Is it proper etiquette to do deadlifts inside the squat cage? This month I have to use a 'real' gym (not my basement) that does not have a platform specifically for deads. Technically, I guess I don't need the cage, but there isnt really a great spot elsewhere. I'm hoping doing deads in the cage does not have the same connotation as doing curls in the cage.
I always feel bad doing mine there, but sometimes there's no free floor space anywhere. Most of my gyms have 4-6 bench stations (but only 1-2 squat or power racks), so I try to grab a bar from one of those and go to a corner, when possible.
If you are using the squat rack for anything envolving lower body work its ok in my book. We dead, clean, and squat there at my gym. If 70% of its use is from idiots curling/shrugging/upright rows, a little leg work cant be all that bad.
I'm gonna go out on a limb and stray from the common theme.
I don't think you should do em in the rack. Maybe if you're doing rack pulls, but from the floor, you don't need the cage, I can't fathom what you would get out of using the cage.
So if you don't need the cage, don't use the cage.
I do empathize with LD's comment on floor space. Some gyms seem to think that open floor space is bad and you can fit another bench in there, what exercises don't need a bench or something?!
Og.
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This is why a cage is adequate for BIG lifts--especially from the floor.
Have you ever tried to put a 45 lb. plate on a bar as it rests on the floor? IT IS A TASK!!
If you are like me and use multiple 45's for a pull, then it is a pain in the ass to slide them down the end of the bar if its not on a pin or rack.
Yes, you can elevate the bar once the intial 45's are on, by resting them on plates you place on the floor, but that becomes a pain in the ass also.
In the cage, once you have perfromed your last rep, you can walk forward 1-2 steps and rest the bar on the pins, rack, or catches. Then you can remove the plates with ease.
I totally agree with John on this. I always deadlift in the cage if it's available. Deadlifting off the floor is possible but undesirable.
If I'm in the cage deadlifting (especially if I'm just getting started) and I see some big guys who need the one and only cage we have at my Y, I might ask them if they want it and I'll move. Depends on my mood that day. :p
I totally agree with John on this. I always deadlift in the cage if it's available. Deadlifting off the floor is possible but undesirable.
If I'm in the cage deadlifting (especially if I'm just getting started) and I see some big guys who need the one and only cage we have at my Y, I might ask them if they want it and I'll move. Depends on my mood that day. :p
Thats actually a good point....if I am using the cage for X-band chin-ups, or band woodchops, or something unconventional other than a BIG lift, and I see a couple of guys eyeing me with that "look" (like they wanna use it), then I will offer to let them use the squat cage.
Good etiquette always finds it way back to you, hopefully...
The kid dies at the end? Ah, ya ruined it for me LD. Thanks for the suggestions folks, looks like I'll be using the cage.
no no no, the kid DIETS... and we all know that fad diets are bad for you!
I NEVER lift in the cage, unless there's literally no floor space elsewhere. The squat rack is for anything that involves heavy weights starting from off the floor - to me, that just doesn't include deads. I see where you goes are coming from, but when you're in a place with only one or two racks, seems like you're just as bad as the kid who does his curls there. IMHO, of course
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ok I can see the advantage to taking off the plates....
If you are lifting that big. Some of us do. I am not one of them.
I at most pull 2 45s per side, I'm a baby, so I won't be using the cage anytime soon.
In a gym with only one cage I still think you should not deadlift in it. You might need it to lift 405+. But when joe skinny smuck walks in who is doing everything right and wants to do his squats and needs the cage to do it safely, I doubt he will ask you to move.
There are times we all have to wait for stuff, and frankly it's annoying. I don't see any reason to inflict it on people.
Taking the plates off might be a pain in the ass from the floor, but it dosen't prevent you from lifting.
__________________ 2009: No races, No times. Slow year. So, now you're 96 cals short. You're now in starvation mode. Doomed. - LostDog
Blog entry: November 1, 2009, Pancakes LiveSTRONG daily plate log
I never have. The cage just gets in the way if your pulling sumo. Plus there is no benifit for using a cage? The only exception being banded deads. If there is no floor space, go for it, but if there is im not buying that its to hard to put on 45lbs plates. How does a cage make this any easier? Do you put the first plates on and then lower the bar?
I caught my finger between 2 plates tryng to put them on the bar on the floor for deadlifts. It's much easier when the bar is up on pegs.
So when there aren't too many people at the gym.. I use the squat rack.. sometimes someone asks if I have alot left to do.. and I offer to alternate between sets with them. we get a bar from one of the benches.. and put the bar that isn't used on the floor.. the other one on the pegs...so we don't have to change the plates more than if we were alone. did this a couple of times .. works out well.
I've also used 2 bars in the squat rack to alternate between romanian deadlifts and static lunges.. I'm quite confident that if someone needs one of the bars they'll ask (politely) when I'll finish with them.. and I had decided that if it happens, I'll give them one of the bars right away not to hog 2 bars. (the gym has 3) With the deadlifts and the good-mornings int WO C in NROL Str 1.. I'd spend almost the whole WO in the squat rack.
I made sure not to do these on a Monday or Wednesday evening when the gym is always full.
