Loading weights

kopmom

Ok maybe another dumb question......

My gym has some preloaded weights that I have been using for deadlift and OP. I am going to need to start loading weights on a 45lb bar. Do I just lay the bar on the floor and load it?

Also is their a shorter bar (does it have a name?) that I could ask about at my gym for OP? I really feel more uneven using a really long bar (like the one I use for Bench Press) for my OP

Thanks

sarahstrezo

Your best bet is going to be the full sized Olympic bar. Just get used to it for OHP because it's easiest, IMO to use a power rack to load it up instead of cleaning it up to your chest? Does that make sense? So...you would go over to the power rack and set the bar up where you do for your squats and just load it for your OHP weight. Because, honestly...the effort it's going to take to clean a preloaded bar up for every set is going to fatigue you before you even start the lift.

As for deadlifts...yep, just set the bar on the floor and load it up...one side at a time.

kopmom

Thanks Sarah

DaniH826

I load for OHP on the squat rack and DL on the floor ...

The key is to load evenly on the squat rack, obviously ... so you don't have things tipping and falling over.

Unless you're some sort of She-Beast and make a sport of cleaning the bar for every set of OHP, in which case, clean away. :bigsmile:

There's nothing to using the full olympic bar for OHP. You get used to it. Practice with the empty one for a bit until you get your balance down. I don't see where a shorter bar gives you any benefits other than lighter weight (that's the only reason I use an EZ bar for them at the moment).

Amazing1985RSD

Don't be afraid to ask questions. I for one, love helping you guys.

If the bars at your gym have different thicknesses, you may feel more comfortable with the thinner ones. They may weigh less though. Perhaps only 40 pounds.

Don't be afraid to break a sweat at the gym... put that weight on the bar! The other girls are agreeable as far as how to do this.

I think you are talking about the fixed weight little barbells at the gym. If you've grown to lift weight beyond those, I am happy for you.

Also, I'd like to see a video of yourself doing a lift or two in order to get an idea of what you go through when you do these lifts. If you don't mind?

xidia

Ok maybe another dumb question......

My gym has some preloaded weights that I have been using for deadlift and OP. I am going to need to start loading weights on a 45lb bar. Do I just lay the bar on the floor and load it?

Also is their a shorter bar (does it have a name?) that I could ask about at my gym for OP? I really feel more uneven using a really long bar (like the one I use for Bench Press) for my OP

Thanks

For DLs I struggle to load the 33lb+ plates when it's on the floor. Tameko made a great suggestion about standing the weight up (or possible leaning it on some spare weights), propping the opposite end of the bar on some spare plates then poking the bar through the hole in the weight you want, as it's now horizontal and at the right height to meet the hole.

You can also stick the bar between your thighs just above the knee joint, just behind the ridgey bit that keeps the weight off the central section, then drop the lighter plates onto the end of the bar, and gravity will bring them down to meet the ridgey bit. However, with heavier plates this doesn't work (see above) and you may find your fatigue your legs before you even start the squats.

I've just spotted that my new gym has safety pins in the normal squat rack and almost floor level stabilisers in the other rack. So I think I'm going to lay the bar across those, then load, then deadlift. It's probably fractionally the wrong height, but it's no less precise than my current approach of "hmmm, 1 x 10kg and 1 x 5kg stacked plates ought to be about the right height, oh, there's no spare 5s, fine, I'll just add another 10kg to the stack and pretend it's not a couple of inches off"!

auddii

Personally I use to squat rack to load all my weights (except for bench press obviously). For deads and rows, I just rest the bar on the safety rails that are about mid thigh height, load the weight, then bring to the ground. Once I have my largest plates on their, I can add smaller ones while it's on the ground.

ETA: And agree that there are no dumb questions, and I also agree that you should use the oly bar for OHP. It may take some getting used to, so stick with just the bar until you feel comfortable.

fishlover888

Unless you're some sort of She-Beast and make a sport of cleaning the bar for every set of OHP, in which case, clean away. :bigsmile:

Apparently I'm a She-Beast?! :blushing: But it's only 'cause I can clean way more weight than I can OHP, woof, no arm muscles.

Anyway besides that part I do basically what everyone else was saying - squat rack, or any rack around mid thigh height to load. For deads/rows since I'm not using big plates, I rack them on the mid-thigh ish area, then lower onto two big *kitten* upright dumbells to get them at a good height for me. You could totally rack them on said dumbells, or use tameko's method, I just prefer not to bend over every time I want to change my weights.

And agree, you will get used to the length of the bar! And then you will start to love it, and feel awesome when you pick it up.

morningmud

I had a little panic last night when I was supposed to start using the long bar instead of the preloaded barbells. I have to clean it to do OHP and had done some warm-up sets with the empty bar but just couldn't clean it loaded. I ended up just doing another session with the pre-loaded 50# barbell.

lexgem

When loading/unloading off the floor for deadlifts be careful not to pinch your fingers between the plates. Ouch lol! I have a blood blister from making that very mistake last week.

DaniH826

I had a little panic last night when I was supposed to start using the long bar instead of the preloaded barbells. I have to clean it to do OHP and had done some warm-up sets with the empty bar but just couldn't clean it loaded. I ended up just doing another session with the pre-loaded 50# barbell.

Honestly, that's why I'm glad I started with Starting Strength and not Stronglifts because it taught me how to powerclean properly, and at least deal with cleaning the empty bar (Rippetoe has power cleans where Mehdi has Pendlay rows). Invaluable, IMO. I'm on my own in my garage, and I have no choice but to clean my bar, so I'm glad I know how at least with the bar itself.

I'm going to somehow find a way to incorporate power cleaning into my current program once my DL form is bang on and I find my overall mojo, I'm hoping in a couple more weeks. Just because I think the power clean is such an awesome move and trains you on actual power, not "just" strength. Any of the cleans are super useful, IMO.

A power clean, for all intents and purposes starts with the deadlift and then from your hips on explodes upward. The only thing that freaks me out about it is that the bar ends up on your clavicles, and I always think I'm going to hurt my neck if I don't catch/brace it quick enough. Not that that'll happen ... just saying, I have to un-bend my own head.

kopmom

Thanks everyone for the great advice ! Today I did my OP with a empty bar on the squat rack and it was good. Still weak with an empty bar and struggled to finish a complete 5x5 (some were only 3x) but I am sure I will get there !