Where to deadlift
mermegan
Posts: 143
Hello! I mentioned this in the daily thread, but I'm still confused. I'm just starting deadlifts this week and have no clue where to do it at the 24 hour fitness I go to. I never see anyone doing deadlifts and I don't really want to get into it w/a 24hour trainer. There's a little space near the benches and by the walkway but it seems awkward being in a place people are walking through...
What do you ladies do?
My other question is about bar height. Do you put the bar on risers or stack plates underneath to rise the bar up? I tried this today but (duh, Megan!) put them too far apart and could put weight on the bar. Then I got called into the kid's club b/c my 2-year-old was crying so I had to scrap the whole deadlifting project. What a noob!
Thanks for the help!
What do you ladies do?
My other question is about bar height. Do you put the bar on risers or stack plates underneath to rise the bar up? I tried this today but (duh, Megan!) put them too far apart and could put weight on the bar. Then I got called into the kid's club b/c my 2-year-old was crying so I had to scrap the whole deadlifting project. What a noob!
Thanks for the help!
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Replies
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I've always done deadlifts in front of the squat rack.0
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Megan, I would do them wherever you have space. All you need is enough to bend over and stand up...if you're blocking the way for someone they can either go around or wait... I will move an online bench out of the way to do mine. When I was lifting a lower weight I would stack two 25's on each side and would use that to get better height. You want the bar about mid-calf. Now that I am lifting heavier I don't need the stacks.
I don't know anything about 24 hour fitness...is that more of a machine/cardio type of gym? If so you may be the only one doing dead lifts...but hey, it just means you know lifting heavy is good for the body
Oops, I meant to add just to go out and do it!!!! You'll do great wherever you do them as long as you ocus on you!0 -
It's got quite a bit of free weights/two power racks but still have yet to see someone deadlift....but hey, I like to be unique Got my iPod ready (helps me ignore everything around me!) and prepped to ignore any man looks. Here we go! Thanks! 0
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The deadlifts are intimidating, but I do them. I have not seen anyone else at my gym do them. My gym has a lot of space for lifting, so finding a spot is not a problem. I did not know about raising the bar to calf level. I will try that tomorrow. Thank you!0
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I'm the only one deadlifting at my gym as well .. I take the bar over a little way but still in front of a mirror. I'm kind of in front of the men's bathroom ..lol. Guys just walk around me. It was very intimidating at first, but now I just do my thing. I started at 40 lbs and am currently up to 90 lbs. Love it!0
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Well, I survived I kind of chickened out and did Romanian DLs with 65lbs, but will do standard next week. I must have been going at off hours because tonight was packed with bros doing everything BUT squatting in the rack. A couple DLing but mainly shrugs and curls. And man, I totally get the frustration now. So many places to do curls, not a lot of spots to squat. 0
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Louisey, do you put plates under the bar or lift from the floor?0
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Hey, way to go doing the DLs! If everything is busy, you also can use the bar from the bech press. Take it down and go for it! I've done that when bros are doing curls in the power rack.:)0
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Unless I use dumbells or the Smith machine, I can't do deadlifts at my gym-- they only have loaded barbells that go up to 60#.
When I do them at home I always lift from the floor.0 -
Louisey, do you put plates under the bar or lift from the floor?
Since I use the squat rack, I use the catch bars one foot off of the floor and set the bar on that. If I put it on the floor, it would be way too low. If I did put it on the floor, I would definitely use plates under the weights at either end to get the bar a foot off of the floor.0 -
Most people at my gym deadlift in/at the squat rack. Sometimes we share -- if one person is squatting, another might bring a bar over and deadlift in front of the squat rack. If the squat rack is tied up and I just want to get my deadlifts done, I will use one of the bench press set-ups for the bar and plates and just move to where there is room.
Also, I'm over feeling apologetic for being in anyone's way. It's a gym. People lift weights at my gym -- a lot. The people who use the weight room do all kinds of different lifts and exercises. A lot of people are doing similar things to NROL -- like supersetting push-ups in with a weight move, etc. -- and most people don't want to walk all the way across the room to find a convenient place to do push-ups and risk losing the equipment they were on. There are plenty of ways people can walk around me. I try not to block a piece of equipment that I'm not using, but if I block a walkway area... oh, well. Real lifters get it and won't think a thing about you using the space in any way you need to get your work out in. People do get pissed if you're blocking space or equipment to text, chat on a cell phone, visit with your friend, etc.0 -
People do get pissed if you're blocking space or equipment to text, chat on a cell phone, visit with your friend, etc.
