Mehdi,

Today while at Planet Fitness, I was approached by a staff member and asked to stop doing deadlifts. I asked for a reason for this and was told that corporate no longer allowed people to do this.

I know the motif of Planet Fitness, the "Lunk" alarm and such, but BANNING the deadlift?? I emailed them and asked for clarification as to why, and was given the answer: "The deadlift does not fit our "general fitness model". Most of our gym members are first time gym users, thus we are geared toward the first time gym user."

What kind of bullshit is this?? They are geared toward the first time gym user, yet they are banning one of the most beneficial exercise and strengthening exercises known to man??? This is absurd, and thought I would just run this by you.

I am still emailing their corporate office to fight this, because this is literally insane. Do they want us to just run on the treadmills or do pointless bicep curls? I think they should ban bicep curls!! What is next, banning squats?? Do they only let us do exercises which they permit us to do? Just letting you know, and maybe you could spread the word to other Planet Fitness members to join in on this.

Thanks,
Jeff

Their thinking is that Deadlifts are intimidating to the gym bunnies, curl monkeys and captain upperbodies working out there. Or how to perpetuate stereotypes. Anyone who has followed the training logs of StrongLifts Members Deadlifting 600lb like Jake, Norman, Greg, or Jim knows that these guys are anything but bullies - they're friendly, humble, and always willing to share advice.

And yet, I too felt intimidated by the huge guys lifting big weights and grunting when I joined the gym at age 18, weighing a skinny-fat 132lb at 5'8". Maybe you've also felt that way once. Easy to forget what you were like hundreds of pounds on the bar later, but you can't ignore it's how many beginners feel.

This isn't in defense of Planet Fitness - they should be educating their clients instead of forbidding weight dropping and grunting. Then again, I don't think they care about you actually achieving something. Seems they prefer you to just pump those arms, work the treadmill and pay your fee. Frankly, you shouldn't have joined that gym in the first place - StrongLifters don't belong there.

I wouldn't waste my time with their dumb corporate office trying to change their rules. Every second invested in this is a second wasted on what you should be doing - training. Just sell your 1y subscription, tell all your friends not to join Planet Fitness unless they just want to "workout", and find a REAL gym where you are more likely to meet strong guys who you can learn from.

Or just invest in a home gym. I'm happy I got kicked out of the gym where I trained for 5 years when the new management decided they no longer wanted the "hardcore crowd". Training at home will not only save you a lot of money, you'll NEVER have to deal with this kind of crap in your life ever again.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Mehdi, thanks for your 5x5 report. As someone who has believed a lot of bodybuilding bs over the years, i welcome your report like a breath of fresh air. I haven't done 1rm in about 13 yrs. My all time 1rm is 240 bench, 260 squat and 275 deadlift. I sure would like to be stronger than that. I am absolutely going to use your system to get there! A few questions:

1. do you approve using straps for deadlifts?
2. do you approve using gloves?

First the gloves: no, I do not approve them at all. And that's advice coming from a guy who wore gloves during his first 6 months of training in 1999 because the sharp knurling on the bar hurt my hands. Keep in mind I didn't know about chalk back then, nor did anyone in that gym, so I just bought the gloves they sold.

After I met my mentor I stopped wearing gloves because he didn't use any and I thought, "if he can lift without gloves, then why can't I?" Frankly, frugal me also got sick & tired of having to buy a new pair every time these gloves broke. Add that I'm the eczema-type: I easily get "Pompholyx" on the inside of my fingers from sweating, and this was aggravated from wearing gloves.

12 years later, I can think of 3 more important reasons why you shouldn't wear gloves when doing Pulls or Presses or Squats...

1. Gloves Kill Grip Strength - thicker bars are harder to grip. Gloves add inches to the bar which will kill your grip strength on pulling exercises like Deadlifts, Rows or Pullups. And if you can't hold it, you can't lift it.
2. Gloves Screw Your Technique - the thickness of the gloves will make it impossible to keep the bar close to your wrists on the press and bench. Your wrist will roll back as a result and this can cause wrist pain.
3. Gloves Don't Prevent Callus - the fact is that you will get callus on your hands whether you wear gloves or not. You're actually much more likely to get callus because you won't be able to Deadlift with the bar correctly in your hands. So then why lift wearing gloves?

