Deadlift Question

Av8tor · 01-07-2004, 11:29 PM

I've been lifting on and off for years, but only seriously for the past 6-7 months. I've never done deadlifts, but have discovered through message boards like this that I need to start doing them. I tried them tonight with very light weight (135#s first set). I'm scared to death that I'm going to hurt my back, so I have a couple questions. They felt very awkward to say the least. I tried very hard to keep my back straight, but kept hitting my shins on the drive up and my knees on the way down.

How close should you stand to the bar when beginning the exercise?

On the drive upwards, how do you prevent from hitting your shins without bending forward slightly?

On the way down, I felt like I needed to bend slightly at the waist to prevent from hitting my knees. Is this due to my height (6'2").

I did them as the last exercise in my back routine, is this appropriate?

Thanks for any tips you can provide.

PreMier · 01-07-2004, 11:45 PM

I often hit my shins. Sometimes so hard it rips skin off. I always have really good form though since I used to powerlift in HS. Just do your best, and it will happen less often. Also how are you holding the bar? I hold one hand facing me and one away. There are also different variations (ie:sumo) of deadlifting. Find a book with pics and the correct line of movement, or have someone show you(Make sure they KNOW!)

I stand feet shoulder width apart, and my shins touch the bar. My hands are also shoulder width apart.

This could be due tou your height, but I also skin my knee sometimes. Just go light and make sure you have good form at first. im 5'8"

I do DL at the end also. I do them at the end because if I do them first I am too damn tired to do anything else.

**Mudge** · 01-07-2004, 11:48 PM

You are supposed to bend forward dude, how else would you pick it up? I am 6'2" also and I have never, ever hit my shins or my knees.

Keep your head up and just lift it, do NOT try to force some un-natural positioning. To stand straight up and down without bending the back would have you sitting in a chair putting the bar in your lap, it is IMPOSSIBLE to perform a deadlift this way obviously.

PreMier · 01-07-2004, 11:50 PM

Well, he probably means keeping his spine straight Mudge lol

**Mudge** · 01-07-2004, 11:57 PM

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...BDeadlift.html

To keep the spine straight, keep your head up and have STRONG ABDOMINALS.

PreMier · 01-08-2004, 12:03 AM

Thats a cool site Mudge. Too bad they dont show Sumo DL(for Av8tor). I like those.

**P-funk** · 01-08-2004, 04:42 AM

I hit my shins sometimes also, I pull the bar whay in over my feet, though. My stance is really narrow for deadlifts, narrower than most.....way more narrow than shoulder width but that is how i feel most comfortable. The most important thing is to drive with the hips first. I see to many people extens their legs all the way and then do some sort of rounded still leged dead list to finish off the movement....this is not safe!!

About bringing the weight back down to the floor.......Don't try and lower the weight. There really is no negative in a deadlift after you have the weight up from there you do what a powerlifter freind of mine refers to as a "controled drop".

Larva · 01-08-2004, 08:19 AM

here is a sumo stance, click on the pict for a large view and the link is a video

http://www.bsu.edu/webapps/strengthl...s/sumodead.mpg

PreMier · 01-08-2004, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Larva
here is a sumo stance, click on the pict for a large view and the link is a video

http://www.bsu.edu/webapps/strengthl...s/sumodead.mpg

Oh yea! Theese are AWESOME!

Monolith · 01-08-2004, 05:46 PM

I'm 6'5"... always used to bang the crap out of my knee's on deads. Still do occasionally, but its much better than it used to be. The problem i had, which may be yours, is that you start to bend your knee's too soon. If you watch that exrx pic Mudge posted, the guy bends at his lower back just to the point where the bar is below his kneecaps. Then he drops the rest of the way down with his legs. Previously i had done both at the exact same time... and the bar would always bang into my knees/shins.

**Mudge** · 01-08-2004, 09:01 PM

The one thing I will say is again dont ignore the abs. When I used to do any deads under 5 reps I was folding in half towards the last couple, because of poor abs (only was doing 1-2 sets a week!).

So my back could take it, but he abs support the back too, that was my weak link.

