Weight plate and barbell component system

A barbell and weight plate engagement system comprising:

• a substantially tubular barbell, and a generally disk shaped weight plate, the barbell having a longer middle section and a shorter end section at both ends of the longer middle section, the shorter end sections each having a plurality of spaced apart lock grooves cut around the entirety of an outer surface of the barbell, each lock groove further comprising an alignment groove;
• the disk-shaped weight plate having a central aperture and a plurality of peripheral handles, the central aperture for receiving one of the shorter end sections of the barbell, and
• a fastening assembly mounted within the weight plate comprising a pull rod with a lock plate fixed at one end and a lock pull lever fixed at the other, the lock plate aligned to engage in the central aperture, the lock pull lever aligned within at least one of the peripheral handles and moving the
• lock plate between a first position in which the lock plate engages one of the plurality of spaced apart lock grooves and the alignment groove on the barbell and a second position in which the lock plate disengages from the lock groove and the alignment groove on the barbell.