newbie to deadlifts

**MikedaMan57** · 03-14-2004, 05:34 AM

ok... real newbie question

i have completely bitched out on deadlifts for my entire weightlifting career...
I know this is horrible and by the way... my back is pitiful... definitely my weakest point.

i am pretty new to this forum and from readin i KNOW i need to do deadlifts

could I get some advice on getting started doing deadlifts so i dont hurt myself ???
and if someone could just give me some tips on the proper form... thanks alot

**scottninpo** · 03-14-2004, 07:58 AM

make sure the bar is touching your chins at the start, keep your chest sticking out and your head up, get your ass down and think of pressing your feet through the floor on the lift, that should get you started

**Testsubject** · 03-14-2004, 12:26 PM

Also, pretty obvious, but start out light, dont try and jump into big weight right away, you'll screw your back up.

**jon rock** · 03-14-2004, 12:46 PM

Deadlifts can be more rewarding than doing arms or even b/pressing if you stick
with them. Get yourself some lifting chalk as this adds to the whole effect and
prevents you from dropping the bar. when you stand up with the weight pull back your shoulders a bit and lockout, watch yourself in the mirror and you will
see how pumped deadlifts can make you. Also try bent over rows they are a very intense exercise to do. Lee haney 8 time mr olympia says, quote.........
"BENTOVER ROWS ARE THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF BACK WORKOUTS"

**adamw1** · 03-14-2004, 01:04 PM

make sure your shoulders are back to get a good drive from the legs

**decadbal** · 03-14-2004, 01:33 PM

look at the ceilin, bar close to your shins, use straps, start light, and dont stop doing em, they are like squats, one the most important lifts for size and over all strength.

**MikedaMan57** · 03-14-2004, 07:13 PM

thanx guys

**tt2323** · 03-14-2004, 09:53 PM

be sorta careful you don't wanna look directly up at the ceiling more like at forward and up. keep your head up

**Dude-Man** · 03-14-2004, 10:20 PM

don't use straps, all they will do is be a crutch and make it harder for you to drop a weight that might be too heavy for you.

**inheritmylife** · 03-14-2004, 11:09 PM

Deadlifts and deadlift variations are my alltime favorite movements. Here are my recomendations:

-Don't go to failure. Going to failure when deadlifting always leads to back rounding.
-Dealifting is not a one size fits all lift. Due to variations in bodytypes and proportion, and the large range of motion inherent in the deadlift, individual form varies quite a bit. So long as your back doesnt round, its really as simple as picking the weight off the floor the best way you can.
-Stop between each rep and reset your form. Doing touch and go is ok on warmup sets, but with heavy weights it is dangerous.
-Deadlifts are not the exercize for slow negatives. Nuff said.
-Mix up movements. Use TBDLs, lockouts, and SLDLs
-If you want to make huge strides in your deadlift weights, you may have to drop squats or do them much more infrequently.

**scottninpo** · 03-15-2004, 03:28 AM

i disagree with a couple things you said, inherit, i always go to failure on every workset for deads and have never had back problems, and i do incorporate slow negatives into the lift and find it helps tremendously, i only stop inbetween reps if i need a breath, squating, if anything, is going to improve your deadlift not hurt it, and you should stick to one form of deadlifts for at least three months, even if i do switch, it's only from sumo to regular and sld's are done on leg day, not back day and should not be seen as a substitute for regular DL's
just my opinion

**inheritmylife** · 03-15-2004, 08:20 AM

If touch and go and failure sets work for you, right on. I have always had problems keeping good form using these techniques. As far as the squating is concerned, stronger legs wil build a stronger deadlift. However, many people may have a hard time squatting and deadlifting in the same week. The lower back can easily become overtrained this way. I just think that one or the other should be given priority. I also do SLDLs on leg day, never in the same week as deadlifts however. As far as the cycling of variations, this is also a matter of personal effectiveness. Many powerlifters only deadlift in their competition form once a month.

When it comes down to it, the only thing that matters is that the bar keeps coming off the ground, whether once a week or once a month.

BTW, do you pull conventional or sumo or a hybrid? Do you switch grip? I have always switch gripped the same way and my right trap is getting larger than my left. This is after five or so years of pulling. I tried reversing it, but my weight dropped quite a bit. I may have to suck it up and switch permanantly for awhile. Having one side of your body dominant can lead to some nasty injuries.

**scottninpo** · 03-15-2004, 08:27 AM

when i first started, i used sumo, but after a year i switched to conventional and never went back, other than to switch it up for a little while, i use dogg crapp training, and the way i have it set up, i squat one week, and deadlift the next week, so i never do both in the same week, but i can still go heavy on both, because i'm not training as often as most lifters, i think training frequency has a lot to do with growth, and most people are in the gym way too much, imo, if you train more than three days a week, you're overdoing it

**inheritmylife** · 03-15-2004, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by scottninpo

when i first started, i used sumo, but after a year i switched to conventional and never went back, other than to switch it up for a little while, i use dogg crapp training, and the way i have it set up, i squat one week, and deadlift the next week, so i never do both in the same week, but i can still go heavy on both, because i'm not training as often as most lifters, i think training frequency has a lot to do with growth, and most people are in the gym way too much, imo, if you train more than three days a week, you're overdoing it

I agree 100% with the training frequency issue. I used DC for about 12 weeks and made excellent gains. I did have problems with overtraining biceps however. I dropped them to once every two leg days and that helped tremendously. My rule of thumb is train fewer days than you lift, it has worked wonders in my progression.

**MikedaMan57** · 03-17-2004, 05:52 AM

what is sumo style... what is conventional... ?

**groverman1** · 03-17-2004, 07:17 AM

All I have to say next to squats, deadlifts IMO are the most beneficial of all excersises.

**MikedaMan57** · 03-17-2004, 09:30 AM

what is sumo style?? and convetional??? please!

**inheritmylife** · 03-17-2004, 10:56 AM

in conventional style feet are slightly less than shoulder width, and hands grip the bar on the outside of the legs. To execute this lift with good form, quadriceps need to be strong in relation to your legs and legs in general need to be strong in relation to the back. This is the classical deadlift stance.

In sumo style, the feet are placed very wide, and the toes are pointed out at 45 degrees or more to ease strain on the knees. Hands grip the bar on the inside of the legs. People sometimes prefer this when their legs are a little weaker in relation to the back. A lot of people believe that it is also easier to pull more weight this way. Twenty years ago, far fewer powerlifters pulled sumo, its very common today.

There are also many hybrid stances that are an individual tailoring the two stances to take advantage of their particular proportions and strengths.