By the way, I have awhole article on loading, unloading, and handling weights at the gym.
Anyway, let’s talk about deadlifts.
In theory, loading is simple: just slide each plate onto the barbell.
Heres how to get the plates on and off like a pro.
After that first plate, though, you’ll need to load the plates by pulling them on.
The trick is tonothold the plate by its top, which you probably instinctively do.
Straddle the barbell, facing the plate.
Grab the plate with two hands, right at 3 and 9 oclock, andpulltoward you.
First, he hung back to see if I was going to figure it out myself.
Then, when I didnt, he asked if I would like a tip for loading the plates.
Simple enough, right?
That’s where we need either a deadlift jack, or a tiny plate.
I’ll start with the tiny plate, because there’s always one at hand.
take a stab at get it so that only the innermost plate is resting on the tiny plate.
When you see one in action, it’s very obvious how it works.
With a jack, even a tiny person can prop up a heavy deadlift bar to change the plates.
Here’s abasic one-side deadlift jack, if you’d like to get one for your home gym.
Here’s thetwo-sided kind.
