Suitcase Deadlift

[Phyzzle]

Amazingly, I can't find a thread here about this very nice exercise.

http://www.crossfit.com/journal/library/55_07_dumbbell_ddlft.pdf

I find that the deadlift/squat combination is too much for the same week. The dead and squat work too many of the same muscles.

But a heavy suitcase lift works the back and hams nearly as well as a deadlift, and the quads and glutes nearly as well as a squat.

(I found a thread by Bud_2005 asking about deadlifts with dumbells, but he called the dumbells "barbells" and confused the crap out of everybody.)

Fun Fact: did you know that the deadlift is called the "health lift"?

The dumbells end up banging into your knees when you get heavy. You run into all kinds of grip problems. There is a curious frame in my gym that allows suitcase lifts without dumbells. No one knows what it's called.

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Where you stand in the middle of the = sign.

Does anyone know what this is called? What's your opinion?

 

[simon]

A trap bar? http://www.pacillo.com/products/tds_trap_bar_b.jpg

 

[Phyzzle]

Thanks for that. I see I'm not the only one who gets confused:

http://www.sosuave.net/forum/showthread.php?t=130776&highlight=trap+bar

This device is brilliant. My flexibility is horrible. I can't even do squats to parallel; my heels come off the floor no matter how much or how little weight I try.

 

[Master Bates]

Wouldn't that be similar to just doing deadlifts or squats with dumbbells?

 

[simon]

Thanks for that. I see I'm not the only one who gets confused:

http://www.sosuave.net/forum/showthread.php?t=130776&highlight=trap+bar

This device is brilliant. My flexibility is horrible. I can't even do squats to parallel; my heels come off the floor no matter how much or how little weight I try.

Sounds like you need to do some serious stretching. Check out stronglift's site for glute, hamstring, hip flexor, piriformis stretches etc.

 

[Master Bates]

Any more opinions on this? Also, it easy to find one of these?

 

[Master Bates]

are there any non-olympic trap bars?

 

[Phyzzle]

Wouldn't that be similar to just doing deadlifts or squats with dumbbells?

I did do these for a while. They are another squat+deadlift alternative, but they are too low to the ground for me, even lower than a barbell deadlift. Plus, you have to farmer's walk the dumbbells back to the gym's rack, argh!

Also, it easy to find one of these?

This guy claims he re-introduced it after a hiatus:
http://www.trapbartraining.com/
I've never seen one in a store, so I guess it's ordering only.