Deadlifting - drop it? Control it?

Nole1

Nole1

Member
I've always been told and have always practiced controlling the weight on the down motion of the deadlift. However, lately, it seems like there are 4-5 guys in my gym, not necessarily working out with each other, who are dropping the weight after every rep.

WTF?

Is this a normal practice? Or is it just a crossfit teaching as most of these guys are doing crossfit workouts, and their deads peak at the 250 range.
 
Not normal practice, although bouncing or touch and go on each rep seems to be. Probably just wanting to do more reps and this is how they believe they can get them.
 
Definiteoy control. If you drop the weight, that means you relaxed your back and are in a vulnerable position. You are more likely to start pulling the next rep before you reset your form. Unless you are a competitive powerlifter, then use control lowering the weight.

BTW, you can still hurt yourself doing cntrolled reps if you don't stay focused. I was pulling 300, standard stance, no belt. No problem usually. On rep 5, as I was pulling, about halfway up, I must have barely relaxed my lower back arch. All of the sudden, I felt 3 cracks in my back, which usually feels good when I do it sitting down. Then it felt like someone stabbed me and I could hardly move. Pinched nerve in the blink of an eye.
I'm pretty dogmatic when it comes to good form, so I was pretty pissed when it happened. Hurt like crazy for 2 days, and could barely move. Thank God for my chiro!
 
Thanks for the replies - I wasn't about to start dropping it myself, but was just wondering where in the world this practice came from.

I'll keep doing what I've been doing, but think I'll ask one of them why they drop it, just to hear the response.
 
The deadlift is a lift from the floor to lockout, that is it. If you control it on the way down that is your perogative, but it is not part of the lift and if you are lifting any real weight you are most likely dropping it, maybe in a controlled manner, but dropping it none the less. The last thing i am doing when ripping a heavy set of 5 is lowering the weight gently, they are being slammed down as quick as possible. You can lower it slowly, i am not sure what you are trying to accomplish by doing it, but i don't see anything wrong with it. When i deadlift it is, pull, drop, reset, start again.
 
jcp2 said:
The deadlift is a lift from the floor to lockout, that is it. If you control it on the way down that is your perogative, but it is not part of the lift and if you are lifting any real weight you are most likely dropping it, maybe in a controlled manner, but dropping it none the less. The last thing i am doing when ripping a heavy set of 5 is lowering the weight gently, they are being slammed down as quick as possible. You can lower it slowly, i am not sure what you are trying to accomplish by doing it, but i don't see anything wrong with it. When i deadlift it is, pull, drop, reset, start again.
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technically correct, but my gym has a shitfit when we drop them.

hey, we have a squat rack, so im not complaining.
 
I would drop it in competition personally to save energy for my next lift. In training though its fairly controlled, but speedy in comparison to other lifts. That is what works for me.
 
Are they just giving it a hard bonce/hit at the bottom or actually dropping the weight from a good vertical distance?

I can understand a hard bounce if you are doing multiple reps with HEAVY weight and you are trying to get in a few last reps, I do it. But the then again my first 4 sets are all slow and controlled to get my back all warmed up.

I dont understand simply dropping the weight from the top of the rep if that's what you mean. That would be like someone putting on WAY too much weight to barbell curl, and once they heave it up, they drop the weight to the ground from shoulder height, lol.
 
I do a controlled drop more than anything else. I am sure as hell on my heavier sets not controlling it. Dont need to possibly cause any issue
 
Kristofer68SS said:
technically correct, but my gym has a shitfit when we drop them.

hey, we have a squat rack, so im not complaining.
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The gym I belong to has a yellow rotating light that they set off when someone drops a weight. The second time, you get the boot. I also read in the rules that deadlifts are not allowed. Apparently Golds Gym forgot where they came from...
 
country1911 said:
The gym I belong to has a yellow rotating light that they set off when someone drops a weight. The second time, you get the boot. I also read in the rules that deadlifts are not allowed. Apparently Golds Gym forgot where they came from...
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Deads not allowed? WTF is that?
 
Where do you live that Golds doesn't allow deadlifts? Who mans the light to lookout for people who drop weights? That seems like the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

My gym has a few signs around the gym that say "No Grunting."
 
fightercowboy said:
Where do you live that Golds doesn't allow deadlifts? Who mans the light to lookout for people who drop weights? That seems like the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

My gym has a few signs around the gym that say "No Grunting."
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no grunting are you serious? lol

you know who you can thank for this stupid rule,

soccer moms, premadonnas, old folks........

why dont they try lifting something heavy many many times, without making some sort of noise.........



bastages.
 
