Suitcase Deadlift

[ZazenZone]

I discovered this jewel around 6 months ago and have been totally digging it. I prefer to use a tri extension neutral grip bar with it.

Regular full deadlifts are, in my opinion, probably the best overall exercise that one can do. But for guys like me, whose bodies are beat up from years of heavy strate bar lifting, the suitcase deadlift is a great alternative to regular deads. I love the fact that the load is decreased on lower back, the core is involved, and the hands can stay neutral and comfortable at sides of body. Overall, a big thumbs up.

[Oceanside]

I discovered this jewel around 6 months ago and have been totally digging it. I prefer to use a tri extension neutral grip bar with it.

Regular full deadlifts are, in my opinion, probably the best overall exercise that one can do. But for guys like me, whose bodies are beat up from years of heavy strate bar lifting, the suitcase deadlift is a great alternative to regular deads. I love the fact that the load is decreased on lower back, the core is involved, and the hands can stay neutral and comfortable at sides of body. Overall, a big thumbs up.

I'm gonna call bullsh*t here..

just can't see a true dead lifter wasting their time with a womans jazzercise type lift.

[ZazenZone]

I'm gonna call bullsh*t here..

just can't see a true dead lifter wasting their time with a womans jazzercise type lift.

HAHA well, some "true" deadlifters were a little too "true" for many years and their bodies don't jive with heavy strate bar lifts anymore. I used to love heavy deads and if I could still do them without paying the devil's price, I would. I live with ac joint degeneration and a tweaked back because of being "true." I got up to 445 without straps on the deadlift several years ago at 180 lbs bodyweight, not great but not bad for an "amateur."

"Woman's jazzercize" is a little harsh friend. Maybe you don't have much experience with the exercise. Use a barbell and give it a try. Prepare to meet up with some humility.

Do a google on heavy suitcase deadlift videos and info and you'll find the exercise isn't necessarily equated with the pretty colored dumbbells

[JerryB]

I discovered this jewel around 6 months ago and have been totally digging it. I prefer to use a tri extension neutral grip bar with it.

Regular full deadlifts are, in my opinion, probably the best overall exercise that one can do. But for guys like me, whose bodies are beat up from years of heavy strate bar lifting, the suitcase deadlift is a great alternative to regular deads. I love the fact that the load is decreased on lower back, the core is involved, and the hands can stay neutral and comfortable at sides of body. Overall, a big thumbs up.

What is a suitcase deadlift?

[nvrstopworking]

What is a suitcase deadlift?

[JerryB]

Thanks

[ZazenZone]

Thanks

The guy in the video is an effin beast. He's obviously doing the suitcase simultaneously with 2 hands, which is great if one is healthy and injury free. But lifting both sides at once takes away from the uneven load of lifting one side at a time and thus diminishes how hard the core has to work, plus it puts much greater load on posterior chain.

[christos_swc]

The guy in the video is an effin beast. He's obviously doing the suitcase simultaneously with 2 hands, which is great if one is healthy and injury free. But lifting both sides at once takes away from the uneven load of lifting one side at a time and thus diminishes how hard the core has to work, plus it puts much greater load on posterior chain.

This basically looks like a trap bar deadlift for those who don't have a trap bar...
With the added benefit of hitting the obliques and rib muscles hard if you do it one arm at a time.
On the other hand deadlifts are about going heavy like the guy on the video(obviously heavy is a relative term, depends on the individual).
In which case I feel it's possible to pull a rib muscle if you do it one armed.
And I don't think you put enough load on your wheels this way.
So If I looked for an alternative to regular deadlifts (it's been on my mind lately, it is as dangerous an exercise as it is rewarding), I would consider trap bars instead.
In which case it becomes an alternative to squats also as it is a bit like a hybrid of the two.
In fact it's more like an enhanced half squat(due to arm and trap involvement) than a deadlift.
There are squat substitutes out there, there's no real substitute for regular deadlifts, none.
You either can do them or you can't.
No shame in that.

