Deadlift Variation?

hi, today i got an earful from a guy at the gym. i was doing a dead lift variation. the variation goes like this, u have a barbell like one you would use with squats. one end is in a corner while the other end is loaded with plates. now look down at the plates, hug the plates and then lift up such as lifting of an atlas stone. is this exercise being done correctly ?. he told me nothing could prepare me for the atlas stones and how i would be better off just deadlifting. i deadlift too which i know is an important lift. but i think that this exercise replicates the form and motrion of the stones. any comments. thanks

so you are trying to lift atlas stones or am i wrong? i think it’s simple, if you find it helps you lift heavier stones, then do it. i tend to think it could be hard on the lower back, but for your sake, i hope not.

[quote]jdrannin1 wrote:
so you are trying to lift atlas stones or am i wrong? i think it’s simple, if you find it helps you lift heavier stones, then do it. i tend to think it could be hard on the lower back, but for your sake, i hope not.[/quote]

yea im training to help my atlas stone lift. i dont feel that it is any hard on my lower back then a good set of dead lifts. but as far as the guys advice, saying that id be better off just dead lifting and that this lift wont help? i just dont see where hes coming from

as long as its safe, i dont see his point either.

You dont learn how to drive a car by flying a plane.

I have never lifted an atlas stone so I dont know what the movement feels like, but I reckon that if your variation feels more like lifting an atlas stone than a standard DL does then I reckon keep doing it (as long as your back is good).

DL’s will obviously help and should have their place in your training, but you want to replicate the movement of lifting a stone where possible.

thanks for the replies, to replicate the movement and form was what i was going for. i know that its not gonna feel the same as lifting the stone, but it should help. and yes deadlifts have a strong place in my routine as well as the other key lifts such as squats. the way i see it many of the strong man lifts are a complete body lift.