Question on Gym Etiquette w/r/t Dead lifts

[pinkyviolet01]

Hi ladies!

If you shouldn't use the squat rack to do dead lifts, where do you do them? At my gym the bars are all attached to one machine or another, be it a bench press, etc. I don't want to take a bar and then.. awkwardly be in the middle of the gym doing dead lifts? Is this a thing?

 

[dawn16]

@pinkyviolet01 At my gym, there are something like 5 bars total and there is one squat rack and one bench rack. I pick one of the extra bars and just deadlift in the middle of the gym or in the stretching area, wherever there's more room.

If your gym doesn't have any extra bars, you should ask someone if they can buy another!

 

[dawn16]

@pinkyviolet01 I've been in this position too, since my gym doesn't have olympic lifting platforms. If your gym has multiple squat racks and it's not crowded right then, I don't think it's rude to deadlift right in front of the squat rack. But if someone is obviously waiting, do it elsewhere. I usually snag the bar from the decline benchpress, because that one seems to be used least frequently, and just set up in the corner. Also, poke around to make sure there isn't an extra barbel somewhere- my gym has an extra that's usually leaning against the wall in a corner.

 

[resimaenglina]

@pinkyviolet01 I use the bench press bar right behind the bench. It's a convenient location since people have to walk around the bench press, they'll naturally walk around me and I'm not in their way. Plus there is more than 3 bench presses so I don't feel bad taking one up as compared to the one and only squat rack we have.

 

[raggedyman]

@pinkyviolet01 My gym has power racks so I just take a bar and use the front hooks for racking it. it's nice because I hate putting the 45lb plates on the bar from the floor, so I can put them on the bar while it's racked then lift it to the floor. (I set the front hooks a lot lower than they are in the picture). Someone else can still use the inside of the rack for squatting if they want.

Otherwise I just steal one from a bench press if it's free

 

[iwish]

@pinkyviolet01 Use your best judgment about where you'll be out of the way. I usually do my deadlifts with a bar from a squat rack (we have two), but if those are occupied, I'll grab a bar from a bench and carry it to a corner. If someone decides they need the rack/bench you took the bar from, they can always grab one from elsewhere--they're interchangeable! Gym etiquette is mostly about common sense and common courtesy. If you're clearly using equipment that isn't available in a more logical place, no one will be bothered.

 

[weareneveralone]

@pinkyviolet01 Some gyms literally have no spare floor space for it. In that case, I will deadlift in front of a squat/power rack.

My current gym is configured in a way that allows me to take up some floor space that's out of everyone's way. Usually I'll grab a bar from a bench press. There are 4 bench presses so there's usually enough to go around.

 

[jsmithcavs]

@pinkyviolet01 I use the squat bar and set it on the floor right behind the squat rack.

So yes, I am sort of in the middle of the floor doing deadlifts but not in the middle of the gym as the squat rack is off in one corner of the gym.

I would feel a little self-conscious if I was in the middle of the entire gym.
This would be true if the squat rack was right in the center too.

 

[pinkyviolet01]

@jsmithcavs I read on this sub that using the bar from the squat rack is a bad idea if there's only one at my gym, which there is.

 

[jsmithcavs]

@pinkyviolet01 I agree if someone needs to use it.

I should have said that my gym only has one squat rack and nothing else that has a full size olympic bar so that is the only choice if you want to use a 45lb. bar.

We also have one other smaller bar that I sometimes use for overhead press. It's 32 lbs. I would use that if someone needed the larger bar.

 

[dawn16]

@pinkyviolet01 All you need to do is grab a bar and bring it to wherever there's adequate space.

 

[pinkyviolet01]

@dawn16 Thank you!

 

[jesuslovesmefaith]

@pinkyviolet01 When you say attached - do you mean you just find them resting there, or that it's physically attached like a smith machine?

Why shouldn't you take the bar? Ideally there's a lifting platform (usually near the squat rack in most gyms) but if not take the bar to the nearest clear space and lower gently when deadlifting.

 

[pinkyviolet01]

@jesuslovesmefaith There's no lifting platform, but thanks--- I didn't know if it was bad etiquette to just take the bar off the bench press! :\

 

[dynaphil]

@pinkyviolet01 Be polite and aware, if it's super busy and people are waiting around for stations with bars maybe make a change of plans but I do it all the time. We have 3 regular bench press stations so I always steal from one of those because I feel like they will be less missed (rather than the incline/decline bench or squat rack which there are only one of.)

 

[xuanang]

@pinkyviolet01 Do you see other people at the gym deadlifting ever? Do what they do, there may be unspoken conventions at your gym of what people generally do.

Also, could always ask an employee.

Personally I use the rack or if it's busy, the first bar I can find that isn't being used.

 

[x3ashleysbrokenhallelujah]

@pinkyviolet01 It is, kind of, but if you don't have deadlift platforms...I mean, there's really nothing you can do. I would say change your workout plan to not do deads or change gyms

 

[jesuswasaballa]

@x3ashleysbrokenhallelujah Why would someone's desire to use the bench press out weigh OPs desire to dead lift if there's only one bar at the gym? First come first serve IMO. Or take turns. But thankfully I go to a gym with plenty of bars. Switching gyms isn't terrible advice, I wouldn't want to go to OPs gym. But just saying "don't do dead lifts then" is not the answer, they are awesome!

 

[x3ashleysbrokenhallelujah]

@jesuswasaballa I agree that they are awesome, and I do them too, but the thing is doing deadlifts in un-specified areas I don't think is a good idea- taking bars away from the machines which they're specified for, and doing deadlifts not on a platform may do damage to the gym. I mean...all gyms should have deadlifting platforms. But I guess if you can't make it to one that doesn't...I don't know. No easy solution. I just know that at my gym there are tons of deadlifting platforms and if they're full sometimes the bros decide that they want to use the bars from the squat racks or the bench presses to do their deads/other types of lifts even though we have LIFTING PLATFORMS and can't you just wait for one of the 8 to open up?

What if I need a damn bar in the squat rack to do squats? I can't do squats on a dead platform?

Lol sorry /rant