Some people say to start the deadlift with your shins touching the bar so that you don’t “squat” down to the bar. It is supposed to help you push your hips back and use your posterior chain more.
Others say that you should start with your shins one or two inches away and that when you sit back your shins will touch the bar and be ready to go. If I start with my shins away from the bar I find it more difficult to keep my lower back arch. If I start it with my shins touching the bar, I think I am squatting down too much and turning it into more of a squat. My hips also come much lower doing it this way.
How do you do your deadlifts? Does it just depend on the person like anything?
I start with my scaps right over the bar and my hips where I consistently get the best leverage (high). Relaxed upper back, and of course, straight braced back. Basically ‘powerlifter form’ (without the weight, heh, and a hook grip). I find my bar speed improves when I break off the floor fast, not ‘snapping’ per se, but pulling with as much power as I can muster.
I start about an inch or two away from the bar. This is purely because I pull the bar towards myself as it goes up so starting with the bar touching my shins will mean I’ll cut the hell out of my shins on the way up.
Interesting second vid. Yeah tate says to start with the shins a little away from the bar and Eric Cressey says to start with the bar touching the shins. the problem with starting with them away is that my hips are too high and I can’t get a proper arch. Do I need to work on flexibility?
The shin touch is more comfy for me as I can get the arch but my hips feel to low and my legs are in a half squat position.
