Deadlift Form - Long Legs/Short Torso

[emjlr3]

So I am built the exact opposite way of my father. Hes about 5'9", while I am just under 6'1", but if we sit down, he towers over me. Thus is my bane of existence (as far as deadlifting goes). To get on with the point here, I have always had trouble deadlifting, as far as getting my ass low goes.

There was a time when I was really hardcore into deadlifting, my back pain would be so intense after sessions that I could barely stand to sit in my car in days after to drive to and from work/school. It seemed like the soreness would go away in just enough time for me to have another back day. So I figured I was just plain using too much back. I posted some vids, ppl said lower your hips....

So what did I do. Tried to get lower, use less back, more legs. But then I noticed I had to drop the weight a good bit. My legs are strong, but not that strong, I definetly cannot squat nearly what I can deadlift, so when I drop my hips more, and incorporate more legs, I have to drop the weight substantially to get the bar up, the end result being I get a far worse back workout, since not only am I using a lot less weight, but using a lot less back during the movement too. The minor pain afterwards goes away after a day or two, that is nice, but I don't feel like I get any kind of back workout.

The reason for my troubles is that since my legs are so long an torso so short, I have to drop my hips a good bit more then most, and I end up almost doing a parallel squat up with the bar, as well as a deadlift. And if I bend my knees to a point like most ppl do, I have to lower my back soo much more to get down to grab the bar, that I use an ass load of back (maybe too much) in the process

Anyone understand what I am saying here, or have had similar experience? I'd like to try and figure out what I can do, other then getting stronger legs( I try - I swear) to alleviate my issues. Thanks for the help!

Btw - after deads this week I will try and get a vid to demonstrate what I mean, in the mean time, here is the old vid I uploaded when first asking about this:
-PHcoNbZm58

[Ben Moore]

Could try sumo. I always had good effects from front squatting or oly squatting for leg drive.

[Lones Green]

good advice ben - i'd definetely give sumo a try. if you don't like it you can always go back to conventional.

[emjlr3]

so sumo seemed to help a lot, even was able to increase the weight I pulled
will try to get some vids from thursdays session on here to check my form

as of Monday my back is pain free, which is spectacular, considering I was usually going into leg day(Tuesdays) still pained

[Notorious]

You can try deadlifting with bands. That way you can lower the weight so that you can learn to use your legs and still get a good back workout.

[emjlr3]

form critiques please:

this was during my back session today - Deadlifts went something like:

135x8,225x8,315x8,365x6 (got tough to hold w/o straps - need to find my chalk),415x3,435x1,315x5(lower back was really toast by this point)

just need to make sure my ass is getting low enough, my back stays pretty straight, but I tend to lower the bar more with my back and less with my legs as the weight goes up, which is obviously correlated with my lack of leg strength and over abundance of back strength - this style does allow me to get lower to the bar w/o using as much legs and w/o having to strain my back too much, which is deff. a good thing - and I am recovering in nearly half the time as I did using conventional style

315x8:

F_yQKajopJo

415x3:

gRv50nnvBY8

tried to get different views for a better look at multiple angles

[gregory1978]

Another technique is to not drop your hips while setting up, but wait until you take your breath. Then drop the hips, feet close together, drive with the heels and almost fall back with the weight. This technique seems to work well for lifters with longer legs and short torso, but you need a strong back to finish it.

[Hazerboy]

You said you're usually pretty tired when you hit legs... have you thought about switching around your excercise days (legs first, back later)? Maybe the fact that you're always so tired on leg days is the reason they're lagging behind.

[bigmoney]

watch how this guy sets up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QEyDlJP6Hc&feature=related
He is short and wearing a suit but from what I know his set up is good. Sumo is very technical and is more than a deadlift with your legs out wide. Notice his shins are perpendicular to the floor, sits back, upper and lower back arched very hard. Work on cleaning up your form and you will be pulling at least 455.

[emjlr3]

You said you're usually pretty tired when you hit legs... have you thought about switching around your excercise days (legs first, back later)? Maybe the fact that you're always so tired on leg days is the reason they're lagging behind.

i dont recall saying that - leg day is tuesday - thursday is back - i attribute my lagging legs to lack of consistancy - but i also think they are just naturally weaker - i have been just about as consistant with deads as with squats - and you can see the difference in numbers


watch how this guy sets up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QEyDlJP6Hc&feature=related
He is short and wearing a suit but from what I know his set up is good. Sumo is very technical and is more than a deadlift with your legs out wide. Notice his shins are perpendicular to the floor, sits back, upper and lower back arched very hard. Work on cleaning up your form and you will be pulling at least 455.

will check that out - ug i really wish that had another view


Another technique is to not drop your hips while setting up, but wait until you take your breath. Then drop the hips, feet close together, drive with the heels and almost fall back with the weight. This technique seems to work well for lifters with longer legs and short torso, but you need a strong back to finish it.

will try that thnx

I think I need to get back on my heels more, perhaps arch my back a bit more too, if I were to try and drop my hips much farther i couldnt budge the weight due to my legs weakness

do you think my grip should be closer together?