I never have. The cage just gets in the way if your pulling sumo. Plus there is no benifit for using a cage? The only exception being banded deads. If there is no floor space, go for it, but if there is im not buying that its to hard to put on 45lbs plates. How does a cage make this any easier? Do you put the first plates on and then lower the bar?
Frank,
Inside the cage (if its like the one I am accustomed to using, it has adjustable "catches" which you squeeze the trigger and it slides up and down the front of the cage frame.) If you need to adjust the weight or remove the plates ta the end of the your sets, you can place the bar there and remove the plates with ease. There is NO benefits...doesn't make you lift more, make you stronger, or have bigger arms...its is a preference.
Yes...the first set of 45s go on and then the bar is lowered onto the floor.
But when joe skinny smuck walks in who is doing everything right and wants to do his squats and needs the cage to do it safely, I doubt he will ask you to move.
In our gym I think every one just asks how much longer the person will use something we want. It works very well.. and if the person is waiting 3-5 minutes between lifts.. they rarely mind that we alternate.
The times that it IS monopolized.. is when 2-3 people are already alternating on it.. might as well go do something else then.
I must say though that I was very shy at first.. but saw that the people were very nice.
My initial thoughts were to not use the cage, as I may be in the way of someone how actually needs it for their safety. However, judging by the look of the gym, I think I'd be a nuisance to more people when I'm outside of the cage rather than inside.
My gym has two racks and a smith machine in one corner. The smith machine is always being used for shrugs. The two racks are usually empty except for random five minute periods when someone will wander over to the free weight section and do some quater squats/barbell curls/standing wrist curls.
There is one spot a few feet away from the racks big enough to deadlift in, beside a long row of bolted-down benches, but there's often someone there doing standing dumbbell curls or side/front raises or something. There are two other problems with that spot: 1)the bar will almost hit the rack to it's left and the bench to it's right, something I don't want to have to worry about, especially if there are people using the rack and bench; 2)that would put me right in the middle of the floor, and I don't like attention.
So I stay in the rack for any lower body work involving a bar. If I'm doing lunges I'll grab a pair of dumbbells and occupy the small space between two benches that aren't being used. That's about it.
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I don't use the cage to pull. It's not an etiquette issue, I just like to have space when I deadlift, and I feel kind of cramped in the cage.
I wouldn't have an issue with DL'ing inside, because I've only seen the rack being used for 3 things:
-bicep curlz
-calf raises on the safety bars that catch the weight if you fail
-shrugs
Deadlifting takes precedence over all these things.
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You just set it under the bar, lean it back and it is up with about an inch of clearance to put on 45's.
The convience issue is the exact reason that people curl in the squat cage, so they don't have to reach to the floor or fumble putting on the plates. I almost always use the bar jack, but if I have to I will load up my plates on the outside of the cage then roll it to an empty spot to lift. I say if there is room to deadlift outside of the cage do it. But in some gyms you probably have to both for the space and for idiots walking over your bar when getting set up.
If there is no floor space, go for it, but if there is im not buying that its to hard to put on 45lbs plates.
Im going to have to completely agree with Frank here, i've always pulled off the floor and outside of the squat rack. its not that hard to put some 45's on a bar thats resting on the floor, some of you guys are making it seem likes its a mission or something.
Im going to have to completely agree with Frank here, i've always pulled off the floor and outside of the squat rack. its not that hard to put some 45's on a bar thats resting on the floor, some of you guys are making it seem likes its a mission or something.
Me it wasn't even with the 45s that I pinched my finger.. 35s I think..
ok.. call me clumsy, but I got a bruise that got my finger throbbing the rest of the workout.. so if I can.. I'll use the bar on the pegs. I guess if there was proper space for the deads OUTSIDE the cage.. I'd force myself a little more to get used to being careful.
It's a matter of personal preference and whether or not you want to be considerate of others. Period.
It is easier to push and pull large plates when they're supported. If you're moving a lot of weight and feel more comfortable in the cage and there isn't anyone currently using it, then by all means jump in. If someone comes along and actually wants to squat and they see you really are moving relatively big weight, they're going to understand your need and simply ask how much longer you've got. There is NO NEED to feel like you're putting them out. In a gym you have to expect to wait for equipment once in awhile.
Now if I was wanting to squat and some joker is doing curls, then I'm pissed off I have to wait but not if it appears the person needs pins/cage.
Oh and btw, I'm never asking Lisa to move from the cage even if she is doing curls. She'd kick my ass and tell me about it. :p
Well, when I go to the gym, almost nobody uses the cage at all. I've seen one guy other than me do shoulder presses/push presses in it, but otherwise, I don't think they know what to do with it.
It's like some crazy contraption without counterweights so they tend to shy away.
I hog it when I can. I do eveything I can in the cage because no one else uses it.
Well, when I go to the gym, almost nobody uses the cage at all. I've seen one guy other than me do shoulder presses/push presses in it, but otherwise, I don't think they know what to do with it.
It's like some crazy contraption without counterweights so they tend to shy away.
I hog it when I can. I do eveything I can in the cage because no one else uses it.
Ditto, about one time in four, maybe less, someone else wants the squat rack, and we are so rare it is almost fun to share.
Squat cage etiquette question
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