Weight collar

A collar for retaining a weight on a bar, the collar comprising:

• a bar engaging section having an opening for receiving the bar therethrough and an annular surface encircling the opening, the annular surface being concentric about a central axis of the opening;
• a weight engaging section having opposing proximal and distal ends, the weight engaging section extending from the bar engaging section near the proximal end so as to extend at least partially toward the weight when the bar engaging section receives the bar through the opening, the bar engaging section being configured to engage the bar with a gripping force as the weight exerts a rotational force on the distal end of the weight engaging section so as to prevent the weight from sliding off the bar, the distal end of the weight engaging section being orthogonally spaced from the central axis of the opening an offset distance of at least 1 inch, a center of gravity of the collar being orthogonally spaced from the central axis toward the distal end an offset distance of at least 0.1 inches;
• and
• a leaf spring connected to the weight engaging section and extending in a cantilever arc toward the opening of the bar engaging section such that the leaf spring can be depressed via the bar as the collar is being pushed onto the bar, the leaf spring being configured to exert a biasing force against the bar such that the bar engaging section imparts a nominal gripping force on the bar when the weight is not engaging the weight engaging section for preventing the collar from sliding freely relative to the bar.