“If you’re going to redesign a best-selling product, you have to do it in a very considered way,” says Physical’s sales and marketing director, James Anderson.

“You have to be sure you’re not over-complicating things or bringing in change for change’s sake and you have to base all tweaks on customer feedback, so each refinement enhances product use without detracting from an experience that people are already enjoying.

“This is what I can confidently say we’ve achieved with the launch of our new RBX Rubber Pump Set – one of many fantastic new products in the 2023-24 Physical catalogue,” he adds.

The new set comes in a black, grey and teal colour palette, meeting customer requests for equipment that blends more subtly with their own colour schemes.

Other key feedback informing the new design related to plate shape and grip.

Designed to meet customer needs
“We had a lot of requests for flattened edges on the new discs to stop bars rolling away in class, but other customers said they wanted round discs for exercises such as ab roll-outs,” says Anderson. “We’ve delivered the best of both worlds: our 5kg and 2.5kg plates have flattened edges to prevent rolling and provide stability in floor-based exercises; our smaller 1.25kg plates are circular.”

10kg plates can be purchased separately and feature anti-roll edges.

Other feedback related to the enhanced use of plates as hand-held weights when used off the bar.

Previously manufactured with three grip holes, the new RBX plates have just two – one each side – for a perfect horizontal grip when doing ‘steering wheel’ exercises and an easier hold when used for things such as overhead tricep extensions.

The durable virgin rubber plates also have a textured surface and three grip positions – double-handed, single-handed and over the centre – thanks to grip texture on the inside and outside of handles. This enables a wide range of exercises that would normally require dumbbells or kettlebells.

The set includes a 1,400mm, 2.5kg premium bar with 50kg max loading, plus two x black 5kg plates, two x grey 2.5kg plates, two x teal 1.25kg plates and snap-lock collars as standard.

www.physicalcompany.co.uk