Last night was a prime example of the above. Lots of chatting around the equipment!
One more deadlift Q: Is it not a big deal if you don't tap on the ground with the weight? So let's say I use the oly bar with small weights and it's not hitting mid-calf when sitting on the ground...Can I just do the deadlift movement and stop before my back want to arch?
You gals are the best, seriously.0 -
People do get pissed if you're blocking space or equipment to text, chat on a cell phone, visit with your friend, etc.
Last night was a prime example of the above. Lots of chatting around the equipment!
One more deadlift Q: Is it not a big deal if you don't tap on the ground with the weight? So let's say I use the oly bar with small weights and it's not hitting mid-calf when sitting on the ground...Can I just do the deadlift movement and stop before my back want to arch?
You gals are the best, seriously.
Yes, as long as you do the full range of motion for the deadlift, you do not have to tap the ground with the weight if you don't have anything under the bar. But you should put something under it to get it up to mid-calf so you don't have to remind yourself to stop there! Plus, you'll have to bend too far down to reach the bar the first time, which as you know can seriously hurt your back. Even bending too low once is not good.0 -
People do get pissed if you're blocking space or equipment to text, chat on a cell phone, visit with your friend, etc.
Last night was a prime example of the above. Lots of chatting around the equipment!
One more deadlift Q: Is it not a big deal if you don't tap on the ground with the weight? So let's say I use the oly bar with small weights and it's not hitting mid-calf when sitting on the ground...Can I just do the deadlift movement and stop before my back want to arch?
You gals are the best, seriously.
Yeah, you don't have to tap the ground, but that's why you build up the plates, so that you have it at the right height.0 -
I'm sure I'm over thinking this, but say I'm deadlifting 100 pounds (which I'm not YET). I load up the bar on the squat rack and then need to get it to the floor obviously. The task of getting a 100 pound bar from the rack to the floor seems frightening. I'm not sure if I could do it! Any tips?0
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Seeing as how I'm the one asking newbie questions re: deadlifts I might not have the right answer BUT...I would imagine you just load it on the floor: lift up one end and load, then the other. 0
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Yeah that method crossed my mind but for some reason I thought it wouldn't be practical. But hearing you say it puts it back into perspective haha. That's what I'll do!0
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If you're lifting 100 pounds, and load your bar on the squat rack at waist height, you'll be able to lower it to the floor. That's what deadlifting is all about. :-)0
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Does it depend on what kind of deadlift it is? Romanian is starting holding the bar, standard starting from the floor?0
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Just load your bar at waist-height, pick it up, back up a few steps and lower it to the ground with good deadlift form. If you can deadlift 100 pounds (or whatever weight), you can pick up your bar and lower it to the ground. That movement is part of the deadlift. Remember to use good form, though.
I think trying to load a 45 pound bar on the floor would be harder.0 -
That makes perfect sense to load at waist height on the rack, thanks! I definitely over complicate these things because I'm fairly new to heavy lifting and I don't want to get hurt or drop things haha....Also don't want to look like a total newb to other lifters at the gym.0
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That makes perfect sense to load at waist height on the rack, thanks! I definitely over complicate these things because I'm fairly new to heavy lifting and I don't want to get hurt or drop things haha....Also don't want to look like a total newb to other lifters at the gym.
I'm right there with you! Glad I'm not the only one that feels that way. Thanks MyOwnSunshine!0 -
Sometimes if the squat racks are full, i'll just grab a bar off the bench press and do them over there.
A tip: always think of keeping your shoulders blades back together and down, it will help prevent problems. If you feel your shoulders sagging forward and are unable to keep them back, then the bar is too heavy. 0 -
Now I have a dumb question. Are you not supposed to lower the bar all the way to the floor after each rep and then pick it back up? Did I do the whole stage 1 wrong?0
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Now I have a dumb question. Are you not supposed to lower the bar all the way to the floor after each rep and then pick it back up? Did I do the whole stage 1 wrong?
According to Stronglifts, you are. I did them yesterday and I stacked three 25# plates under the oly bar (I was lifting 85# so my plates weren't big enough to get the bar high enough) I tapped the weights on them on the way down. It helped me to know where to stop so I didn't go so low my back wanted to bend.
This video and info from Stronglifts.com helped me immensely:
http://stronglifts.com/how-to-deadlift-with-proper-technique/
There's a link on this page for 13 Deadlift Mistakes too.
I'm still learning!!0 -
Thank you. That actually helped a lot. However it also showed me that I did mine a little wrong. I set the bar down and readjusted my grip in between most reps. Oh well.0
