How to deadlift "quietly" in the gym?

[confused_enthusiast]

Hi,

I live in a very small town. There's only one gym where I can train. I didn't have any problems until the gym owner came up and showed me how to do it "right" and slowly. He also told me to put little mattresses/tiles under the plates, because the dropping it would break the plates and started ranting about how much everything cost.

He is actually *kinda* right, because the equipment is shitty and I've seen a couple cracked plates in the gym.

But I wasn't even dropping the weight. I just didn't resist the negative portion of the lift, but still had a firm grip on the bar.

Nonetheless, I think I can't pull from the floor anymore, but mattresses would decrease ROM. What should I do? Do you think it would be fine to put rags/some sort of towels under the plates?

[poser]

Buy your own horse stall mat and donate it to the gym. Better yet, make a lifting platform and do the same.

[I_iz_a_fatass]

Gotta love cheap-ass gym owners who buy shit-tier equipment then think it's the trainees causing the problem.

Offer to build a proper platform to protect his weights - in flat-rate exchange for waived gym fees.

[Fulcrum]

Buy your own horse stall mat and donate it to the gym. Better yet, make a lifting platform and do the same.

this ^

If those "matteresses" are real thick, say 2"-3" high (when getting crushed),
build your self a small 2' square pulling block to stand on, made out of 2"x4"'s stacked in alternating layers,
and leave it at the gym in the broom closet.

Or use the dreaded short 35's on the bar.
Just get close to 9" off the ground; plates are 18" high typically.

[Rodolfo Bryant]

But I wasn't even dropping the weight. I just didn't resist the negative portion of the lift, but still had a firm grip on the bar.

If you're not resisting he negative at all, you're dropping the weight. Others may disagree, but if this is the case then you're doing it wrong. Controlling the bar down, obviously faster than you pick it up, will reduce the noise as well as potential damage.

[jbackos]

Watch some of Ed Coan's deadlift instructions on Youtube. He repeatedly says to lower the bar slowly in EXACTLY the reverse sequence of the ascent. He teaches this so lifters will reinforce technique and also build muscle from increased time under tension. When you are executing a set of 5 deadlifts you are TRAINING not PERFORMING. Your 5RM has relevance to your training poundages only. If you are performing a single, then lowering the bar fast is OK, however some powerlifting referees will call you out for "dropping" or "throwing" then bar down.

[Brodie Butland]

Are there yoga mats/stretching pads at the gym? Those are only about a half inch wide uncompressed (so they don't cut off a lot of the ROM), and they really deaden the sound of falling plates--much better than rubber mats in my experience. I used them at my YMCA for three years after a few complaints about deadlifts being too loud. Never heard a peep afterwards.

[Frankie]

Are there yoga mats/stretching pads at the gym? Those are only about a half inch wide uncompressed (so they don't cut off a lot of the ROM), and they really deaden the sound of falling plates--much better than rubber mats in my experience. I used them at my YMCA for three years after a few complaints about deadlifts being too loud. Never heard a peep afterwards.

Seems like a good idea, I just hope the owner wouldn't get pissy at the yoga mats getting trashed from this - I just googled and some fools are selling them for ~$200.

I use very cheap but similar 1/4" interlocking foamy stuff often marketed as 'gym mat' or 'gym floor' for around $20. I guess you could buy your own/donate some or demand he buy some. After getting complaints from neighbours and girlfriends I haven't had a complaint since even in 550-600lb range. Where the weight impacts the mat it kind of dents in pretty much eliminating the rom change but deadens the sound for sure.

I'm also gonna go out on a limb here and assuming you aren't lowering the bar like an idiot, if the owner was able to demonstrate how to lower the bar in a way that he's satisfied doesn't damage the equipment surely you could do the same.

[Mugaaz]

some powerlifting referees will call you out for "dropping" or "throwing" then bar down.

What fed is this? I've never seen this anywhere as long as your hands stay in contact with the bar.