Grip is my only issue with it (when I've done ~239x5). Aside from that, I think they're easy. Weasel probably wont have that issue because he hook grips everything. fwiw, I dont do them the way the guy in Weasel's video. I do them suitcase style with the barbell on my side at 90 degrees.

Is there any benefit to doing them besides that it looks hardcore?

some black dude comes in to squat, puts the safety bars around about 6 inches lower than his nipples, loads up 405, does 6 of the shortest ROM squats ive ever seen while his friends film it and shout "405 lightweight this ***** just squatted 405 what can you do" into the camera, proceeds to load up 500, cant unrack it, leaves it there while he goes and benches and some poor dude has to strip 500 pounds off the bar

And y'all thought there was no point to a smith machine.

I don't get it. I still don't see the point of a smith machine.

Lightweight ***** ldo

I wasn't really imagining suitcase style. That seems more like a one armed TBDL, which, based on your log, should be stronger.

Anyway, I don't think suitcase style counts. Maybe it would. Here's my test: If you went to a meet and just walked up to the bar and conventionally (or sumo) lifted it with one arm, you would pass the lift. However, if you did it suitcase style I'm guessing you would get red lighted. But I'm not sure. If it would pass at a meet, then I guess it counts. Do you know?

yeah, when you do them correctly so that your core stays solid, its one of the best lifts you can do to hammer the obliques.


Its not even remotely like a TBDL. Its more like a 1 arm farmers walk.

http://www.t-nation.com/strength-tra...tcase-deadlift

I'm not following why your test matters about anything. A suitcase DL is a great exercise when you do it right.

Ehhh, I will agree with Melk in the sense that it's far closer to a TBDL than a conventional DL.

ETA: I mean the "gripping on the side" thing is obvious, but I'm talking about knee and hip angles

Do a set with a weight that's challenging and report back.

So you're saying it's more like a conventional than TBDL? Why? Your knees can go further forward and back more upright, like in a TB, no?

No. Its not like either.

I've never done either suitcase or TBDL, so I'm just guessing here, but the look and the mechanics of suitcase seem more like TBDL than regular to me. Obviously, I'll defer to your superior knowledge.

As far as why the test matters, the whole point was to own the fool who thought our hero couldn't pull 225. If we're going to do a one-armed DL to own him it has got to look like a DL. That way he is completely, unequivocally owned. If you do a suitcase DL, he's probably saying to himself "That's not a DL, I bet I could do that too if I wasn't tired from this massive work set I just did."

So I guess my test isn't great because even if the suitcase DL wouldn't get red-lighted at a meet, it still wouldn't accomplish the goal of completely owning this guy, which is how the whole conversation started.

It's a suitcase DL - but I dno, it is a type of deadlift. You are a lifting a bar from a dead stop and locking it out.

I would say it's not what I assume someone would expect if they heard "I'm going to do a 1 arm DL". So, yeah, it is probably not the optimal way to impress some random person.

I'll try some 1 armed DLs with the bar in front of me sometime and compare them with suitcase DLs to see what I think is harder. I dont imagine there is a lot of difference, but I'll let you know.

In theory, I see where you're coming from as far as leg angles and such, but they feel nothing remotely like a TBDL.

Then we have no argument here. "Like" in this context is super vague. It's possible for both of the following to be true:

1. Suitcase is more like TBDL than regular DL
2. Suitcase is not really like either of them

Having done all three of those lifts, I can tell you 1 isnt true. 2 is.

Two arm TBDLs are more like standard DLs than either is like suitcase DLs.

The difference between suitcase DLs and any DLs with two arms is the torque they put on your core.

Then 3. SDL is more like regular DL than TBDL, must be true, which is what we are all surprised about (simply from looks), but obviously willing to believe you

I have a gut feeling that I'm not explaining myself right. But with a nonzero amount of alcohol in me right now, I'm just going to back out. It's mental masturbation anyway. All 3 exercises are awesome.

(and I can't do any )

Cha,

Either you don't get what I'm saying or there is some logic fail here.

All three of these things can be possible. The following is worded very awkwardly, but hopefully it will help you get the point

1. The similarity between suitcase and TBDL is greater than the similarity between suitcase and conventional.

2. Suitcase is not really like either of them.

3. The similarity between TBDL and conventional is greater than the similarity between TBDL and suitcase.

You seem to be suggesting that because 3 is true, 1 cannot be true. That is illogical.

I follow what you're saying. I think conventionals are closer to suitcase than TBDL is to suitcase.

Part of the reason is TBDLs are easy. Grip is never an issue because your palms face each other. The handles are elevated, so yo dont pull as far. It is true that your knees can travel farther forward with suitcase DLs, but the other aspects of the lift make it feel a little more like regular DLs imo.

That was a little confusing after the exchange w/ SAW:

You specifically said no to his question and then followed it up with a sentence that doesn't support either position.

Anyway, as I said earlier, and it seems a lot of people agree, your position is very counterintuitive, but of everyone who is involved in this conversation, you should know best. I certainly don't know about the mechanics of the lifts in question to have a meaningful exchange with someone as knowledgeable as you.

Sometimes I dont say things as clearly as I think them.

Try suitcase DLs sometime and you'll probably quickly figure out what I'm trying to say.

Update: I am now stripping and racking 1 plate in the squat rack. No more leaving 135 on, even though I get approached to leave it on often (or they come in behind me and just put it back on). Reason being as outlined before, if a female can't unload a 45 plate from up high and doesn't want to ask, it would discourage them from squatting. Or, if someone a different height wants to move the bar around with no weight on for a different placement or exercise etc., another good reason.

Does anyone here warmup in the squat rack with less than 1 plate on?

I'm sure plenty of people warm up with less than 1 plate, I'm glad you've changed your ways. My squats atm are like 45, 95, 135, 165, 185, 195.