Gym Rules - Dropping Dumbbells

[H_T_]

ok, yeah, someone said dropping and then throwing, there's a big difference, yeah, throwing them is worse, like from the top of a shoulder press, kinda dangerous too.

 

[gymtime]

So when you are pressing 120lbs dumbells, you should allow your shoulders to take the brunt of it while setting them down easily?

There's a relatively simple way to do it,even for 120s or higher. If you're using weight you need to drop, even on the last set, then it's too heavy for you and you're probably using crappy form anyway.......in my opinion of course.

 

[gymtime]

Lol. A lot.
Me "dropping" a 165 and you dropping a 5 are a world of difference. I dont care how many spotters you can come up with... I lower the weight back to my chest (at an incline), then to my knees and then a graceful plop down to the ground.
You learn to land them even, not on an end or anything.

The difference is in someone pushing themselves with a large weight and someone using a weight that is too heavy. Its a controlled drop versus a "drop".

The guy in the first post sounds like he was trying to be show off. I dont care to show off, I just care to save my rotator cuffs...

That I could probably live with. And yes, there is a big difference between what you do and the guy in my post.

Y'know what really made me even more pissed off, which I forgot to mention, was that the guy was not even a member.

 

[curgeo]

Why don't you ask Monster how my form is......He is a training partner of mine.

As I said, I don't like showoffs, nor do I condone dropping weight just for the sake of dropping it, but I won't sacrifice my shoulders so I don't make a "Thud" sound.

Before you critique my form, please feel free to watch me train first.......You can then offer a critique that is valid and not a broad generalization due to me disagreeing with you.

 

[gymtime]

Why don't you ask Monster how my form is......He is a training partner of mine.

As I said, I don't like showoffs, nor do I condone dropping weight just for the sake of dropping it, but I won't sacrifice my shoulders so I don't make a "Thud" sound.

Before you critique my form, please feel free to watch me train first.......You can then offer a critique that is valid and not a broad generalization due to me disagreeing with you.

Hey,if you can do 120s with good form, then you can get the weights to the floor without dropping them and without risk to your shoulders. I do it all the time.

 

[eat big]

yeah the only time i ever do it is when im benching with dumbells and they are heavy and no spotter is around, plus spotting someone on dumbells is kinda dangerous if they are big bc i dont want to have to hold the weight over my head while they pick each one of. a spot during my reps is cool with the elbows. but my gym has concrete floors. i try to avoid doing it.

 

[The_Monster]

Hey,if you can do 120s with good form, then you can get the weights to the floor without dropping them and without risk to your shoulders. I do it all the time.

We're differing in the defenition of "dropping".

What I described myself as doing is the same as what curgeo does.
After 10+ years of training, I dont feel its worth compromising rotator cuff integrity trying to lower a dumbell to the floor. The dumbell knows where the floor is, it will find it on its own. The floor is the dumbells natural home, so to paraphrase the movie Happy Gilmore: "Send the weight home"...

We train part of the time in a corpotate gym. They make many, many concessions to curgeo and I. We can use chalk while others cannot, we keep our bags with us on the floor while others cannot, and we'll take pretty much every plate in the place over to the power racks for leg day.
They have their signs up about not dropping the weights, but they know very well what the difference is between someone dropping the weight and someone ending a heavy set.

I actually think we all may be in agreement somewhat, we're just torn between what is dropping a weight and what is "sending the weight home"

 

[BlondBomber]

Shit, the corner gym that I go to has a sign that says not to make loud noises, "drop" weights (the definition of which is unclear) and not to use chalk among other things. I am sorry GymTime, but there are times when all three are necessary. I am not saying that people should show off, but when I am busting some 5 rep max box squats I am going to make some noise. I am not a monster at DB press but the times when I use 90 or 100 lbs. DBs, I "drop" those bitches to the floor. The same with shoulder press, I do not use 120's, but when I do use 70's or 80's I "drop" those also, I can't imagine someone using 120's and not dropping them. Chalk is also something that must be used, and actually increases the safety of a lift. If I am trying to do heavy deads and I do not use chalk, my hands often get cut. Now would it not make more sense and disobey the posted rules to use a product that would increase my safety.
From the nature of your post you seem like you are older than most of us, which could contribute to your sense of following the rules. I am not saying it is right, but to 20-somethings like myself, rules are followed that matter. If I drop a weight and the owner of the gym says something, that is what matters. If someone else says something those would be considered "fighting words." I have never assaulted anyone, but the only time I came close was when a 40-something guys interupted me mid-workout, while I was wearing headphones, about some stupid shit. I would caution you to getting in peoples face when they are working out, and I question the intenstiy of your own workout if you take time to neurotically dwell on shit like this.
My 2 cents.

 

[yomama]

So when you are pressing 120lbs dumbells, you should allow your shoulders to take the brunt of it while setting them down easily?

I see a lot of bent dumbells, 120lbs. Because some dumbfucks drop them, and now they are unusable. A person can drop the weight lightly, but not so that whole fuckin gym notices it.

 

[curgeo]

Riiiiight! You don't drop a dumbell from shoulder height doing dumbell press......That's just showing off, but when you are doing a set of flat or incline presses, when you lower the weights, you are not going to be able to gently.....without a sound.....silently like a church......set them on the ground.

There is a difference between dropping them because you want to and dropping them (setting them down) because you have to.