Kristofer68SS said:
no grunting are you serious? lol

you know who you can thank for this stupid rule,

soccer moms, premadonnas, old folks........

why dont they try lifting something heavy many many times, without making some sort of noise.........



bastages.
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I work out at a hospital wellness center, and they don't allow "grunting" either....they cater to the geriatric crowd.
 
Yeah, I work out at Golds "Gym"(term used loosely) in Battle Creek, Mi. No deads, no dropping weights, no swearing, no grunting, no FUN! The guys behind the counter man the light, even though they are the worst offenders of the thrown weight crowd.

I will try to remember to grab a rules sheet(I swear it is a full 8.5'' X 11'' piece of paper) and post a copy of it on here.
 
country1911 said:
The gym I belong to has a yellow rotating light that they set off when someone drops a weight. The second time, you get the boot. I also read in the rules that deadlifts are not allowed. Apparently Golds Gym forgot where they came from...
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Change gyms! :lick: Thats ridiculous!
 
Sweating is encouraged, stinking is not. It says so in the rules. I would love to change gyms, however my only other option is a hole in the wall that charges an arm and a leg cause they say it's "hardcore." :sleeping:

I deadlift anyway, I don't drop weights, I sweat, so I don't mind it too bad. I try to get there when it is less busy and I find that I have more liberty as to what I can do. I will grab a sheet tomorrow.
 
lonewolf0420 said:
Now here's an example of a controlled drop: Invalid Link Removed
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I perfectly understand a controlled drop if you are in a competition, that's fully understandable. But if you arent in a competition, or doing a one rep max, whats the point in dropping the weight if you are doing multiple reps?
 
brk_nemesis said:
I perfectly understand a controlled drop if you are in a competition, that's fully understandable. But if you arent in a competition, or doing a one rep max, whats the point in dropping the weight if you are doing multiple reps?
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A set of 5 deadlifts is pretty much 5 singles. The last thing i want to do is gingerly bring down a ton of weight. Maybe for the guys who touch and go all their deads it keeps you from bouncing it off the floor, but i think touch and go deadlifts kind of take away from the movement as well.
 
jcp2 said:
A set of 5 deadlifts is pretty much 5 singles. The last thing i want to do is gingerly bring down a ton of weight. Maybe for the guys who touch and go all their deads it keeps you from bouncing it off the floor, but i think touch and go deadlifts kind of take away from the movement as well.
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Agree 100%

Even when I am doing sets of 15 to 20 reps, each pull is a seperate one.

Get myself together, pull, lockout, controlled drop, regroup, pull, lockout, controlled drop, etc...

each pull is seperate and 100% controlled. I do a controlled drop (never lose my grip), but I sure don't set it down nice and gentle. I beleive you hurt yourself putting the weight down, or not being regourped and focused for your next lift.
 
Ah my bad,.. I should have reiterated more in my last post. My apologies. If you do a controlled drop with hands on the bar, that's fine. What I meant to add is it seems the people the OP is referring to do not do a controlled drop, but simply let go of the weight all together at lockout.
Nole1 said:
Once they lockout at the top - they straight let go, just plain drop it.
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Sorry for the confusion, reps to you both!
 
Yeah - controlled drop is one thing. I saw it again today. A dude doing sets of 8 with about 225 or so. Pull........pause..........open hands and drop weight. Regroup......repeat.

I asked why he did it that way rather than controlling the weight on the way down, he stated that there is no benefit to controlling the weight on the way down and it only leads to injury.

I told him I didn't agree, that a controlled drop is safe, especially when working with a weight that you could probably do a dozen or more reps with. He asked what qualified me to tell him how to lift. I said have good day and walked off.
 
Controlled drop..........

Listen, heavy deads put back down in a gingerly manner is asking to hurt yourself.

But yes it should be lift from floor, complete movement, "drop" weight to floor, set up for next lift with barbell fully dead on floor
 
thats weird my golds is cool about everything pretty much. i always thongs deads were easy pull up close to ur shins, let down in the same fasion in a enough control that ur not going thre wthe ground with the weight lol. but ur not just letting it go?!
 
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