Deadlift/Olympic lifts question

BradandBrooks said:

Guys:

I don't have the best flexibility (and maybe short arms... LOL!), so my
deadlifts turn into something between a cross between a regular dead and
a stiff-legged dead - that is, I lower my shoulders a bit and round my
back a touch to reach the bar on the ground. The only alternative is to
get real low to the ground with my butt, but at that point, I'm almost
exactly in a squat position. I do enough squats so this isn't what I
need from the dead. I'm looking to work the erectors here, not the
quads. Does this make sense?

So, I was thinking, can I rest the bar (the weights actually) on two
small platforms (even 45lb plates) - maybe just an inch or two tall - to
give me the reach to get to the bar, without lowering my shoulders or
dropping my butt to the ground?

Have you tried learning sumo deadlift technique? My short arms pretty
much necessitated that for me.

Cheers,

Ari

--
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/

BradandBrooks said:

Guys:

I don't have the best flexibility (and maybe short arms... LOL!), so my
deadlifts turn into something between a cross between a regular dead and
a stiff-legged dead - that is, I lower my shoulders a bit and round my
back a touch to reach the bar on the ground. The only alternative is to
get real low to the ground with my butt, but at that point, I'm almost
exactly in a squat position. I do enough squats so this isn't what I
need from the dead. I'm looking to work the erectors here, not the
quads. Does this make sense?

So, I was thinking, can I rest the bar (the weights actually) on two
small platforms (even 45lb plates) - maybe just an inch or two tall - to
give me the reach to get to the bar, without lowering my shoulders or
dropping my butt to the ground?

Of course, a not uncommon thing. Depending on what I have been doing
before DLs I will emphasize legs or erectors.

Quoted message said:

Oh, and since I'm here.... 🙂 .... I've recently added (and have become
addicted to) some Olympic lifts to my workout. As anyone who does these
knows they are just the BEST! Every muscle fires during the lift. I love
them! I'm so burnt when I'm done, if these aren't revving up the test
factory I don't know what will... but anyway, what is the rest period
between these lifts? I only do two sets of the lifts, but is 5 or
more minutes too much? I'm just so fried especially when I've done
squats or deads or bench before.

(And if you haven't tried Olympic lifts, try them! They'll make you
re-think how strong you really are!) 🙂

Brad

Now this is something I have been contemplating. Maybe that is another
goal for 2006, to learn OLY technique (albeit with age appropriate weight.)

Cheers

--
Bob Volkmer

"spodosaurus" <spodosaurus@_yahoo_.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

BradandBrooks said:

Guys:
I don't have the best flexibility (and maybe short arms... LOL!), so my
deadlifts turn into something between a cross between a regular dead and
a stiff-legged dead - that is, I lower my shoulders a bit and round my
back a touch to reach the bar on the ground. The only alternative is to
get real low to the ground with my butt, but at that point, I'm almost
exactly in a squat position. I do enough squats so this isn't what I need
from the dead. I'm looking to work the erectors here, not the quads. Does
this make sense?
So, I was thinking, can I rest the bar (the weights actually) on two
small platforms (even 45lb plates) - maybe just an inch or two tall - to
give me the reach to get to the bar, without lowering my shoulders or
dropping my butt to the ground?

Have you tried learning sumo deadlift technique? My short arms pretty much
necessitated that for me.

Cheers,

Ari

Sumo eh? Very interesting... Just checked it out on the Net... going to
try it in the gym... small first, maybe 100lbs... see how it goes. This
could help. Thanks!

Brad

"rev" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

BradandBrooks said:

Guys:
I don't have the best flexibility (and maybe short arms... LOL!), so my
deadlifts turn into something between a cross between a regular dead and
a stiff-legged dead - that is, I lower my shoulders a bit and round my
back a touch to reach the bar on the ground. The only alternative is to
get real low to the ground with my butt, but at that point, I'm almost
exactly in a squat position. I do enough squats so this isn't what I need
from the dead. I'm looking to work the erectors here, not the quads. Does
this make sense?
So, I was thinking, can I rest the bar (the weights actually) on two
small platforms (even 45lb plates) - maybe just an inch or two tall - to
give me the reach to get to the bar, without lowering my shoulders or
dropping my butt to the ground?

Of course, a not uncommon thing. Depending on what I have been doing
before DLs I will emphasize legs or erectors.

