When in a gym and someone ask or tells you something about a barbell, dumbbell and free weights, what are they talking about.    

A "barbell" is a weighted bar that has weights on the each end. These weights can be either, permanent of free, that allows you to take the plates off of, or add onto the bar. Recently "barbell" has been replaced with "bar"

****Plates are the weighted disc that you put on "barbells"***       

A "dumbbell" is a weighted one handed bar with weights on it. These weights can be solid or free, that allows you to take the plates off of, or add onto the bar. Most "dumbbells" are solid in nature and are more common. Most gyms have a variety of "dumbbells" ranging in weight fro 2 pounds to well over 100 pounds.

Sometimes I have been refered to as a "Dumbbell", that does not apply here.        

"Free weights" are those plates that are loose and stacked in a gym. These can be added on to "bars" to increase weight or taken off to lessen the weight of the bar. "Free weights have large holes in the center to slip on the "bars"