Deadlifts.....no olympic bar....

jmae · 10-21-2009, 04:39 PM

Hi! Just wondering if it is ok to do the deadlifts with dumbells instead of the bar? I go to a women's only gym and (sigh) they don't have any olympic bars there.

Lou Schuler · 10-22-2009, 05:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmae

Hi! Just wondering if it is ok to do the deadlifts with dumbells instead of the bar? I go to a women's only gym and (sigh) they don't have any olympic bars there.

Sure. Do whatever you can. If you're working out at home you can even go with a sandbag or a suitcase filled with something that brings it up to an appropriate weight.

The point is to lift something from a specific position. The thing being lifted is less important.

Just make sure it's heavy enough to do the job. You may find you outgrow the heaviest dumbbells pretty fast.

LisaS · 10-22-2009, 12:54 PM

I once told someone to take a laundry basket and fill it with DB & phone books and jugs of water - whatever - padded with towels to keep things from moving around and then "DL" that for the time being - seemed to work for her.

Emoore · 10-22-2009, 03:36 PM

I used to go to a ladies-only gym. Notice the phrasing used to. As you get stronger you'll bump up against the limitations of a ladies' gym more and more often.

Smiley · 10-23-2009, 06:06 PM

I am having the same trouble. The bars have fixed weights at 25 lbs. I really don't want to go up to the guys gym but maybe i will have to. I wonder if they have rebok steps up there for dead lift on a box?

missjane · 10-23-2009, 07:24 PM

Are you DLing with 45's on each side yet? If not, then just DL from the floor, which will mimic DLing from a box. All the box does is create a larger ROM. If you don't have the 45's on each side, you are already reaching further than a normal DL.