The only situations where gloves are okay is if you want to train with a ripped callus, or when it's freezing -13°C like in my home gym. Temperatures like these are rough on the hands so I will wear gloves in the winter until the bar "warm-ups". But once I reach my work weight, I always remove the gloves because as I've explained above: gloves will mess with your technique.

Remember gloves aren't allowed at powerlifting competitions, so better to build good habits from the start. Lose the gloves and instead...

• grip the bar correctly on Deadlifts, Rows and Pull-ups
• use chalk - or an eco ball if your gym doesn't allow chalk
• take care of your callus - shave them bi-monthly and moisturize

Regarding straps - if your grip is holding you back on Deadlifts, straps can allow you to pull the weight you otherwise couldn't. Just don't be one of those gym monkeys wearing straps on every exercise and every set, including the warm-ups, because your grip will never get stronger if you do this.

If you have a weak grip: use chalk, white knuckling (grip the bar harder) and a mixed grip. If that doesn't help it, use straps but only on your last heavy set. Read 7 Ways to Build Massive Grip Strength For Deadlifts for more info.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Thanks for what you've written and starting the Stronglifts website and community. It's seems like the only 'legit' place for real hard working lifters and less phonies.

My question is: the smallest plates my gym has are 2.5 Kilos; which means when I go up in 5x5, I'm going up by 5 Kilos. This causes me to easily stall on exercises like Bench, Press, and Rows. It seems like every day I'm hitting a plateau that I can't break through.

Any suggestions? Thanks a lot. Ty

You will indeed not be able to sustain increases of 5kg/10lb per workout on the Bench, Press, and Row. The reason is that these exercises use smaller muscles compared to the Squat and Deadlifts. As a result, you'll plateau sooner and will have to deload more than the guy who has access to 2,5kg/1.25lb plates. This means that your strength and muscle gains will be a lot slower.

Note that the smaller you are, and I'm going to assume you are since you're Asian like my girlfriend, the more important small plates become. A guy weighing +275lb like StrongLifts Member Norman will always be able to progress more easily with 5kg/10lb increments than the guys weighing only 175lb like me (sue me I'm only 5'8") because the former has bigger muscles and better leverages.

Ironically, the weaker your lifts are, the more often you'll plateau with 5kg/10lb increments.  As an example, for a 500lb Squatter like StrongLifts Member Simon, adding 5lb is only a 1% increment. But for a 200lb Squatter that same 5lb is 2,5%. Worse, for the guy Pressing 100lb, that 5lb is a 5% jump while 10lb is a whopping 10%. That's why you'll keep plateauing if you don't have small plates.

So the obvious solution is to get yourself a set of fractional plates which you carry in your gym bag and use when needed. I have a set of fractional plates from Iron Woody: 8 plates with 2" holes with weights ranging from 1/4lb to 1lb. This means that I can use increments as low as 0,5lb/0,22kg per workout, which is invaluable when coaching someone who's plateauing on the Press or Bench.

Cheapskates solution for people who have too much time on their hands include gluing 2 washers together or using a pair of chains. I may be frugal, but I don't have time for that. So I just got myself a set of fractional plates by Iron Woody, and that's what every smart guy will do. These plates come with a full 1 year warranty by the way, so this is quality equipment even though it's cheap.

Click here to try Iron Woody's Fractional Plates risk-free for 30 days.

Yes risk-free because Iron Woody's fractional plates come with a 30 day full money back guarantee. This means that if you've not broken your plateaus on the Press and Bench after switching from 5lb increments to 2,5lb jumps, then you contact Jeff at Iron Woody and ask for a 100% full refund.

Full disclosure: I'm an affiliate for Iron Woody so I will get a commission for each sale through my link. And I have no problems with that at all because I use their fractional plates all the time, and because I think that if you're serious about gaining strength and muscle, you really need a set of fractional plates.

Iron Woody also offers metric plates of 0,25-1kg by the way, and they will ship their equipment all over the world (like to Belgium in my case) without charging outrageous shipping costs. For a set of metric fractional plates, click here.

Once you've received your set of fractional plates, switch from 5kg/10lb jumps to 2,5kg/5lb increments on all your lifts. And when you start plateauing on the Press/Bench/Row, switch to 1.25kg/2,5lb jumps for these lifts. This will allow you to progress longer on StrongLifts 5x5 without having to deload all the time.

