For my deadlift off box, the weight plates I used were lighter, thus, smaller, so obviously they didn't allow the barbell to rest on the step as the picture in the book (pg. 109). I could barely complete all the sets this way ( I was like leaning forward more than it seems neccesary). What can I do? place my feet at the edge of the step? or lower (even more) the weight of my plates?
Thank you in advance for any input.
Olga.
The object of the Box Deadlift is to maximize the range of motion. The bar should actually be high enough off the step so that you can get your fingers around it, not resting on the box.
I'm currently using dumbbells for this, which gives me roughly the same range of motion the equivalent weight on a bar would.
Mind you, this is MUCH more difficult than conventional Deads. You won't be able to pull nearly as much weight atop the box.
If you're using a step bench there's a discovery that made my life easier. Don't have the bar along with the step bench/box but across it.
So that you're kinda making a T with the bar slightly below the top.
I've been using this method for Romanian DLs since my arms are relatively longer than my legs and I couldn't get a ham stretch when lifting off the floor.
A pleasure to meet again in this forum too Espi! Your advise sounds interesting; I did my second workout (FLIII A) and it was totally better than the first one.
Thanks,
Olga.
If you use smaller plates, you are already increasing the range of motion. I use "standard" bb and have only 25s, not 50s, so I figure everytime I deadlift I am doing a little extra motion. If you use a bunch of 10 pound plates you may not need to stand on anything.
Anybody know what the height is, bar off the ground, on an oly bar with 45s? My standard bar with the 25s is about 5.5" off the ground, and about 3.5" if I pile on a bunch of 10s.
Obviously, you can only add so many 10s. But for higher rep ranges, and given the extra range of motion, I am betting this would work for a lot of people.
This discussion on putting smaller disks on the bb reminds me of when I started deadlifting again. At first I used fixed weight barbells that were easier for me because of smaller diameter and shorter length. But with the narrow sleeves/cuffs (whatever) there were only that many 2.5 kg disks you can keep adding without having them fall off.
Using a longer and thicker barbell was a shock, because gripping strength diminished by so much, and balancing became harder too.
But then came another shock. Going from 10kg disks to 15kg to 20kg disks all required adaptations. And to my amazement, it was easier to lift multiple smaller disks off the floor than less larger disks. Unless I'd put a few plates under my feet and turning it into a kinda 'off the box' DL.
It all comes down to "not being able to use legs for powering up the bb' when the bb is too high off the floor. Apparently, a DL is a back exercise in the end, not so much a leg exercise, unless you really squat down.
Considering the pics in NROL, you wonder what Alwyn & Lou want us to do.
Apparently, a DL is a back exercise in the end, not so much a leg exercise, unless you really squat down.
A deadlift and any of the deadlift variations is an exercise for the whole posterior chain, glutes and hamstrings most specifically. If you cannot feel your legs working, then the load is too light or your form is incorrect. The height of the bar does not diminish the contribution from the hips. Consider a rack pull. The bar is set on pins in the power rack just below knee height (higher than when a bar loaded with 45's is on the floor). The purpose of the exercise is to target the glutes, to push the glutes through. This is still a posterior chain movement. There's a video of rack pulls in this article: (De)-Constructing Computer Guy.
You've all got great points about the deadlifs. I do feel my legs working when I perform them and I can definitely notice the increased range of motion with the smaller plates.
All these LB exercises have really changed my butt (as stated in my other post), so everytime I feel like throwing away the bb, I just remember that and keep going.
Thanks again for your input.
Olga.
Deadlift off box concern.
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