deadlift form for us tall guys?

[brownchoclit]

hey guys..
just need some help on my deadlift form. i usually do only stiff leg deads which i can keep good strict form. everytime i try to do regular deads off the floor...i have trouble keeping the arch in my back every time i try getting the bar past my knees...i feel almost as if i have to lean too far forward and i am immediately feel the strain on my lower back. some times the bar drags along my shins so much that it rubs the skin totally raw... i am 6"4 tall..i dont know if this has any bearing on this...can anyone help?

 

[3J]

We are both the same height. What's your max?

 

[Diced]

ah yes being a manlet finally pays off .

 

[brownchoclit]

hey 3J...i dont know mate..i havent really pushed regular deads to the max. as you know alredy i do have a pre-existing lower back problem..so i am generally pretty paranoid and i never push to max on deads and squats, having had surgery before this only adds to my paranoa hehe...

i can stiff leg close to 405lb for reps. i can pick up 225lbs with good form off the floor...but any more than that and i feel like my legs are too damn long and and i have to bend too far forward to get the bar past my knees hence totally loosing the arch on my back..

for stiffs i have no problem keeping the arch..i can even do romanian deads with a perfect arch...a friend of mine who is a power lifter suggested sumo deads and i tried this once and it felt a little wierd too..maybe i was doing it wrong.

what the heck am i doing wrong?

 

[3J]

best thing you can do is have someone take video of you deadlifting bro..

i dont do an exact stiff leg.. my legs are still bent.. but i am sticking my ass out as far as i can... i do olympic dead lifts.. and it works well for me..

the max iv lifted is about 700lbs..

 

[brownchoclit]

shiteee 700lbs???? dayumm.

ok i will try to get someone to video my pathetic effort to do deads and post it up for you guys to review hahaha!!

thanks guys!

 

[IronReps]

I have had problems with deadlifts also. Even using a belt, my back starts to hurt a bit. There's even a mirror in front of the rack. Granted I'm only 6'1 but I'm pretty lanky. I've also thought about having my spotter record me, so I'll probably give that try.

 

[DADAWG]

put some duck tape on those shins for protection.

sounds like your center of gravity is to far forward . skip a few actual workouts and just practice form with 1 plate per side. dont just pull up but back also , sometimes when you explode up you go forward as well and i bet thats your problem.

 

[IronReps]

put some duck tape on those shins for protection.

sounds like your center of gravity is to far forward . skip a few actual workouts and just practice form with 1 plate per side. dont just pull up but back also , sometimes when you explode up you go forward as well and i bet thats your problem.

I can definitely see this being the problem. I can say from personal experience that when I DL I feel like I'm going forward. I've had a few critiques that I need to lift on my heels and "pull back and up" like you said. Shit just feels so awkward.

 

[hard2gain]

I've actually got scars up my shins from deadlifting. Really the proper form is to drag it up them too. I've never heard the duct tape thing dawg thanks for the idea! i still don't think I can bring myself to shave my legs though.

You guys all use straps right? I can pull some weight but not bare handed.

 

[DADAWG]

I can definitely see this being the problem. I can say from personal experience that when I DL I feel like I'm going forward. I've had a few critiques that I need to lift on my heels and "pull back and up" like you said. Shit just feels so awkward.

it is awkward. people feel like their cheating if they dont actually work out and practice their form instead . its a good chance to let your body rest and recuperate and instead of sitting on your ass on a couch your perfecting your technique.

ive seen guys make big jumps in their maxx lifts with basic technique changes.

 

[PedestrianX]

Yea, I make sure to wear long socks on my back day I really concentrate on keeping my weight on my heels and pushing from them. Drag the bar up your shins push from heels and look up. Foot wear can sometimes be an issue too. I use flat soled indoor soccer shoes and find that they work for me. I wouldnt recomend alot of the fancy shiny colorful overpriced runners with the hugh fancy shock soles or big zig zag sponges that you see alot of the kids running around with Hope some of that helps. I love the tape idea dawg. Soon ill prolly have a patch of hair permanantly missing from the front of my shins. I guess its better than scabs

 

[brownchoclit]

thanks guys..i have deads today...i will try and perfect my form. my lower back's been giving me issues for the last two weeks and just revcovering..so i didnt want to push today anyways...might as well practice with light weight and so high reps etc.

 

[ausmusclebound]

ive been doing partial deads lately, good enough for dorian good enough for me

 

[PedestrianX]

ive been doing partial deads lately, good enough for dorian good enough for me

Partial as in you stop short of going all the way up or stop short of touching the ground? I usually try to just tap the ground or stop maybye an inch or 2 short just stop stop from fully de-loading between reps and keep tension.

 

[ausmusclebound]

dorian says the bottom 1/3 of the deadlift only works the glutes so he stops the movement about half way down his shin.
from his blood and guts movie

 

[darkside06]

Dawg is right.....work on your form brah!

I'm 6'4" so I feel your pain. to many people try and pull the weight up with their back instead of pushing your ass and hips forward.

You also may want to widen your feet a bit. When i started deadlifting years ago I did it Sumo style......wide base. slowly was able to bring my feet in to shoulder width with good form and practice. my max deadlift was 635lbs.

just work on the form until you get it down.

Also.....yes you can duct tape your shins or put baby poweder on them and that helps as well.

 

[DADAWG]

Yea, I make sure to wear long socks on my back day I really concentrate on keeping my weight on my heels and pushing from them. Drag the bar up your shins push from heels and look up. Foot wear can sometimes be an issue too. I use flat soled indoor soccer shoes and find that they work for me. I wouldnt recomend alot of the fancy shiny colorful overpriced runners with the hugh fancy shock soles or big zig zag sponges that you see alot of the kids running around with Hope some of that helps. I love the tape idea dawg. Soon ill prolly have a patch of hair permanantly missing from the front of my shins. I guess its better than scabs

good point on the shoes . wear the thinnest and flattest sole shoes you can find. wrestling shoes work great because they are almost as thin as just socks but they have grip and are flat soled.