P.S. Don't get caught up with price per pound. Fractional plates will always be more expensive per pound than regular gym plates because it costs more to manufacture stuff at a tighter weight tolerance. This is what you're paying for.

Click here to try Iron Woody's Fractional Plates risk-free for 30 days.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

The biggest problem I have with StrongLifts 5x5 is my Gym I joined a few months ago (before I found this program) does not have all the equipment I need, no barbells at all. Only hand weights and smith machine which I guess is ok for squats and bench.

So this what I’ve done

• To replace deadlifts – cable bent leg dead lift
• To replace barbell rows – seated cable rows
• To replace overhead lifts – dumbbell shoulder press

I know this is not ideal and I’ve been told many times that if you are following a routine and changing it up you will not get the maximum results. Unfortunately there is any options for me as I have another 10 months on my membership.

Please let me know your thoughts.

My thoughts are that your gym sucks and that you're wasting your time.

The smith machine is NOT okay at all for Squats and Bench Press. One, because it balances the weight for you, and forces you into fixed, unnatural movements patterns. This makes the exercise easier, thus yielding inferior muscle gains and fat loss. You'll have to lower the weight when you switch to free weights.

Two, the smith forces your body into fixed, unnatural movements patterns which can cause knee/lower back/shoulder injuries when lifting heavier weights. They didn't choose the smith/pulleys over barbells to your increase safety but so they don't need employees to show you how to Squat, Bench and Deadlift.

The cable work is frankly a joke. Cable bent leg Deadlift, well, when you do a real Deadlift you'll know the difference. Seated cable rows is good for rehab, but it's nothing compared to Rows. Only Dumbbell Preses are okay, but you're going to have a hard time adding 5lb each workout with dumbbells, especially on an overhead lift. Yet the key to gaining strength/muscle is Progressive Loading.

You claim you don't have any options but you do. You can either keep going to this gym because of that contract, and then wonder for 10 months how the heck my StrongLifts Members are gaining so much strength and muscle. OR, you stop being cheap, join a new gym that doesn't suck, and keep paying your current gym membership in the meanwhile. Those are your options.

Look, I'm frugal but I'm not cheap. If I were you, I'd get a 2nd membership in a gym that doesn't suck, keep paying the first one for another 10 months, and actually get results. Don't tell me you don't have the money, you can always save on something else if you really want to. Add that a membership in a smaller, powerlifting-style gym is almost always going to cost less anyway.

Waiting 10 months to get serious is insane.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

I trained for 5 years in a public gym. Not a single time did I Squat or Deadlift without facing a mirror. But then I built a home gym and laziness kept me from buying mirrors. Since I quickly got used to lifting without them, I never got myself any. And after 7 years of Squatting, Deadlifting and Pressing while staring at a blank wall, I've concluded that mirrors are unnecessary for lifting.

But, how will you know if you're lifting correctly? Not using mirrors. They only gives you information about the front plane. So even if you do your Squats while facing a mirror, you never know what's really happening anyway.

As an example: you can't check if your hips are going lower than your knees on the Squat when you face a mirror. You'd have to stand with your side facing it and then look aside to check where your hips are going when Squatting. But this is a guaranteed way to twist your neck and suffer pain for a few days.

Mirrors can cause the same kind of neck injuries on Deadlifts. When you're in the starting position, the only way you can see yourself in the mirror is by tilting your head up. This can cause neck pain and will mess with your technique (your hips will usually end up too low, which is less effective for Deadlift strength).

So you only have 2 ways to find out if you're lifting with correct technique:

• Tape Yourself. Use a digital camera or a phone with video capabilities to take videos of your lifts. It's a well-known fact that elite lifters tape themselves to find errors with their technique and improve it.
• Ask Someone. This should be someone who is familiar with the lifts, and who knows the difference between good & bad technique. Watch out with personal trainers, many don't know how to Squat/Deadlift.

If you're going to build a home gym: don't waste your money on mirrors, just lift staring at a blank wall. It will feel weird, but you'll quickly develop a feeling for how your body moves through space (kinesthetic sense or proprioception). This skill is useful for all other sports that don't use mirrors either (rugby, soccer, ...).

