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Protect your weights, barbells, and floor with a set of these monsters.

Chances are, in the past year you've really stepped up your home gym equipment inventory. Maybe you went all out and created a homey workout space for the first time, or you just bought a few key pieces to use to keep up your fitness regimen while many gyms were closed. If you're seriously into lifting weights and strength training, that probably meant the addition of a barbell. (Here are 9 of the best barbells for strength training at home.)

A quick lesson on barbells: an Olympic bar is about 2.2 meters (about 7 feet) long and weigh 20 kilograms (about 44 pounds). A telling difference between Olympic barbells and 'standard' barbells are the sleeves at either end, where you'll stack the weight plates. Standard barbells have 1-inch fixed sleeves, while Olympic barbells have 2-inch rotating sleeves. (Looking for a killer barbell workout? Try this one from Kevin Hart's trainer.) Of course, a barbell is nothing without weights.

And if you're looking to keep your barbell and weights in top shape, an easy way to protect them (and also your gym floor) is by investing in a set of bumper plates. They work as the name advertises. When the heavy-duty plates hit the floor, the material "bumps", rather than crashes. They're usually made of a high-density rubber, which means that they have less bounce and produce less noise compared to standard iron plates that notoriously clank around. Overall, bumper plates will make your training session much less likely to require a home remodel afterwards.

Looking to invest in some awesome bumper plates? Here are our picks for nine of the best bumper plates on the market.

These REP color bumper plates are extremely durable, and come in a variety of pairs and sets so you can really get customized. They are color-coded, which makes it easy to properly load the bar every time, and to see how much weight is loaded.

These American-made weightlifting plates are really the gold-standard. Rogues's Hi-Temps are built with sturdy recycled vulcanized rubber and a 2" stainless steel insert for ultimate durability, which you can purchase in pairs or sets.

These Eleiko bumper plates are incredibly durable, thanks to high-strength rubber that is vulcanised onto the plate's metal hub. They also have a lipped edge for safe handling. They're also sold individually (no pairs or sets), and range from 25-55 pounds.

Vulcan's Alpha bumper plates were designed and warrantied for both indoor and outdoor use, so they are great for any type of home gym. And Alpha Bumpers are made with virgin rubber, not recycled. This means they have minimal bounce and also make approximately 25% less noise when dropped from a height of 9 feet, based on testing with decibel meter by the company. They are available in sets from 160 pounds- 1,000 pounds.

CAP's rubber bumper plates have a steel inner hub that was designed to withstand drops without damage. They're also made of virgin and recycled rubber. They come in a variety of weights that are also color-coded: 10 pounds (green), 25 pounds (yellow), 35 pounds (blue) and 45 pounds (red). And note, these ones are also sold as singles.

Rage Fitness's bumpers are made with industrial strength and  to Olympic standards. They have a 2 inch steel collar center that ensures they fit onto all standard bars, racks and sleds. And they come in five different weights: 10 pounds, 15 pounds, 25pounds, 35 pounds and 45 pounds.

These BalanceFrom Everyday Essentials are a top seller on Amazon. They are made of high density rubber with solid stainless steel inserts, and are sold in pairs between 10 to 55 pounds, and sets between 160 to 370 pounds.

X Training's bumper plates were designed for low bounce and high durability. They fit standard 2 inch Olympic barbells, including hex trap bars, and have steel inserts for a snug fit. They are sold in pairs of 10 and 15 pounds, and singles in 35 and 45 pounds.

The ETHOS Olympic Rubber Bumper Plate is made of recycled rubber with a stainless steel insert, which means they are less noisy than standard plates and have minimal bounce. They're sold as singles, ranging from 10, 15, 25, 35 and 45 pounds.