Octagonal plates, deadlifts, and you...

Cort · 28-May-07, 03:17 PM

So, it seems like all the weight rooms that I have access to locally only use these octagonal plates on their free weights. This wouldn't be a problem, except it makes setting the bar down after a rep during deadlifts, cleans, and similar lifts dangerous, or at best it just throws one side of the bar completely off so you have to completely reposition after each rep.

These are the only kind of plates that I have access to unless I buy my own, so is there any kind of work around for this?

Big Mike · 28-May-07, 04:04 PM

Just be careful. When you are doing Deads, do you re-grip after every rep? Or do you just tap the weight on the floor and go for the next rep? One of my gyms has the same kind of plates, i just tap the weights and that seems to work for me.

F_Mac · 28-May-07, 05:52 PM

The only thing I would suggest would be to do them in the power rack. Set the bar on the lowest pins and measure the distance between the bottom of the plates and the floor. Then find (or make) a block that is the same height and stand on it.

It'll be the same ROM, just a few inches higher off the floor. And you'll be resting the bar on the pins rather than the plates on the floor between reps.

**Firehawk** · 29-May-07, 05:04 PM

Clearly whomever designed that shape of plate wasn't thinking about deadlifting.

**minime** · 30-May-07, 08:50 AM

Thats a great suggestion F-Mac. I only encountered the octogonal plates once when i was trying out a new gym, and i did deadlifts that day! it was super annoying.

**.V.** · 30-May-07, 10:35 AM

Just re-position and re-grip after each rep. Doing each rep like a single is what deadlifting is anyway. A DEAD lift of a weight that is "dead" on the floor.

Cort · 13-Jun-07, 08:47 PM

I do each rep like a single, so I don't really like to tap. However, having to reposition my feet and stance after almost every rep is really inconvenient, at best. If the plate goes down on a corner it also has a chance of rolling 350+ lbs back into my shins once it's on the ground. I've thought about the power rack, but theirs has these huge plastic bars that I'd probably get *****ed at for damaging.

I talked to the guy who orders their equipment and he told me the next best thing they had was a hammer strength deadlift machine, so I've just been repositioning myself after each set. It's funny, but if they had just one pair of olympic plates I could slap those on there.

I'm just amazed because I've never seen these before, and yet where I'm living now 24 hour, Bally's, all the local clubs, my University, and the local rec center ALL use them and don't carry any round or olympic plates.

I think I might just buy a couple light olympic plates and ask if I can leave them there.