**P-funk** · 01-08-2004, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mudge
The one thing I will say is again dont ignore the abs. When I used to do any deads under 5 reps I was folding in half towards the last couple, because of poor abs (only was doing 1-2 sets a week!).

So my back could take it, but he abs support the back too, that was my weak link.

This is the most important post in this enitre thread.

mattymo · 01-09-2004, 12:50 PM

I agree with P-funk...the part about the abs is by far the most important. You MUST do intense core work or your deadlift will pleateau in a hurry. A strong core, from the hip flexors all the way to the upper abs is the key to powerlifts.

knight3450 · 01-09-2004, 08:15 PM

Av8tor,
Check this article out...
http://www.t-mag.com/nation_articles/295prec.jsp

Just saw it today and it has some good tips even I have never heard before.

Good luck!

Power Rabbit · 01-09-2004, 11:18 PM

I find if I puff out my chest(like your trying to impress a chic with your pecs) and look up its very hard for my body to round over...It keeps you in the proper shoulder form really well...this also works for bent over barbell row, good mournings, and squats

Burner02 · 01-09-2004, 11:44 PM

I use a different bar when I dead.
It is a bar that has a 'U' in the middle. I do not know if it was designed for a woman or to go deeper in benching, but I use that. I do not ever have to worry about scraping my shins or knees..

01-07-2004, 11:29 PM	#1
Av8tor Member Elite Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 161 Photos: 2	Deadlift Question I've been lifting on and off for years, but only seriously for the past 6-7 months. I've never done deadlifts, but have discovered through message boards like this that I need to start doing them. I tried them tonight with very light weight (135#s first set). I'm scared to death that I'm going to hurt my back, so I have a couple questions. They felt very awkward to say the least. I tried very hard to keep my back straight, but kept hitting my shins on the drive up and my knees on the way down. How close should you stand to the bar when beginning the exercise? On the drive upwards, how do you prevent from hitting your shins without bending forward slightly? On the way down, I felt like I needed to bend slightly at the waist to prevent from hitting my knees. Is this due to my height (6'2"). I did them as the last exercise in my back routine, is this appropriate? Thanks for any tips you can provide.

01-07-2004, 11:45 PM	#2
PreMier happy sumo Elite Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 21,300 Photos: 2	I often hit my shins. Sometimes so hard it rips skin off. I always have really good form though since I used to powerlift in HS. Just do your best, and it will happen less often. Also how are you holding the bar? I hold one hand facing me and one away. There are also different variations (ie:sumo) of deadlifting. Find a book with pics and the correct line of movement, or have someone show you(Make sure they KNOW!) I stand feet shoulder width apart, and my shins touch the bar. My hands are also shoulder width apart. This could be due tou your height, but I also skin my knee sometimes. Just go light and make sure you have good form at first. im 5'8" I do DL at the end also. I do them at the end because if I do them first I am too damn tired to do anything else.
	P-side Inc. "the post-workout high is more profound than any drug-induced rush imaginable." -Dante B.

01-07-2004, 11:48 PM	#3
Mudge Pizza the Hut Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 23,070 Photos: 1	You are supposed to bend forward dude, how else would you pick it up? I am 6'2" also and I have never, ever hit my shins or my knees. Keep your head up and just lift it, do NOT try to force some un-natural positioning. To stand straight up and down without bending the back would have you sitting in a chair putting the bar in your lap, it is IMPOSSIBLE to perform a deadlift this way obviously.
	Kinesiology Vote @ Top 25 Deads Comp Bench Motivation Bench form MaxCalc Charles Poliquin When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. Lao-Tzu I don't know any sources so don't ask - thanks

01-07-2004, 11:50 PM	#4
PreMier happy sumo Elite Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 21,300 Photos: 2	Well, he probably means keeping his spine straight Mudge lol
	P-side Inc. "the post-workout high is more profound than any drug-induced rush imaginable." -Dante B.

