Deadlifters

JoRocka

I think "drop" is the wrong word. To me that would be just completely letting go of it. I hold onto it as gravity returns it to the floor, but I do not attempt to slow its descent.

I mentioned that early-a clear definition of words would be important to this discussion LOL
straight drop from the top is not the same is a "reverse" dead lift (doing it slowly on the way down) and neither of those are the same as just controlling it down as you return.

Ashly744

I don't drop the bar either.

tattygun

I would drop the bar on 1 rep max attempts if I could but my gym has no bumper plates or deadlift platform.

Galatea_Stone

No bumper plates in my gym, so no. I don't drop.

At my old gym, there was a strict rule against dropping. I only ever dropped if it was a 1RM or slipped.

ekemsley1

I feel like if you're dropping it you're giving up halfway through....

hlcook

I don't drop the bar because it would do me no good... I lift properly so I can do my job at work (in EMS) what the hell good is it for me to be able to pick a patient up if I can't put a patient down without hurting myself??

I don't really know what my max is for a deadlift ... but my partner and I can lift a 250lb man on a backboard from the ground to standing ... without hurting ourselves.... so there's that.

jwdieter

Can't drop the bar in my gym, but I support the notion.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

I think "drop" is the wrong word. To me that would be just completely letting go of it. I hold onto it as gravity returns it to the floor, but I do not attempt to slow its descent.

I mentioned that early-a clear definition of words would be important to this discussion LOL
straight drop from the top is not the same is a "reverse" dead lift (doing it slowly on the way down) and neither of those are the same as just controlling it down as you return.

I'd say I do the latter.

It's definitely not slow and it sometimes bangs a bit at the bottom, but I'm controlling it down. Admittedly some sets are better controlled than others.

I don't have bumper plates, and I do have foam pads but I still don't like to drop it.

ndj1979

I will just add that if my grip slips..then yes, I am dropping the freaking thing lol

DYELB

Better strength with lowering the bar while maintaining control.

More recovery needed with a negative, so this isn't 100% accurate.

That being said I don't drop.

bizco

I think "drop" is the wrong word. To me that would be just completely letting go of it. I hold onto it as gravity returns it to the floor, but I do not attempt to slow its descent.

No, until I set an Olympic record, I prefer not to be a dramatic asshat.

^ This. I hate it when people drop the bar. They're seeking attention and it disrupts other's concentration.

Wow your mind-reading powers are amazing. Whose attention am I seeking when I do it alone in my house?

Thank you. The OP is dropping it in a gym, not at home. See the difference?

LiftAllThePizzas

I think "drop" is the wrong word. To me that would be just completely letting go of it. I hold onto it as gravity returns it to the floor, but I do not attempt to slow its descent.

No, until I set an Olympic record, I prefer not to be a dramatic asshat.

^ This. I hate it when people drop the bar. They're seeking attention and it disrupts other's concentration.

Wow your mind-reading powers are amazing. Whose attention am I seeking when I do it alone in my house?

Thank you. The OP is dropping it in a gym, not at home. See the difference?

What difference? That your psychic powers only apply to the OP?

Or that you think the OP's decision about how to do deadlifts is about you, but my decision is not?

Linli_Anne

I'm Canadian. So I slowly lower the bar back to the floor, apologize for rubbing it against my shins so abruptly on the way up and repeat x5.

jlclabo

nope, no dropping here. not gonna drop it training because a drop during a meet is a red light.

LiftAllThePizzas

Better strength with lowering the bar while maintaining control.

More recovery needed with a negative, so this isn't 100% accurate.

That being said I don't drop.

I see it (doing the negative, I mean) as flirting with a potential injury. The upward part of the deadlift involves contracting all the muscles involved. In order to lower it you have to contract some while releasing others. Some of the muscles in the group I'm dealing with are the ones protecting my spine. If I screw up and let go of those while also still trying to put upward force on the bar, I could injure my back. Or if I time it wrong I could drop the bar on top of my knees. (Because when I 'drop' it my knees go backwards instead of coming forward.)

(Edited to clarify)

ks4e

I don't drop the bar. We have our weights in our finished basement, and even with the special flooring, I don't want to risk ruining the tiles underneath that. Nothing to do with the exercise at all!

DYELB

Better strength with lowering the bar while maintaining control.

More recovery needed with a negative, so this isn't 100% accurate.

That being said I don't drop.

I see it (doing the negative, I mean) as flirting with a potential injury. The upward part of the deadlift involves contracting all the muscles involved. In order to lower it you have to contract some while releasing others. Some of the muscles in the group I'm dealing with are the ones protecting my spine. If I screw up and let go of those while also still trying to put upward force on the bar, I could injure my back. Or if I time it wrong I could drop the bar on top of my knees. (Because when I 'drop' it my knees go backwards instead of coming forward.)

(Edited to clarify)

Tbh, I don't think it's quite that extreme. The risks you speak of are the same as those on the descent for bench press, squat, basically everything but the oly lifts. While I don't have any kind of science backing this assessment, I find it hard to believe that doing deadlifts without dropping is much more injury prone than just doing more reps of deadlift but dropping.

Dropping weights can be disruptive to others, but if you're in an area where it's not disruptive or you don't care that it is, go 'fer it.

LiftAllThePizzas

Better strength with lowering the bar while maintaining control.

More recovery needed with a negative, so this isn't 100% accurate.

That being said I don't drop.

I see it (doing the negative, I mean) as flirting with a potential injury. The upward part of the deadlift involves contracting all the muscles involved. In order to lower it you have to contract some while releasing others. Some of the muscles in the group I'm dealing with are the ones protecting my spine. If I screw up and let go of those while also still trying to put upward force on the bar, I could injure my back. Or if I time it wrong I could drop the bar on top of my knees. (Because when I 'drop' it my knees go backwards instead of coming forward.)

(Edited to clarify)

Tbh, I don't think it's quite that extreme. The risks you speak of are the same as those on the descent for bench press, squat, basically everything but the oly lifts. While I don't have any kind of science backing this assessment, I find it hard to believe that doing deadlifts without dropping is much more injury prone than just doing more reps of deadlift but dropping.

Dropping weights can be disruptive to others, but if you're in an area where it's not disruptive or you don't care that it is, go 'fer it.

Well, what I mean is that (for me, I cannot speak for anyone else and maybe I'm weird in this way) it's easy to maintain proper form on the way up because all my muscles are doing "the same thing." Proper form on the way down is a different story. It is like the difference between "lift both your arms up at the same time" versus "lift your right arm while making a circle with your left arm." I'm a lot more likely to screw up the latter.

And with other things like bench press, if I screw up, it's not like I'm going to round my elbows and blow a disc.

JoRocka

Well, what I mean is that (for me, I cannot speak for anyone else and maybe I'm weird in this way) it's easy to maintain proper form on the way up because all my muscles are doing "the same thing." Proper form on the way down is a different story. It is like the difference between "lift both your arms up at the same time" versus "lift your right arm while making a circle with your left arm." I'm a lot more likely to screw up the latter.

And with other things like bench press, if I screw up, it's not like I'm going to round my elbows and blow a disc.

you can screw it up on the way up and the way down- the muscles aren't all doing one thing and then not ALL doing the exact opposite on the way down.

It's just the same thing on the way down- if you keep proper form- you aren't blowing anything out.

edit- I love your name... LMAO.

jofjltncb6

I set the bar down not-too-gently on the last rep of the set sometimes...

...but I'm buying rubber matting and bumper plates for my basement gym really *really* soon...

...and when I do, I'm going to drop that sucker EVERY. FREAKIN'. TIME.

kalyrichmond

[/quote]

This. And unless you have bumper plates, the equipment isn't intended to be dropped outside of an emergency situation.

There is also a difference between dropping it from waist level and a controlled drop. Once again, you really shouldn't do either without bumper plates and proper flooring. Respect the equipment, you pay dues but you don't own the place.
[/quote]

Should have been noted in the first post that our gym DOES have bumper plates and proper flooring specifically for people who want to drop the bar. Just so everyone knows.

LiftAllThePizzas

Well, what I mean is that (for me, I cannot speak for anyone else and maybe I'm weird in this way) it's easy to maintain proper form on the way up because all my muscles are doing "the same thing." Proper form on the way down is a different story. It is like the difference between "lift both your arms up at the same time" versus "lift your right arm while making a circle with your left arm." I'm a lot more likely to screw up the latter.

And with other things like bench press, if I screw up, it's not like I'm going to round my elbows and blow a disc.

you can screw it up on the way up and the way down- the muscles aren't all doing one thing and then not ALL doing the exact opposite on the way down.

It's just the same thing on the way down- if you keep proper form- you aren't blowing anything out.

edit- I love your name... LMAO.

On the way up my quads, hams, glutes, and low back are all contracting to the same degree (from the control side). In my head the move is simply "go." (Kinda like you don't think about what each toe/ankle/knee/hip is doing when you want to walk, you just think about moving forward and your motor units handle the details.)

On the way down, at the same time as those muscles are 'letting go, but only partially', my low back needs to simultaneously stay tight to keep my back from rounding. For me those movements are wired on a single circuit.

Kinda like when you squeeze your fists as hard as you can, you also clench your jaw or make a face. (Well, maybe you don't, but I do.) My control on that circuit is one-dimensional, I'm pulling all of them to the same degree.

So yeah if you keep proper form on the way down it's no problem, but keeping proper form on the way down is not as easy as doing so on the way up.

But the good news is my 3 year old is more coordinated and can set down his deadlifts :laugh:

jofjltncb6

This. And unless you have bumper plates, the equipment isn't intended to be dropped outside of an emergency situation.

There is also a difference between dropping it from waist level and a controlled drop. Once again, you really shouldn't do either without bumper plates and proper flooring. Respect the equipment, you pay dues but you don't own the place.

Should have been noted in the first post that our gym DOES have bumper plates and proper flooring specifically for people who want to drop the bar. Just so everyone knows.

Solid points...except the bold, because I actually do own the place...

...but the advice is still the same...and I'm really looking forward to the bumpers and rubber flooring so I can drop with wild abandon.

spicegeek

I drop it on heavy sets - the exercise is the lift - you waste a lot of energy controlling the "drop" dynamic lift and warms up I don`t drop