To Drop or Not to Drop

Ah.  Dropping the bar.  So satisfying.  So loud.  So exciting.  And yet, with the goal of completing the workout as fast as possible, not the best option.

When you drop the bar, it necessitates you let go of the bar.  Thus to pick the bar back up, you have to re grip.  When you drop the bar, it almost always moves sideways a bit.  Thus to pick the bar back up, you have to adjust your feet back into position.  Finally, when you drop the bar it’s a mental disconnect – you’re done with that bar for the moment.  Thus to pick the bar back up, you have to get your head back into the lift.

The point of all this is if you can control the descent of the bar and you’ve got another rep after the one you’re doing – control it!  You’ll be able to do more work in less time.