"Torn up" Shins from Deadliftin'

John Izzo · 10-31-2006, 05:09 PM

One of my newbie trainers made a comment about his shins being "torn up" from deadlifting. He said he was very "proud" of his "battle scars". I was thinking in my head..."get out of the bodybuilding.com forums ...and...why did I hire this guy?"

My assumption is the bar grazing the shins is due to the body bringing the line of pull closer to the center of gravity. When I perform a standard deadlift, my shins come in contact a bit as I go heavier. When I perform sumo-style deadlifts I am able to avoid much of the shin contact.

In your opinion, are rattled and scarred shins a sign of faulty execution or just plain 'ol evidence of pullin' weight?

Chris-STL · 10-31-2006, 05:19 PM

I'm trying to go over in my head how my deadlifts go because I don't remember this really being a problem. As you say, when I go heavy it rubs some, but nothing that would actually leave a mark.

BjsAust · 10-31-2006, 06:48 PM

What everyone says is to bring the bar up as close to the shins as you can. Sometimes I take that too literally and graze them, but thats something I try to avoid. Just seems like a way to hurt your shins without adding any benefit.

GqArtguy · 10-31-2006, 07:38 PM

It depends on how youre built. If youre short and thick, you wont be able to keep the bar very close to the shins anyway. If youre taller and leaner, youll be closer to the shins just to optimize your leverage.

Either way, your shoulders are behind the bar and youre pulling back. Whether it grazes the shins is a matter of your starting position which is determined by your leverages. So if you graze, then whatever but I wouldnt actively seek out to do it just to have battle scars.

Frank.S · 10-31-2006, 07:50 PM

I bring up up against my shins..

But ive stoped using a bar with knurling near the middle and now I dont get cut at all.

Its all to do with how you are built to pull.

Sumo deads dont come close to my shins for whatever reason, I think I excecute the pull wrong.

Mahler · 10-31-2006, 07:52 PM

I have deadlifted for some time now and have never had to touch or scar my shins. I keep it close, but the need to have scarred shins is bogus in my opinion. Hey, why would you want to lift hundreds of pounds and add friction in the mix anyway. LOL

Matthew · 10-31-2006, 08:40 PM

When I deadlift at the gym I get red lines from just above the knee to midway down my shin. That's because the stupid bar has knurling all over it, except for two spots that are so close together it would be uncomfortable to match them with my stance.
When I deadlift at home, however, I use my superawesomefantastic bar that has two nice and long smooth parts wide enough apart that I can have my normal stance and not have my skin ripped off.

I didn't know that about the build Gq, thanks for mentioning that. I'm tall and thin ish, so that could explain why I pull the bar against my legs.

Having said all that, I only touch my shins with the bar when the load is fairly heavy. Lighter loads are close to my shins but not rubbing against them.

Mike S · 10-31-2006, 09:43 PM

Knee High Socks - a modern miracle.

cappuccino · 10-31-2006, 10:14 PM

I've had deadlift shins, but not as bad as some I've seen. I also try to wear pants on deadlift days

Lost Dog · 10-31-2006, 10:18 PM

I've had them a few times, but I feel like I did something wrong when I get them.

I deadlift almost exclusively sumo now, so it doesn't happen anymore.

RedLefty · 10-31-2006, 10:18 PM

I'm 6'3" and when I was DL'ing regularly I would get the scabby shins. If I didn't keep the bar mere millimeters from my leg, the pull didn't feel right.

karky · 11-01-2006, 02:00 AM

I get bruises on my shins from deadlifting.. nothing serious though.

Ogedei · 11-01-2006, 06:20 AM

I personally get them more on days where I am doing high #s of reps, and I typically get them from lowering the bar.

Near the end I'll be putting the bar back down, which at the end of the sets always seems to move faster than I pull it up, it will occasionally glane of my shins.

I had a scab on my left shin for a few months cause it would do it so often, even when wearing pants.

I personally try to avoid all contact with my shins on the deadlift, I do not believe it is necessary. When I do do it I am probably not executing the lift as well as I can.

I'm Keith, 6'5" and I lift Sumo style.

Deserve · 11-01-2006, 11:09 AM

It happens. I try to avoid it but some times you can't.

Chris D · 11-01-2006, 11:24 AM

I draw blood almost everytime I deadlift.

Mahler · 11-01-2006, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris D

I draw blood almost everytime I deadlift.

Masochist!

BamaDave · 11-01-2006, 11:48 AM

I almost always have scraped shins after deadlifting. And often blood, due to one little wound on my right shin that doesn't get enough time to heal completely between DL episodes.

Michael Roussell · 11-01-2006, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mAtThEw

When I deadlift at the gym I get red lines from just above the knee to midway down my shin. That's because the stupid bar has knurling all over it, except for two spots that are so close together it would be uncomfortable to match them with my stance.

I have the same problem at my gym. I hate it! That withstanding actually bleeding is probably over kill. My shins get red from a little friction (baby powder helps).

Lost Dog · 11-01-2006, 01:01 PM

Since I lift sumo style, my hands are close together. I sometimes end up with scratch marks on my quads, from scraping as I lock out.

Steve-O-68 · 11-01-2006, 01:44 PM

I've had bloody shins many a time. I find that the bar only hits 'em when I pull heavy, though. If the bar is too far from my shins when I pull heavy, my lower back comes into play...

jvernacchio · 11-01-2006, 02:27 PM

I just tore a scab off my shins last night and was bleeding like a stuck pig. My shins are scarred up I like to keep the bar close keeps me from kicking my shoulders past the bar.

Colonel · 11-01-2006, 02:55 PM

I've banged myself up over the years but the last 2 programs I've done I've torn the hell outta my shins, even with pants on! My weights are down and I've analized my lifts over and over and my form seems good, but I'm still drawing blood. Its frustrating as hell and I don't know what I'm doing differently.

Frank.S · 11-01-2006, 03:04 PM

Im telling you guys..

Just use the bar without the knurling around your feet, most gyms have at least 1 bar like this.. Cant cut yourself on a smooth surface.

Newlife · 11-01-2006, 03:10 PM

I am only 5'9 and shorter arms so the bar is about 1/2 an inch off my shins. I have grazed them and drawn blood, but only a few times. I avoid wearing shorts when I DL.

gregl515 · 11-01-2006, 03:23 PM

I have a long body and short legs and I would frequently draw blood when I deadlifted. Now I'll only do it half as much.

Chris D · 11-01-2006, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mahler

Masochist!

My theory is "If you ain't bleeding you aren't deadlifting"

i do have to say that some days I don't get bloody shins but most of the time I do.

Alcoholiday · 11-01-2006, 04:51 PM

i never draw blood

youngliver · 11-01-2006, 05:10 PM

It happens from time to time.

DKing · 11-01-2006, 09:43 PM

I don't usually draw blood, but I often get red marks. Sometimes on heavy attempts with a really knurled bar I get a bit of broken skin.

Danny

Mahler · 11-02-2006, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris D

My theory is "If you ain't bleeding you aren't deadlifting"

385 and no blood, yet.

About a half-dozen buds witnessed a 365 pull at the summit and said form was pretty good, so I have to think I am doing them right. I have always been a neat freak (no iron jokes, Kaiser) and maybe that works on me keeping the bar just a tad off the legs.