Building Up on the Deadlift

[gray-haired_Rick]

Hello Coaches,

After a several year layoff due to illness, I'm getting back into the weight room using the Starting Strength program. As advised in the book, I'm starting slowly to avoid injury and to ensure I can make continued progress (I'm 57 now). So, I'm starting out with really light weights and building up as recommended in the Starting Strength book.

Starting with really light weights works easily for the squat, bench press, and press, as I can start with the 45-pound bar. The deadlift, however, poses a bit of a problem. The gym I train at doesn't have "Olympic diameter" rubber/bumper plates in various weights. Consequently, if I use light weights on the deadlift, I'm forced to use incorrect form in the bottom position because of having to "get down over" a bar loaded with 10 or 25 pound plates. The 35-pound plates are a little better but it's still not right.

Any suggestions or recommendations for overcoming this problem while building up to a deadlift first-set warm up weight of 135 (bar loaded with 45-pound plates)? It would be nice if all gyms had the rubber bumper plates of various weights in Olympic diameter, but unfortunately most of us don't have that luxury.

Thanks for any recommendations you can provide.
Rick

[Tom Campitelli]

You have a few options. You can find some durable spacers, such as rubber mats, to put underneath the plates. These can even be other plates as long as you are careful about setting them down. If you have a rack that allows for pins to be set around the mid-shin, you can use those. Lastly, you could buy some Rogue Hi-Temp plates and leave them at the gym. A pair of 15 pound bumpers are $50. A pair of 25 pound bumpers are $83. Perhaps the gym would be willing to foot some or all of the bill with you. It wouldn't hurt to ask.

[Brian Jones]

Or do like I did and trace around 2 - 45's on a piece of scrap plywood and cut them out. That way you can keep them in the car and carry them to and from the gym. When it is deadlift time - put the wood 45's on, then add your 5's or 10's or whatever until you work up to single plates on each side. Ta-Dah! They weigh next to nothing but are durable. I still use them for my Clean Warm ups and what not to keep them the bar the correct height

[Barry Charles]

The steps used to raise the steps for step classes are perfect. They are stackable and the plates fit in the hole so they don't role. You have to see it.

[Trewarin]

Starting slowly should also include an appropriate titration to starting weights as you get into the program.
I haven't trained anyone yet who couldn't safely pull 135lbs the first workout or two.

[DavidCC]

As a fellow geezer, I had the same issue when I first started. I went to the lumber department at Lowe's and found a couple of 18" diameter, 1" thick round wood disks. I drilled a 2" hole in the middle of each one then weighed it. Came to within an ounce or two of five pounds each. Worked like a charm until I got strong enough to put the big boy plates on the bar.

[Tom Campitelli]

Starting slowly should also include an appropriate titration to starting weights as you get into the program.
I haven't trained anyone yet who couldn't safely pull 135lbs the first workout or two.

You will.

[GrimmThing]

Or do like I did and trace around 2 - 45's on a piece of scrap plywood and cut them out.

Do this with 7/16th inch OSB and it is almost exactly 2.5 lbs per side

[Milo's Ghost]

Starting slowly should also include an appropriate titration to starting weights as you get into the program.
I haven't trained anyone yet who couldn't safely pull 135lbs the first workout or two.

You will.

Yup. Also, you'll still need a workaround for warmups and the corresponding form work.

[Brian Jones]

Do this with 7/16th inch OSB and it is almost exactly 2.5 lbs per side

That is exactly the material I used. Still do. They have lasted for over a year and 1/2 and they get beat up every other day. My kids are using them now on the bar...lol