really want to ensure that they will serve you well. Imagine the use they get per session and in a commercial gym environment; then, collars are used multiple times per session, per person, day in and day out. Our collars are a couple of years old now and remain tight and reliable. Fortunately, we just got some more for the club, so everyone is happy!
What makes for a good quick-release weight collar
Quick-release locking clamp design
Solid nylon resin frame
Rubber inserts to stop collar sliding when locked on the bar
Strong hinge joints that remain firm
Strength,10x that traditional spring collars
Read reviews of weight collars
Like you would any product nowadays, go to the internet and read reviews to see what others say. Whether this is for the Mirafit ones we have or other brands, consider the reviews. This is a great place to start, as in many cases, the reviews will be open about the pros and cons. Often the reviews will identify the features that are particularly important to the reviewer.
Can you bring weight collars to the Gym?
Yes, normally, you can bring your own collars. We see people bring their own for all of the aforementioned reasons. Some choose to buy two sets, one for home training and one for strength training, with us at London Strength.
To give you some idea why we love our choice of weight bar collars, they have received 46 verified reviews online, and these are 96% 5-star and 4% 4-star, which shows the quality of the product and these go back 3 years showing that the product has also been reviewed positively over that time.
Final thoughts
If you are looking at collars, then consider the more modern quick-release versions. They are tight, quick on and quick off, so you can switch them out without wasting time or expending energy. When you are in the midst of a session, it's the small things that can make a real difference.
Come and join us
If you are considering strength training and want tips from Olympic athletes, book yourself a class. If you are not quite ready or have some questions for the team, please use the contact form to register your interest and tell us about your specific goals, so we can consider how best to support your strength training journey.
See you in the Gym… London Strength