Why do people put weight plates on the bar backward?

[Kerpal]

At my gym, people almost always put the weight plates on the bars backwards (numbers facing in). They also do it when they put the weights back on the racks. Why do people do this? I don't really see what the purpose is. It can be annoying when you're trying to find a 25 lb plate and you keep grabbing 35s, they look very similar when you can't see the numbers.

 

[ValleyDJing]

Well they put them on "backwards" on the bars cause they're easier to grab and take off. As for why they put them on the racks backwards...thats probably just a case of beeing to lazy to turn them around.

 

[mrRuckus]

My gym isn't a commercial gym. There are LOTS of different branded plates to mix and match. The difference between all the 25s and 35s are blindingly obvious. The 35s are easily larger than any of the 25s in diameter. Why are yours so hard to tell apart?

 

[Throttle]

also, if they're "one-sided" (flat on one side--not all are), it helps to put the big weights facing inside b/c it gives a nice flat surface to push the lil'uns up against.

i also haven't seen plates that are hard to tell apart.....