Abstract: An apparatus to store and facilitate the safe simultaneous use of dumbbells by multiple individuals. The apparatus includes first and second staging stations. The first staging station includes a first side, a second side, and first and second spaced apart towers. An individual can walk from the first side of the staging station to a position between the first and second towers with the individual's entire body in a space intermediate the towers. The second staging station includes a primary side, a secondary side, and spaced apart third tower and fourth towers. The second staging station is positioned normal to the first staging station such that a first individual in the first staging station can grasp dumbbells on an outwardly facing tier of the fourth tower of the second staging station at the same time a second individual is standing between the third and fourth towers of the second staging station.

Abstract: A method to prepare for and conduct an exercise using free weights while minimizing the risk of injury to an individual during the acquisition, use, and return of the free weights includes the step of providing a plurality of cylindrically-shaped free weight plates and a staging station. Each of the free weight plates is mounted on edge in an upright orientation in one of a plurality of detent units of the staging station at a height above the ground. A first one of the free weight plates is manually grasped and rolled from the detent unit onto a horizontally oriented support surface of the staging station, manually removed from the support surface, utilized to perform an exercise, manually returned to the support surface, and manually rolled on the peripheral edge of the first one of the free weight plates from the support surface into one of the detent units.