do you mean the ones that go on after the weights? for the smith dont need as the bar is locked in place so it wont tip and weights wont fall off. even when i do squats, bench or other barbell stuff i dont put the clips becuase i work out alone mostly. if i get stuck need to be able to lean the bar over and drop the weights.

ask any person who at least looks like they know what they are doing. they will help you out. even if you need a spot. just approach some dude/dudette in their rest period to spot you or teach you. i think most will be happy to help. everyones been there.
hes just a lazy douche. dont listen to him. i guess he just wants you to sign up for PT package. dunno if there is an anytime fitness post, but maybe you can look for that and hook up with some other LYNer that goes to your gym and get some help?

deadlift is a lift exercise. so some people when trying to get max reps dont waste energy bringing the barbell to the ground. they will just lift and then drop the bar, then lift and drop. others (like myself) try to control the drop, but when tired, even that will lead to a loud bang on the floor hahahah.

Seriously, change gym already. Let them do whatever they want with the smith.

well maybe he doesnt deadlift anymore? but used to? i got a friend who dislocates his shoulder when he deadlifts so he had to stop. 

and if you work your way up slowly, you shouldnt hurt yourself, but you need proper breathing and strengthening and when nearing max weight, you should use a belt. normally people can deadlift 1.5x their bodyweight. i cant push mysefl that far due to knee injury. but working way up there.

snowboarding, twisted it. then futsal tore it.  due to downtime and what not ended up putting on 20kg      took 1 year before brave enough to try squats again ahahha. but getting there. so far can do 80kg squat and 100kg deadlift without any knee problem, unless for squat i try to go deep, then for sure next day got issue.

Yes. Lowering the weights on heavy deadlift is a shortcut to injury.

Which I already told you to do before...

not heavy lah dude. the other guys at the gym doing 130-150kg squat and deadlifts. im big but all meat hahahah. but takes time so no rush.
imho if wanna do deadlift. just deadlift. but dont do heavy weights. just do more reps make sure the form is right. that will work the muscles required to deadlift. i started with 40kg and worked my way up adding sikit sikit.

this is what they are scared of.... if i was working there. i would be scared too...

not working embed. so https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9TVFxPUZ6E

i think he's fine hahaha. i dunno if other vids were made after this though. hahaha.

chi damansara. nice gym, but a bit lacking in equipment. only got 1 of each machine. probably gonna leave soon though and switch to one closer to my opis.

first and foremost, deadlift is a STRENGTH exercise. and like all exercises, you dont actually have to do it in order to get fit. however, its a really good compound movement.

most gyms arent really equipped to do deadlifts, commercial ones such as anytime and FF abit of touch and go since their places are usually malls or office area where the sound and impact made would cause the other units to complain.

shoplot and crossfit gyms are the best places to do them. either that you find a gym which has an olympic lifting platform and bumper plates to do them (google the terms if not familiar)

as for ur barbell not being even..... is there only one barbell in the gym? if you cant balance it properly get another barbell. if cant, dont do any exercises with said barbell. safety first.

as for deadlifting in a commercial or shoplot gym, be courteous about it. dont slam the weights down. imo lower than 100kg you can ease them down to cause minimal noise. pad the flooring with loose gym mats that should be laying around. even with heavier weights i dont drop them from the top of the movement. ease them down to around knee level and let go from there.

but nowadays i do my deads at a crossfit gym with bumper plates. no problems whatsoever haha.

one word of advice. if you can find friends who are regular gym goers, go with them for one of the sessions, even if it means paying to enter their gym. a couple of hours following people who know what they are doing will give you more than enough knowledge to workout alone. good luck with your journey!