Deadlift: Choosing the Right Position for Your Body
- Si D
- Oct 14, 2017
- 2 min read
To the untrained eye, the deadlift looks like a simplistic exercise within its motion. In contrast, this couldnt be further from reality. This compound lift is one of the most intricate, detail-oriented, and complex movements. So where is a good place to begin learning this beneficial lift? Before delving into the marriage of movements and how they are inter-related, it is important to determine, if any, is the best position for our body. A good starting point is to evaluate two main factors when setting up proper position for the deadlift: limb length and torso vs. leg length. After all, we're all built differently with variance in height, lengths in limbs and overall anatomical discrepancies.
First off, for those of us that are relatively equal in length, a conventional deadlift stance is adequate. Basic structure is as follows: shoulder width stance, bar over middle of shoe laces, knees slightly forward of the bar, shoulder blades directly over the bar, hands gripped just outside the knees. Now we have that out of the way, lets discuss everyone else.
Long torso and the issue: with this attribute, the shoulder blades tend to fall slightly forward of the bar while hips sink low. Both of these concerns often times force the lifter to pull the bar up and away from the shins, thus creating a misalignment in the deadlift bar path. This change in mechanics mostly activates the quads, creating knee strain and decreases load on the posterior chain (traps, spine, glutes, and hamstrings).
A progressive way to fix this is to raise yourself, or lower the bar a few inches from its original starting position, by using a deficit deadlift. Using this modified set up will allow a long torso individual to straighten the spine by lowering shoulders and raising hips, which will then promote posterior chain activation in glutes and hamstrings. In addition, the new position is a great way to add working load without adding extra weight.
Long [limb] legs and the issue: Since there is so much leg to work with, leaning over and gripping the bar will bring the knees far ahead the bar. Knees too far forward directly changes the hip position, having the lifter to sit back in a semi, half squat position. Needless to say, this position is not ideal for optimal benefits of a traditional deadlift, and more importantly, creates risk of injury due to misalignment.
A good way to work around this is to use a higher starting point, also referred to as block or rack pulls, respectively in height. Bringing the bar just a bit higher in starting position allows knees to set back to the proper position, thus bring hips higher (also back into proper position) and landing the shoulders directly over the bar. This also promotes more activation and work with the glutes and hamstrings and alleviates the lifter from an overly back dominant lift.
Continuing to be cognizant of how our bodies work with specific lifts can help to strengthen the muscles that have been dormant during said exercise and can get us closer to falling within a conventional set up of compound lifts which utilize various muscles within holistic mechanics.