Quoted message said:

Oh, and since I'm here.... 🙂 .... I've recently added (and have become
addicted to) some Olympic lifts to my workout. As anyone who does these
knows they are just the BEST! Every muscle fires during the lift. I love
them! I'm so burnt when I'm done, if these aren't revving up the test
factory I don't know what will... but anyway, what is the rest period
between these lifts? I only do two sets of the lifts, but is 5 or more
minutes too much? I'm just so fried especially when I've done squats or
deads or bench before.
(And if you haven't tried Olympic lifts, try them! They'll make you
re-think how strong you really are!) 🙂
Brad

Now this is something I have been contemplating. Maybe that is another
goal for 2006, to learn OLY technique (albeit with age appropriate
weight.)

Cheers

--
Bob Volkmer

Thanks for the advice Bob. I will try a small platform, see how it goes.

And yes, try Olympic lifting. It is really hard, but hell, I'm 37 and going
for it like I was 21. I find with conventional lifts, you concentrate,
really, on up and down. Push the weight up, bring it down, or visa versa.
(Bench, dead, squats, dips, it's all the same thought process.)

With Olympic lifting, it's like trying to write a sentence or solve a math
problem while lifting. You have to progress through it properly or else you
totally fail. Take the simple power shrug (my first learned lift): start
with a dead, drop the weight to the knees, forcefully thrust hips out, push
off toes and then shrug shoulders and do kind of an upright row, keeping
hands close to the body, all in one fluid movement. When you do it right,
the weight just floats up to your neck! I swear it does! When you don't do
it right, the weight goes nowhere, fast! A few sets of these and you're
fried. It's a total blast!

Good luck.

Brad

You might try working on your hamstring flexibility. IMO, you need even
more flexiblity for sumo deadlift. The platforms are a good idea.

Glad to get some positive feedback on this. Thanks!
Brad

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

You might try working on your hamstring flexibility. IMO, you need even
more flexiblity for sumo deadlift. The platforms are a good idea.

BradandBrooks said:

I don't have the best flexibility (and maybe short arms... LOL!), so my
deadlifts turn into something between a cross between a regular dead and
a stiff-legged dead - that is, I lower my shoulders a bit and round my
back a touch to reach the bar on the ground. The only alternative is to
get real low to the ground with my butt, but at that point, I'm almost
exactly in a squat position.

You should still lower your hips some and keep your back flat.
I think you're exaggerating about how low your hips have to go
or you don't squat to parallel. I get my hips low on DLs and
that's a 3-4 inches above parallel.

Make sure the hips and shoulders should come up together.

hardtraining said:

You might try working on your hamstring flexibility. IMO, you need even
more flexiblity for sumo deadlift.

And groin flexibility.

Quoted message said:

The platforms are a good idea.

Not with metal weights though. Good way to crack or chip them.

Jeff Finlayson said:

BradandBrooks said:

I don't have the best flexibility (and maybe short arms... LOL!), so
my deadlifts turn into something between a cross between a regular
dead and a stiff-legged dead - that is, I lower my shoulders a bit and
round my
back a touch to reach the bar on the ground. The only alternative is
to get real low to the ground with my butt, but at that point, I'm
almost exactly in a squat position.

You should still lower your hips some and keep your back flat.
I think you're exaggerating about how low your hips have to go
or you don't squat to parallel. I get my hips low on DLs and
that's a 3-4 inches above parallel.

Make sure the hips and shoulders should come up together.

One way to help visualise this, and improve motion to lockout, is to
imagine yourself...ummm...thrusting your hips into the bar. As you
ascend your shoulders stay back and rise at the same rate as your hips,
as Jeff has pointed out. Your hips rise and come forward toward your
tows, and as you approach lockout you push your hips foward. I didn't
describe this as well as I'd intended to, most likely due to the fact
that I really should be sleeping.

Ari

--
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/

"spodosaurus" <spodosaurus@_yahoo_.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Jeff Finlayson said:

BradandBrooks said:

I don't have the best flexibility (and maybe short arms... LOL!), so my
deadlifts turn into something between a cross between a regular dead and
a stiff-legged dead - that is, I lower my shoulders a bit and round my
back a touch to reach the bar on the ground. The only alternative is to
get real low to the ground with my butt, but at that point, I'm almost
exactly in a squat position.

You should still lower your hips some and keep your back flat.
I think you're exaggerating about how low your hips have to go
or you don't squat to parallel. I get my hips low on DLs and
that's a 3-4 inches above parallel.

Make sure the hips and shoulders should come up together.

One way to help visualise this, and improve motion to lockout, is to
imagine yourself...ummm...thrusting your hips into the bar. As you ascend
your shoulders stay back and rise at the same rate as your hips, as Jeff
has pointed out. Your hips rise and come forward toward your tows, and as
you approach lockout you push your hips foward. I didn't describe this as
well as I'd intended to, most likely due to the fact that I really should
be sleeping.

Ari

--
spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/

Thanks guys. I appreciate the advice! I like the thrusting hips stuff
(LOL!). It makes sense.

Brad