Last updated on January 7, 2022
Haven’t I mentioned yet that I am a huge Body Pump fan? I also strongly believe that
When it comes to Body Pump, if you are not quick enough when changing weights in between tracks, you are losing valuable reps. If you want to make the most out of your workout, you need to decide beforehand which plates you will be using for each track and how to optimise transitions in between.
Keeping that in mind, I have decided to create two small apps in Tableau.
Total Weight Calculator
I've designed the first app to quickly calculate total bar weight based on which plates are used. Yes, I agree that the calculation itself is not hard enough and can be done mentally. However, I liked the challenge of making it visual.
So, here we go:
This app was created for Les Mills SmartBar, which is 2.6kg/5.8lbs. However, the weight can be adjusted for any barbell. There are three slots available to hold plates and those slots are filled by clicking on the relevant weight.
For instance, if I load the bar with the heaviest plates I have, the maximum weight I can achieve is 25kg:
Plate Combinations
With the second app I wanted to visualize all combinations of plates and total weights one can achieve with a given barbell and plates set.
This one can be used if you want:
- To plan the most efficient way to double/triple the weight for the squat track and then unload the bar for the chest track
- To gradually increase the weight over time for a specific muscle group
- To check the benefits of investing in a new pair of plates
Simply specify your barbell weight, select all the plates you have and see the range of total weights available.
Thank you for reading, feel free to reach out if you have any questions and, in the meantime, happy lifting!
Banner photo used here was created by Victor Freitas on Unsplash