If your gym has mirrors everywhere, turn your body away from them so you can't rely on visual input. If that's not possible, focus on 1 point in the mirror as if you were trying to look THROUGH it instead of at it. Just don't try to check your technique, and keep your head down on Deadlifts/Rows to prevent neck pain.

Frankly, mirrors only serve bodybuilders who like to check if their muscles are pumped between sets. But even if you want to track physical changes, weekly full body pictures of yourself are more objective than looking at the mirror.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Yet I've always recommended, and still recommend, to start StrongLifts 5x5 without a belt. Why? Because some guys believe that Squatting and Deadlifting with a belt will prevent lower back injuries or eliminate lower back pain.

Research by Dr Stuart McGill, author of The Ultimate Back and Fitness Performance Fitness Pro and professor of spine biomechanics, shows that if you injure yourself while wearing a belt, the injury will be more severe than if you weren't wearing one. This does NOT mean you shouldn't wear a belt, this just means that proper technique, optimal mobility, glute activation, etc are crucial.

Dr Stuart McGill's research also clearly shows that you can lift more weight when using a belt. Nothing ground-breaking here, everybody knows that already. Belts increase abdominal pressure, which increases torso stability, and which thus allows you to lift more weight. On the Squat and Deadlift, introducing the use of a belt almost always adds at least 25lb to your max instantly.

Some guys believe wearing a belt won't develop your abs. I strongly disagree. I wear a belt on all my heavy sets of Squats, Deadlifts, Rows, Presses and even on the Bench, yet my ab muscles are rock hard. Your abs will not remain weak, they'll get stronger because you're lifting a lot more weight. And this is NOT "fake" strength that you will gain by the way, your raw max will also skyrocket.

My advice remains that you start StrongLifts 5x5 without a belt, until you've built a good foundation of technique. Wearing a belt for a 110lb Squat is silly and unnecessary. Inside the 5x5 report (page 47) I wrote that it's best to wait to wear a belt until you start stalling on your Squats and Deadlifts.

Recommendations I have - I own the Inzer Forever Belt 10mm single prong. This is not an affiliate link because they don't have an affiliate program, but you can be sure I would have put one there otherwise. Many StrongLifts Members have the exact same belt. You can get cheaper, but you can't get better. As the name implies, this Inzer belt lasts forever. Smart guys invest.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Well this isn't true. You can get injured using the Smith Machine. And although you're using a bar, it's a machine. Meaning you'll get subpar results compared to free weights. Here are 10 reasons you shouldn't use the Smith Machine.

1. False Sense of Security. You'll tend to take more risks on the Smith Machine because the barbell is fixed. Putting on weights you might not be able to lift yet since you can stop it more easily anyway.

The Smith Machine isn't as safe as it looks. You can injure yourself if you don't watch what you're doing. Read this story & watch this video for examples of Smith Machine accidents.

2. Unnatural Movements. On a free weight Squat your body goes down in an arched path. Smith Machines force your body into fixed, unnatural movements patterns. This can cause injuries, especially with heavier weights.

New generation Smith Machines — like the Jones Smith Machine — try to solve the problem by allowing 3D movements, including front & backward movement. But they're still machines with drawbacks. Read on.

3, Knee Injuries. Knee pain from the Smith Machine is common. It forces your body into fixed movements patterns and places shearing loads on your knees. And it's hard to position yourself correctly under the bar.

• Feet Position. Feet too much under the bar: more knee flexion and knee stress. Feet too much forward: more knee stress because they want to slide forward and your lower back gets in a weak position.
• Hip Extension. You'll tend to lean against the fixed bar, causing less hip extension. Your hamstrings — knee stabilizers — will shut down. More shear force on your knees and thus more risks of ACL injuries.

4. Lower Back Injuries. The fixed bar tends to make you rest against it and the Smith Machine forces you into unnatural movements patterns.

• Lower Back Stress. You're pushing your spinal erectors & neck muscles more against the bar. More back stress, especially with heavier weights.
• Lower Back Rounding. Feet too far forward puts your lower back in a weak position and will tend to make your lower back round.