01-07-2004, 11:57 PM	#5
Mudge Pizza the Hut Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 23,070 Photos: 1	http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...BDeadlift.html To keep the spine straight, keep your head up and have STRONG ABDOMINALS.
	Kinesiology Vote @ Top 25 Deads Comp Bench Motivation Bench form MaxCalc Charles Poliquin When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. Lao-Tzu I don't know any sources so don't ask - thanks

01-08-2004, 12:03 AM	#6
PreMier happy sumo Elite Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 21,300 Photos: 2	Thats a cool site Mudge. Too bad they dont show Sumo DL(for Av8tor). I like those.
	P-side Inc. "the post-workout high is more profound than any drug-induced rush imaginable." -Dante B.

01-08-2004, 04:42 AM	#7
P-funk Patrick Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: AZ Posts: 30,625	I hit my shins sometimes also, I pull the bar whay in over my feet, though. My stance is really narrow for deadlifts, narrower than most.....way more narrow than shoulder width but that is how i feel most comfortable. The most important thing is to drive with the hips first. I see to many people extens their legs all the way and then do some sort of rounded still leged dead list to finish off the movement....this is not safe!! About bringing the weight back down to the floor.......Don't try and lower the weight. There really is no negative in a deadlift after you have the weight up from there you do what a powerlifter freind of mine refers to as a "controled drop".
	http://pwtraining.blogspot.com/.....come and see what is on my mind! Ivonne's Blog on Health and Wellness! Optimum Sports Performance "In the beginners mind there are many possibilities, in the experts there are few." -Buddha's Little Instruction Book

01-08-2004, 08:19 AM	#8
Larva Senior Member Elite Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: LI NY Posts: 646 Photos: 11	here is a sumo stance, click on the pict for a large view and the link is a video http://www.bsu.edu/webapps/strengthl...s/sumodead.mpg

01-08-2004, 05:46 PM	#10
Monolith OMGWTFBBQ Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: MA Posts: 4,002	I'm 6'5"... always used to bang the crap out of my knee's on deads. Still do occasionally, but its much better than it used to be. The problem i had, which may be yours, is that you start to bend your knee's too soon. If you watch that exrx pic Mudge posted, the guy bends at his lower back just to the point where the bar is below his kneecaps. Then he drops the rest of the way down with his legs. Previously i had done both at the exact same time... and the bar would always bang into my knees/shins.
	http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~ek867/dexamyl.jpg

01-08-2004, 09:01 PM	#11
Mudge Pizza the Hut Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 23,070 Photos: 1	The one thing I will say is again dont ignore the abs. When I used to do any deads under 5 reps I was folding in half towards the last couple, because of poor abs (only was doing 1-2 sets a week!). So my back could take it, but he abs support the back too, that was my weak link.
	Kinesiology Vote @ Top 25 Deads Comp Bench Motivation Bench form MaxCalc Charles Poliquin When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. Lao-Tzu I don't know any sources so don't ask - thanks

01-09-2004, 12:50 PM	#13
mattymo Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: buffalo, ny Posts: 12	I agree with P-funk...the part about the abs is by far the most important. You MUST do intense core work or your deadlift will pleateau in a hurry. A strong core, from the hip flexors all the way to the upper abs is the key to powerlifts.

01-09-2004, 08:15 PM	#14
knight3450 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Ohio Posts: 8	Av8tor, Check this article out... http://www.t-mag.com/nation_articles/295prec.jsp Just saw it today and it has some good tips even I have never heard before. Good luck!

01-09-2004, 11:18 PM	#15
Power Rabbit The Bunny Is Bulking! Elite Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,027 Photos: 3	I find if I puff out my chest(like your trying to impress a chic with your pecs) and look up its very hard for my body to round over...It keeps you in the proper shoulder form really well...this also works for bent over barbell row, good mournings, and squats

01-09-2004, 11:44 PM	#16
Burner02 Super Hero in Training Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tip of the spear! Posts: 28,320	I use a different bar when I dead. It is a bar that has a 'U' in the middle. I do not know if it was designed for a woman or to go deeper in benching, but I use that. I do not ever have to worry about scraping my shins or knees..
	Success leaves clues. People who produce outstanding results do specific things to create those results Nobody cares what you did yesterday or what you are going to do tomorrow. What is important is what you are doing NOW to solve our problem THERE IS NO TOMORROW! - Appollo Creed

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode