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Old 07-02-2007, 12:11 PM   #1  
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Default Question about Deadlifts

Hi guys,

This is probably a foolish question, but perhaps someone can help anyway

I've been making pretty good progress with my lifting and have been steadily increasing all my weights. With the deadlifts, I think I've been going up about 10lb a week. Yesterday I did my deadlifts with a 70lb barbell and that was fine and I assume that this week or next I'll move up to 80lb and so on.

The trouble is that I had a little bit of difficulty moving the 70lb barbell around when I wasn't deadlifting it--you know, pulling it on and off the rack and carrying it to the step I use, hoisting it back up when I put it down in between sets and so on. My upper body just isn't as strong as my lower body, even though I've been making progress with that too. I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to wander around the gym with the barbell when I get up to 90 or 100lb for my deadlifts. Is there some way around this? Has anyone else had this problem? And what did you do? Is there some machine or rack or something that helps with this?

Thanks for any assistance you're able to offer!
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Old 07-02-2007, 12:33 PM   #2  
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How about not loading the plates onto the barbell until you're in position? Carry the bar (45#, I'm guessing) to where you want to go, then the individual plates, and assemble right there?

Way to go on your strength increases!
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Old 07-02-2007, 01:30 PM   #3  
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I did 40 lbs of plates on a short u-neck bar today to do squats and did what Meg suggested. I put it in the holder, and then added the plates. So the reverse to dis-assemble it. But I know I posted back in the spring about the need to go higher than what I could hold in my dumbbells on my squats (50 lbs or so) and so barbell use was suggested. But I had the strangest "compression" feeling in my torso and shoulders when I was done. I was actually trying to hold up the bar with my arms so that the weight would not compress so much on my shoulders - I felt like I was actually being squished into shrinking. Didn't like the sensation at all - felt like I wanted to go back to the dumbbells. Is it the length of my barbell? I'm using something like this:
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Old 07-02-2007, 08:21 PM   #4  
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Don't use the fixed weight barbells on the racks. I have the same problem, but I'm a lot shorter than you. I can use the 90 pounder a lot more easily than the 50 pounder, because it's on the bottom of the rack

A standard olympic bar is 45 pounds. Put it on the floor or lower the safeties on a power cage or adjustable squat rack, and put a 10 and 5 pound plate on each side. Use collars or clips to hold the weights- you really don't want plates sliding around when you deadlift!

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Old 07-02-2007, 08:47 PM   #5  
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Fran, to answer your question, I've never seen anyone do squats with an E Z curl bar, which is what's in your picture. At my gym they're used for bicep curls and exercises like skullcrushers. I think it would quite painful to set one of those on your shoulders with weights! Perhaps that's why it felt so odd to you?

A standard straight barbell would distribute the weight evenly across your upper back and not concentrate it on the V's of the bar. If you don't feel ready for a standard 45# bar, most gyms have lighter bars that you can add plates to, like a 35#. It's a straight bar, just like a 45 pounder, just shorter.

Keep in mind that the BB should rest on your upper back, not across your shoulders and neck.
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Old 07-03-2007, 11:57 AM   #6  
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Thanks for the suggestions. I've been using the barbells with the weights already attached (and yes, Mel, the heaviest ones are at the bottom of the rack, closest to the ground ) but I'll have a look for a barbell with removable plates--that might make things a bit easier.
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Old 07-03-2007, 02:44 PM   #7  
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Crikey, I did upper and lower body today because the gym will be closed tomorrow, and I did 80lb deadlifts. My upper body was already tired from it's exercises and I had a heck of a time dragging the 80lb barbell around. I think I'll ask the trainer at the gym what I should be doing later in the week. I didn't see any loose removeable weight bar things.
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Old 07-03-2007, 04:58 PM   #8  
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Quote:
A standard Olympic bar is 45 pounds. Put it on the floor or lower the safeties on a power cage or adjustable squat rack, and put a 10 and 5 pound plate on each side. Use collars or clips to hold the weights- you really don't want plates sliding around when you deadlift!
I love that answer ! Now I know what I need to hunt for next !
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