5. No Balance. The Smith Machine balances and stabilizes the weight for you since its bar is fixed. You won't strengthen your stabilizing muscles or improve balance & coordination. Things you need for daily activities & sports.

6. Less Strength. All exercises become easier and less stressful since the Smith Machine balances the weight for you. You won't get as strong. Expect to lift less weight when switching to free weights.

7. Less Muscle. If you aren't making gains: switching to free weights will often make you break that plateau. Free weights force you to balance the weight, making the exercise harder on your body. Bigger adaptive response.

8. Muscle Imbalances You only build strength in 1 plane since the bar is fixed. This causes muscle imbalances and increases the risks of injuries in the other undeveloped planes of movements.

9. Technique is Different. Common advice is to learn to Squat inside the Smith Machine before switching to free weights. The thinking behind this is that the Smith Machine is safer and helps with balance.

But it's a waste of time. Technique is different using free weights since you have to balance the weight yourself. You'll have to lower the weight when switching and relearn technique from scratch.

10. Less Potential. You can minimize some of the above problems. But even if you do, the Smith Machine remains less effective for strength and muscle gains. Instead of trying to minimize problems: do the exercises with most potential.

How to Increase Safety on Free Weights. Weight lifting has the lowest rate of injury. You'll prevent injuries by learning & lifting with proper technique. Read all the exercise technique articles in the left sidebar. Extra tips:

• Start Light. Control your ego. Start with light weights, focus on learning proper exercise technique and add weight slowly but gradually.
• Have a Spotter. Especially on the Bench Press. Your spotter should be there to catch the weight if necessary, not to lift the weight for you.
• Use The Power Rack. And set the safety pins so they can catch the weight. Read how to Squat if you don't have a Power Rack.

Good Uses for The Smith Machine. Again: don't Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift or Overhead Press using the Smith Machine. Here are some exercises you could do in all safety inside it:

• Inverted Rows. Put the barbell somewhat lower than your belly height and use it for Inverted Rows.
• Pull-ups. Use the Pull-up bar of the Smith Machine or set the bar high and do Pull-ups from there with your knees flexed.
• Push-ups. Not strong enough yet for Push-ups? Put the barbell at belly height and do incline Push-ups. Lower the height as you get stronger.

For all other exercises: use the Power Rack so you can use free weights. If your gym has no Power Rack, consider building a home gym.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

This post will teach you everything about how to build a home gym. Benefits & drawbacks, what gym equipment you should buy and where, and how much it will cost you to build your home gym.

Benefits of Home Gyms. Some build home gyms because they're intimidated by bigger guys in commercial gyms or because gym people training wrong stresses them. Get over both. Here are real benefits of home gyms.

• Time-efficient. No more waiting for the Power Rack to get free. No more driving back & forth to the gym several times a week.
• Cuts Expenses. No more gym membership fee. You get your investment back within 2-3 years. Gym equipment doesn't lose value, so if you ever quit you can always sell it on Craiglist or eBay.
• Freedom. Gyms often have no Power Racks and forbid Deadlifts & chalk. Home gyms allow you to train how and when you want.

Drawbacks of Home Gyms. Unless you invite friends, you'll be training alone in your home gym. While this builds character it has drawbacks.

• Self-discipline. You have nobody to motivate you during heavy sets or to drag you to the gym when you don't feel like training.
• No Spotter. Nobody to spot you during a heavy Squat or Bench Press. Nobody to hand out the weight on the Bench Press.
• Need Space. The deal-breaker for most people. You need enough space for your Power Rack, bench, barbell & plates to fit in.

1. Home Gym Space. Most people build their home gym in their basement or garage. Here's how much space you need:

• Width x Depth. 108 square feet (10m²). Space for your Power Rack and to Deadlift outside of it. If you don't have this space: at least 6'/3m to give your bar clearance, Deadlift inside your rack.
• Height. High enough so your Power Rack fits. Your length + 3 feet (1m) so you can Overhead Press without the barbell hitting the ceiling. If you don't have this space: press outside or seated.

2. Home Gym Flooring. Point is to protect your floor and reduce the noise from the barbell hitting the floor during exercises like Deadlifts.