[ZazenZone]

This basically looks like a trap bar deadlift for those who don't have a trap bar...
With the added benefit of hitting the obliques and rib muscles hard if you do it one arm at a time.
On the other hand deadlifts are about going heavy like the guy on the video(obviously heavy is a relative term, depends on the individual).
In which case I feel it's possible to pull a rib muscle if you do it one armed.
And I don't think you put enough load on your wheels this way.
So If I looked for an alternative to regular deadlifts (it's been on my mind lately, it is as dangerous an exercise as it is rewarding), I would consider trap bars instead.
In which case it becomes an alternative to squats also as it is a bit like a hybrid of the two.
In fact it's more like an enhanced half squat(due to arm and trap involvement) than a deadlift.
There are squat substitutes out there, there's no real substitute for regular deadlifts, none.
You either can do them or you can't.
No shame in that.

Agree with most of what you wrote. NO sub for full deadlifts, in terms of the awesome load it puts on the entire body, but that heavy load is double-edged sword. In the same light, there really is no sub for full ATG squat, either. You can leg press, front squat, hack squat, etc all you want, but they don't compare to the systemic load of regular full squats.

I did my time with the big daddy straight bar moves and have the wounds to prove it. Do to chronic injuries I have to work around, I choose to use suitcase dead, goblet squat, and good mornings with bands to take care of legs and posterior chain these days. Are they gonna make me massive? Surely not, but that is ok. But can they potentially keep my legs and posterior chain reasonably strong and fit as I move into my 40s and 50s and beyond? Sure.

[ZazenZone]

This basically looks like a trap bar deadlift for those who don't have a trap bar...
With the added benefit of hitting the obliques and rib muscles hard if you do it one arm at a time.
On the other hand deadlifts are about going heavy like the guy on the video(obviously heavy is a relative term, depends on the individual).
In which case I feel it's possible to pull a rib muscle if you do it one armed.
And I don't think you put enough load on your wheels this way.
So If I looked for an alternative to regular deadlifts (it's been on my mind lately, it is as dangerous an exercise as it is rewarding), I would consider trap bars instead.
In which case it becomes an alternative to squats also as it is a bit like a hybrid of the two.
In fact it's more like an enhanced half squat(due to arm and trap involvement) than a deadlift.
There are squat substitutes out there, there's no real substitute for regular deadlifts, none.
You either can do them or you can't.
No shame in that.

Also, the suitcase dead is not intended to put max load on wheels or posterior chain, in fact, it's about reducing the load on said regions and involving the core more to stabilize. One should add weight very slowly to the move, because the weak point is, in fact, as you correctly pointed out, the core/oblique/serratus type of area.

[mslman71]

Looks like a variant of the trap/hip bar dead to me. Less stabilized of course, but similar movement.

I like 'em but I don't consider them a substitute because they feel completely different.

[tmonkey]

[grace_ou]

I'm gonna call bullsh*t here..

just can't see a true dead lifter wasting their time with a womans jazzercise type lift.

That's just ignorance..

Suit case deads are commonly used by strongman. They are great for helping with the car deadlift for example.

[grace_ou]

Agree with most of what you wrote. NO sub for full deadlifts, in terms of the awesome load it puts on the entire body, but that heavy load is double-edged sword. In the same light, there really is no sub for full ATG squat, either. You can leg press, front squat, hack squat, etc all you want, but they don't compare to the systemic load of regular full squats.

I did my time with the big daddy straight bar moves and have the wounds to prove it. Do to chronic injuries I have to work around, I choose to use suitcase dead, goblet squat, and good mornings with bands to take care of legs and posterior chain these days. Are they gonna make me massive? Surely not, but that is ok. But can they potentially keep my legs and posterior chain reasonably strong and fit as I move into my 40s and 50s and beyond? Sure.

IMO zerchers are.

A full zercher will give you the benefit of deadlifts & an atg squat and still reduce compression & other issues with the spine because the weight is front loaded.

You deadlift the bar up, squat down place it on your legs and then hook the arms under the bar and squat the weight up, back down.