Deadlift question

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LKArgh
LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
After many years of not lifitng, attempted my first deadlifts with only the bar this week. There was a trainer at the gym who offered to correct me, and I am happy to report that it took me just 4-5 tries to do it mostly right regarding form.
But, the trainer insisted on a couple of things that are not as I remember them, so the question is, do I remember wrong, or is he weird:
1) I remember doing deadlifts always from the floor. He insisted that there is no reason for this and I should only go below knees and then back up.
2) He insisted that I should never have both palms facing my body, even at low weights (as I said, I have only the bar until I am confident about my form) and that deadlifts should only happen with a mixed grip.
Any ideas? I am not paying the guy, he is just the trainer supervising the room, and he is not a lifter himself, but I have seen him offer to help people who lift and in general he seems to know what he is talking about.

Replies

  • levitateme
    levitateme Posts: 999 Member
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    It's called a deadlift because you are lifting from a dead-stop (off the floor)

    Grip is according to your comfort. Mixed or double overhand - both are correct.

    Sounds like this trainer doesn't know a whole lot. Make sure you are doing the following: bar tracks legs the entire time, legs hip width, bar over lace-line on shoe.
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
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    I use a mixed grip, but only because I find it easier. You don't have to.

    My PT rests the bar on 2 aerobics steps, not sure why. Unless it's got heavier weights on it, in which case the bigger weights make it higher off the ground.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    levitateme wrote: »
    It's called a deadlift because you are lifting from a dead-stop (off the floor)

    Grip is according to your comfort. Mixed or double overhand - both are correct.

    Sounds like this trainer doesn't know a whole lot. Make sure you are doing the following: bar tracks legs the entire time, legs hip width, bar over lace-line on shoe.

    Good, I was starting to think I am suffering from Alzheimer's :)
  • kslocum17
    kslocum17 Posts: 6 Member
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    If you are only lifting the bar, no weights on it, you do not start from the floor. With weights the bar is higher off the ground. You must stoop to pick an unweighted bar from the floor and it messes with your form. It was good advice. The grip is subjective.
  • dave4d
    dave4d Posts: 1,155 Member
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    DawnieB1977 wrote: »
    I use a mixed grip, but only because I find it easier. You don't have to.

    My PT rests the bar on 2 aerobics steps, not sure why. Unless it's got heavier weights on it, in which case the bigger weights make it higher off the ground.

    For most people, until you are able to use the bigger 45lb plates, the bar will be too low to pick up without rounding the back. Setting it at the same height you would get with 45 lb plates will save your back.

    A deadlift starts from the floor. A Romanian deadlift starts at the top. Double overhand is the best way to go to also develop grip strength, but grip usually fails before you will reach your true deadlift capacity so on the heavier sets, many people will switch to a mixed grip, or use straps.
  • Walter__
    Walter__ Posts: 518 Member
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    Your trainer's an idiot. Completely disregard everything he says.

    Also feel free to remind him that the American raw deadlift record was just broken last week with a double overhand grip.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
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    Deadlifts are meant to be done with 45 pound plate on so if you're using bar only then you need to raise it up otherwise you risk injuring your back. I use three aerobic steps, how many you need will probably depend on how long your arms are and how tall you are.
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 9,472 Member
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    Deadlifts can be performed from a variety of heights, though they sometimes are called rack pulls instead if the weight starts at knee heights are higher.

    If the trainer doesn't lift, he/she shouldn't be giving advice to lifters.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    walterc7 wrote: »
    Your trainer's an idiot. Completely disregard everything he says.

    Also feel free to remind him that the American raw deadlift record was just broken last week with a double overhand grip.

    HOORAY GEORGE LEEMAN
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    That guy ain't no trainer
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Thank you all for your replies. Needing to start higher than the floor when not using plates makes sense, I have never tried in the past deadlifting without any plates at all.
  • ScottJTyler
    ScottJTyler Posts: 72 Member
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    Where you pick the bar up from/lower the bar to is arbitrary. It can be determined by flexibility as some people have difficulty lifting from the floor while keeping a neutral spine. I think you can get just as much benefit lowering past your knees (Romanian Deadlift) as a regular Deadlift from the floor if you do it properly.

    Mixed grip can put extra strain on the bicep tendon of the palm facing forward arm. If your arm is fully locked out this shouldn't be an issue but if you have a tendency to flex then stick with overhand and learn to lock out you arms. Mixed can cause uneven shoulder rotation postural problems if done too often with the same hands facing the same way. But again, shouldn't be a problem if you do it properly (i.e. switch hands once in a while, keep scapula retracted).

    P.S. I have read that it is called a 'Dead' lift as it was developed by the Romans to help them safely pick up dead people from battlefields (as they kept breaking their backs). Might be nonsense, who knows.
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
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    The reason he doesn’t want you to go from the floor is that you don’t currently have 45’s on each side. Lifting with the bar just below the knees is about right.

    As for the mixed grip vs overhand, that is a preference thing. You may want to practice a mixed grip, changing it up from left to right over/under to get comfortable with it. But if your grip isn’t stopping you from lifting heavy, do whatever floats your boat.
  • NightShiftMedic
    NightShiftMedic Posts: 59 Member
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    kslocum17 wrote: »
    If you are only lifting the bar, no weights on it, you do not start from the floor. With weights the bar is higher off the ground. You must stoop to pick an unweighted bar from the floor and it messes with your form. It was good advice. The grip is subjective.

    ^This is good advice, as others have said. With 45 lb. plates on the bar it should sit at about mid shin depending on your height. No need to go lower than that.

    Regarding grip, sometimes for my heavy sets I'll go with a mixed grip, but warmup and first few working sets I stick with double overhand grip.

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