• Plywood. 2-3 layers plywood. Optional heavy carpet on top. Make sure the carpet is hard (not compressible) and doesn't slip around.
• Rubber Mats. Get 2 stall mats of 2 square feet (0,2m² ) from your local farm supply. Put them under the plates of your barbell during Deadlifts.
• Platform. Or build a lifting platform if you're serious about Olympic lifts like Power Cleans. Read muddy's post in the forum.

3. Power Rack. The Power Rack facilitates getting the barbell in the starting position on the Squat & Bench Press. Its safety pins increases safety. And it usually comes with a Pull-up bar and Dip bar attachments.

• Tall. Your Power Rack should allow you to Overhead Press inside of it. Otherwise you'll have to Clean the bar on each set or press seated.
• Strong.Your Power Rack should handle weights up to 1000lbs/450kg. You never know how strong you get on Squats.
• Safety Pins. Power Racks have lateral pins that you can set at multiple heights. These safety pins catch the bar if you miss a lift.

You won't be able to lift heavy and safely without a Power Rack. Your home gym needs one if you're serious about weight lifting. Here are some popular but less safe alternatives to Power Racks:

• Squat Rack. Open Power Rack. Less safe since it usually doesn't have safety pins (some do, but they can't be adjusted). Example.
• Squat Holds. Also no safety pins, but you can use saw horses. Can fall over if you don’t watch what you’re doing. Example.
• Smith Machine. Power Rack with fixed barbell. Not as safe as it looks like and less effective than free weights. Example.

EliteFTS sells the best Power Racks. They're made by lifters for lifters. However the quality comes at a price. Cheaper alternatives that will do:

• New Power Racks. Amazon offers Power Racks with prices ranging from 299$ to 499$ and free shipping. Examples: this, this & this.
• Homemade Power Racks. Can be cheaper. Read this, this, this & this guides on building a Power Rack and this, this & this forum threads.
• 2nd Hand Power Racks. Several forum members have found great deals using Craiglist, Search Tempest & eBay.

4. Barbell. Quality barbells are safer & feel better. Don't be cheap on this. Here's what to look for when choosing a bar for your home gym:

• Strong. Never bends, handles up to 1000lbs/450kg, 45lbs/20kg weight, 7ft/2m20 length, 2"/50mm sleeves, 28mm grip, center knurling, ...
• Revolving Sleeves. Fixed bars are harder on your grip, meaning less weight. And they makes olympic lifts impossible. Get revolving sleeves.
• Collars. Barbells usually come with spring collars. They're fine, although many forum members prefer Muscle Cramps.

Don't waste your money on cheap 6ft barbells weighing 22lbs/10kg and without revolving sleeves or middle knurling. Get a quality barbell from the start. Some companies you should look at ranked on price:

• High Class. EliteFTS, Eleiko, Ivanko, Werksan, ...
• Middle Class. MuscleDriver, Rogue Fitness, BS Olympic, Iron Company, ...
• Low Class. Craiglist, Search Tempest & eBay (2nd hand).

5. Plates. With 50mm holes to fit your barbell. Watch for special deals. Often you can get a barbell and weight set from one of the above companies at a reduced price. Here's what to look for:

• Weight. Get 4 plates of 2.5/5/10/20lbs and 6 of 45lbs (so 4x 1.25/2.5/5/10kg and 6x 20kg). Totals for 440lbs/200kg when including your bar.
• Iron. Usually cheaper than rubber coated. Consider the more expensive bumper plates if you're serious about Olympic lifting.
• Round. Angular plates make exercises where you pull the bar from the floor, like Deadlifts or Barbell Rows, impossible. Get round plates.

Consider a weight tree to keep your home gym safe and organized. Example.

6. Bench. You need one to Bench Press. You don't need a Bench with uprights supports like this one. Get a regular Bench and put it inside your Power Rack.

• Width. The bench shouldn't be too wide so it doesn't get in the way of your arms & shoulders in the bottom position.
• Sturdy. Handles weights of 440lbs/200kg and doesn't tip back when you rack a heavy weight into the uprights.
• Flat. You can get an adjustable bench too if you want more versatility in the future. However a flat bench will do too.

Don't get a bench with a leg raise like this one. It will prevent proper feet placement. Get a regular Bench like the one from Apex or Ironmind.

7. Extras. You only need a Power Rack, Barbell, Plates & Bench to do a routine like StrongLifts 5x5. If you get serious about weight lifting & strength training, you'll probably end up getting some of these extras.

