After almost 10 years of serious training, I just started doing deadlifts last night. (I know, I know - Mufasa will want to have a word with me outside). I’ve done the stiff-legged variety for hams, but never regular ole’ deadlifts. I’m now sore (in a good way) in places where I was never sore before. However, the whole damn movement still seems awkward to me, especially the lower portion, before you get the bar above your knees. Can anyone with experience please describe, in detail, proper form for deadlifts, and exactly what you should be doing at each point during the rep? I THINK I’m getting it right, but I’m not totally sure. Also, for a guy who can bench 325 for 8 and squat 405 for 10-12, what would equate to a decent workout weight for deads? Obviously I’m nowhere near where I should be yet, but what should I be shooting for in terms of relative “respectability” regarding my deadlift strength? Thanks T-men.
Natural powerlifters use the gold standard 3-4-5, or 300 for bench, 400 for squat, 500 for dead. Use the same proportions. You should be able to get up to around 500-530 for your dead once you’ve got it dialed in and work it to the same level as your squat. Things that might be in the way of your lower lift form: feet too close together, bar too far from shins, too narrow of a grip, not keeping the head UP. Getting the bar around the knees can be a pain sometimes. If you have long legs, you may need to try sumo style.
Proper weight would be something like 600 for a single. Reps are hard on DL, because of the rest-pause. As for form, think of pushing feet though floor at start. Lean back, get hips down and push feet. Bar should graze up shins (might be painful if not used to it). When you clear knees, drive hips forward. This will straighten you out. Make sure hips do not rise faster than head. If that happens, you’ll lean to far forward and it’ll look like a SLDL.
Greg
Thanks for your help guys. By the way, I did notice that initially my feet were DEFINATELY too close (heels like 6 inches apart). Then I switched to keeping the heels about 9 or 10 inches apart, toes out at about a 45 degree angle. Does this sound about right (I’m 5’11")? Also, I’ve been keeping my grip about shoulder width. Should it be wider? Thanks again.
I’m the same height as you, 5’11". I definitely have my feet wider, about shoulder width. With your feet too close together, your thighs will be in the way of getting a good hip angle at the bottom, either forcing you to lean over too far (your knee any hip placement should be close to the same as your parallel-or-lower squat depth), or round the back. Get the feet farther apart and get your torso into the gap. Greg got it right, thinking of forcing your feet through the floor at the start.
400-300-500 is 1200 total, which is pretty lame unless you’re under 160lbs. I think you need at least 1500-1600 to be serious. Yes, this is for natural people.
Greg
head up. Ass down. Bar real close to the body. After a good deadlift workout your shins should be bleeding.
9-10 inches is still a little close-try shoulder or a little wider. As far as tips go, keep your back arched and butt down, and a good deadlift does scape the hell out of you shins and knees. If you would like to try summo deadlifts (which you really should do both kinds) do a search for Dave Tate’s article on the site, it is very informative.
Use the 3-4-5 as ratios. Note your bench and squat are pretty close to these already (for reps). I would expect your dead to come up to the same ratio for similar reps.
ok, I’m not interested in a flame war, but I also don’t want to do deads wrong. I put my feet shoulder width apart and place them parallel…and I have never had bloody shins. Is it really necessary to rake the bar across your skin to do the movement correctly?
I’ve never hit my shins when doing deads, and I don’t have short legs. But for those who do hit their shins, I recommend soccer shin guards – not legal for competition, but will save some skin.
In my experience, most people deadlift about 5% to 10% less than they squat, assumning they put enough focus on improving their deadlift. I have always been able to deadlift more than I squatted. Regarding the shins, I have noticable scars on both of mine from deadlifting, I don’t think it’s necessary I just feel it improves my mechanical leverage.