A lot can be gleaned from the photo above, featuring Ryan Vaughn, training at Lansing's GymBumz fitness center. The exercise is one of the most basic, blue-collar foundational movements for back development, but whether knowingly or not, Ryan has opted to use the 25lb plates as opposed to the 45's. So what's the big deal?
For starters, smaller 25's allow for several inches of greater range of motion (popularized back in the day by 8x Mr. Olympia Lee Haney, who coined the phrase "stimulate don't annihilate"). This strategy will increase shape and muscle control, because the athelete is more concerend with nailing form - as opposed to heaving large poundages in the hopes of some ill-conceived semblance of respect amongst the guys.
(An aside) You want respect from the guys around you? Offer a spot, don't leave your bench dripping in sweat, and if you're on the only machine available and some guy is waiting, offer him the option of working in with you -- SHARE! How much lift isn't your rite of passage in the sport.
Remember... always remember ... that's not how much you lift, it's how you lift.