• Shoes. You need shoes with a hard, incompressible sole. Chuck Taylor’s are best. Read the post on weight lifting shoes.
• Chalk. Improves your grip by preventing sweating. Chalk also decreases callus formation by filling your skin folds.
• Dip Belt. Easiest way to add weight on Pull-ups, Chin-ups and Dips. Homemade dip belt or Ironmind's dip belt.
• Resistance Bands. Assisted Pull-ups, Push-ups against bands, mobility exercises,... Read the post on resistance bands and check Iron Woody.
• Rucksack. Wear a rucksack filled with plates for weighted Push-ups, Dips, Pull-ups & Chin-ups. Cheaper than an Xvest.
• Foam Roller. For soft tissue work. Cheap PVC or paperboard rollers are hard but work. Or get Perform Better's foam roller plus with cover.
• Bumper Plates. You'll break your bar & plates if you do Olympic lifts like Power Cleans without bumpers plates. Get some like these.
• Box. You need a sturdy box for Box Squats. Check EliteFTS' adjustable box or read how to build a box for Box Squats.
• Adjustable Dumbbells. With 50mm sleeves so your plates fit on them.

Total Price for Home Gym. Count 1000$ for a new Power Rack, Bench, Olympic Barbell & 400lbs/180kg plates. Go 2nd hand and you can find the same setup at half the price on Craiglist.

If you have questions about building a home gym or want to share tips, check out the gym equipment section in the forum.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Weight lifting is a cheap sport. You usually don't need gym accessories like bar pads, gloves, straps or expensive clothing. Once you got your Power Rack, bar & weights, you're ready to go.

But there's 1 important gym equipment accessory that people tend to overlook. Shoes. This post will teach you everything about which shoes you should wear and NOT wear for weight lifting, and why.

Wrong Shoes: Running Shoes. The air & gel filling is great for reducing impact shock from running. But bad for lifting. Running shoes will limit your strength & prevent good lifting technique.

• Unstable. Soles are squishy so you can't predict their behavior on each rep. This makes it harder to control your technique and lift properly.
• Power Loss. The soles absorb the force generated against the floor instead of directing it towards moving the weight. You lose strength.
• Dangerous. Higher risk of injury, especially with heavier weights, since the soles make it hard to balance yourself and are less stable.

Benefits of Good Lifting Shoes. Good lifting shoes have incompressible soles. They must be non slippery, have excellent support and fit snug. Benefits:

• More Stability. Better traction against the floor and improved balance under the bar because the soles are hard.
• More Strength. Your heels will sense the pressure of the weight better, which will make your legs contract harder.
• Better Technique. Good lifting shoes will fix many technique issues. You'll sit back better, your heels will stop coming off the floor, ...
• More Safety. Better balance, better technique, ... All of it decreases the risks of injury during lifting.

Best Shoes for Squats. Depends on how you Squat. But the sole should always be incompressible for maximal stability, power transfer & technique.

• Low Bar Squats. More leaning forward, less depth. Chuck Taylor's are the best shoes for Low Bar Squats. Recommended by Louie Simmons.
• Olympic & Front Squats. Torso is more upright, more depth. Shoes with heels make it easier to go deep. Examples: Adidas Adistar, Do-Win, ...

Best Shoes for Deadlifts. The closer your feet to the floor, the less distance the bar has to travel and thus the more weight you can Deadlift. That's why thinner soles are better. These should be flat & incompressible.

• Barefoot. Can't get closer to the floor than this. However barefoot is not allowed on competitions. You'll usually have to wear socks or slippers.
• Ballet Slippers. Less slippery than socks because ballet slippers usually have a rubber sole. But still very thin.
• Chuck Taylor's. Soles are flat enough to work for Deadlifts. However the bar will have to travel more distance compared to slippers.

Chuck Taylor's. These are the best all around shoe. Chuck Taylor's are efficient & cheap. And they will last forever as lifting shoes.

• Hard Sole. Sole is thin, flat & incompressible. Your feet are close to the floor. You'll feel your feet better during lifts: more stability & control.
• Strong Canvas. This allows you to push your feet to the outside on Squats which helps keeping your knees out and activating your glutes.
• Ankle Mobility. Full ankle mobility with low tops Chuck Taylor's. If you buy high tops, leave the top part unlaced.

