Sorry if this is an inane question, but after years of working out at home my knowledge of gym etiquette is lacking.

Of all the gyms at FSU, the only one I as a regular student not on a sports team or in a PE class have access to doesn't have platforms or rubber floor covering.

Should I give up the idea of doing deadlifts for now, or is there some innovation I haven't thought of? I watched Chic's 405 lb deadlift vid, and that thing (or even an amount I could actually do) hitting the floor in my pissant "recreation center" would turn every head in the room.

Sorry if this is an inane question, but after years of working out at home my knowledge of gym etiquette is lacking.

Of all the gyms at FSU, the only one I as a regular student not on a sports team or in a PE class have access to doesn't have platforms or rubber floor covering.

Should I give up the idea of doing deadlifts for now, or is there some innovation I haven't thought of? I watched Chic's 405 lb deadlift vid, and that thing (or even an amount I could actually do) hitting the floor in my pissant "recreation center" would turn every head in the room.
If you can lift it, you can lower it as gently as you need to. But, personally, I wouldn't worry too much about the noise, especially in a college gym. The rules are usually pretty lax in them and it's doubtful anyone will give you trouble, especially if your gym is staffed by students.

If you really need to, you could always go out and get two small scraps of carpet and take them to the gym with you. Just lay them under the plates and that should deaden a lot of the noise.

Just a thought - I've heard of (but never seen) people do dumbell deadlifts. Perhaps that would cut the noise of the bar and plates jangling to the floor :D

I did a triple at 400 on my carpeted upstairs bedroom floor. You don't have to drop the weight or slam it. Control the descent (while keeping your back in proper position). Especially if you are not doing max effort lifts, and even then it shouldn't be a problem until you get up into the several hundred pound range.

Just lift. :nod: Don't worry about everybody else.

where i work out i will either use the ab mats or like mannish said just some random pieces of carpet or foam or whatever... it only raises it like an inch or so, not much at all when you pile more weight on there ( i'm only pulling 300lbs cause im a wimp) but yeah..

you'll do fine

rip it!!

make the heads turn! ! they'll see someone working out properly for once! :)

300 is not "wimpy"....there are people out there who couldn't deadlift a watermelon with six baskets....

make the heads turn! ! they'll see someone working out properly for once! :)

Noooooo! They're all gonna laugh at me! :D

Well, it went just fine. No one gave a damn. I was mostly worried about staff telling me to stop. Thanks for the replies, guys.

Should I give up the idea of doing deadlifts for now, or is there some innovation I haven't thought of?

Nah just go on and deadlift.

300 is not "wimpy"....there are people out there who couldn't deadlift a watermelon with six baskets....

I think I can handle a watermelon, but I can't do 300 lbs. I don't feel wimpy because I can't either. Well... maybe on here I do since everyone is so hard core.

Uncle Bose, when I used to go the gym (before I got one at home), I was always worried about people looking and laughing. I got over it pretty quick because while I was doing very little weight, I had proper form. I'll never forget doing DB curls with 15 lbs and then this big mofo came over right after me and started whipping around 50 lbs, but he might as well have been doing SLDL the way he was swinging. :lol: After that, I never cared anymore.

This thread makes me wonder if I'm doing something wrong. I just load up the barbell and pull it from the floor. Then lower it back slowly...no dropping. Is there something else special that I should be using?

This thread makes me wonder if I'm doing something wrong. I just load up the barbell and pull it from the floor. Then lower it back slowly...no dropping. Is there something else special that I should be using?

You're probably fine. It's only when you max out that you have much chance of dropping the bar.