Do You Need Shoes With Heels? Olympic weight lifters wear shoes with heels because these make it easier to hit depth on Olympic lifts like Power Cleans, Olympic Squats, Front Squats, Overhead Squats, ...

However for low bar Squats and Deadlifts, shoes with flat soles are better. If you're serious about Olympic lifting, consider weight lifting shoes like Adidas Adistar or Do-Win. They'll make things easier.

Barefoot Lifting. Lifting barefoot strengthens the small muscles of your feet & improves ankle mobility. I always lift barefoot except for Squats and unless it's too cold in my gym. I also walk barefoot all the time at home.

Try lifting barefoot at least once. You'll understand the importance of good lifting shoes. Is it safe? If a big plate falls on your foot, it will hurt whether you wear a shoe or not. Be careful and it won't happen.

Recommend Lifting Shoes. You need shoes with incompressible soles for low bar Squats & Deadlifts. Remember barefoot or slippers is best on Deadlifts. These are the best shoes for weight lifting:

• Converse Chuck Taylor's All Stars
• Adidas Superstars
• Adidas Sambas

Recommended Shoes for Olympic Lifting. If you're going to do Power Cleans, Front Squats, Overhead Squats, High Bar Olympic Squats and Snatches, you're better of with shoes with heels. Some brands:

• Adidas Adistar or Ironwork
• Do-Win
• VS Athletics Weight Lifting Shoe

More Reading. 2 discussions in the StrongLifts.com Forum about weight lifting shoes & Squatting barefoot.

• Shoes. Several pages discussing what shoes to buy. Forum members share their experience lifting in those shoes.
• Squatting Barefoot. Read the experience of forum member Sandbender.

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Power Racks allow for maximal safety during lifts since they have safety pins to catch the barbell if something goes wrong. They also allow for plenty exercises since they usually have built-in Pull-up & Dip bars.

However a Power Rack takes a lot of space. Your ceiling might be too low. And moving your Power Rack is a pain each time you need that space for something else. A more practical & cheaper solution: Squat Stands.

Drawbacks of Squat Stands. Squat Stands need less space than Power Racks and you can find them at half the price. But Squat Stands have drawbacks too:

• Less Versatile. Squat Stands don't work well if you Bench Press often. And you'll need an additional Pull-up bar.
• Less Safe. Unless you use saw horses as safety pins to catch the bar, you'll have to dump the weight when you get stuck on Squats.
• Bumper Plates. You need more expensive bumper plates if you plan to dump the weight. Otherwise you'll break your bar & plates.

The only benefits of Squat Stands over Power Racks is that they take less place and are more mobile. They're not cheaper in the long run since you'll need extra equipment like a Pull-up bar or bumper plates.

Buying & Building Squat Stands. If you have the time & skills, build your own Squat Stands in wood. Otherwise I'd recommend the Ironmind Squat Stands. But at that price and if you have the place, a Power Rack is a better idea.

• Valor Fitness BD-3. Separate bar supports. Comes with short safety catch bars. Free shipping. But only handles 250lbs.
• PowerLine PSS60X. Takes more space since the bar supports are attached. But more stable. 5 star review. Free shipping.
• Ironmind Vulcan II+. Used at US Olympic centers. Adjustable for Bench Press. Optional Pull-up/Dip bar. Handles 1000lbs. But expensive.
• Homemade Squat Stands. Cost less than 50$ and takes 1 day work. Read this guide and this one (bottom). Check the pictures in this set.

How to Dump The Bar When Using Squat Stands. If you don't use saw horses to catch the weight when you get stuck on Squats, you'll have to dump the bar like Olympic weight lifters do all the time. 2 options:

• Dump Backwards. Move forward while dumping the bar backwards. Be quick so the bar doesn't hit your back. Example. With Front Squats, you can drop the weight in front. Example.
• Dump Forward. Jerk the weight overhead to the front. Tricky since you might not be able to this with heavy weights. Check this video at 4:45.

Backwards is the safest way. Practice dumping the bar with lighter weights so you know what to do when using heavier weights. Remember you need bumper plates to avoid breaking your bar and plates.

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