The tall deadlifter

[Rawgrip]

I always had troubles int he compound lifts dead lift, squat and so on this is mainly of my height. I m 6'3-4 (a basketball player) long torso, medium arm length and medium- long leg length as you can probably see i wasant made the dead lifting type.

For the last couple years I've been trying to rack up the numbers whilst keeping an OK form. Now looking back at my videos in training i can clearly see rounding of the lower back ( a little) and rounding off the upper back. I've been doing allot to try and fix this, improving my flexibility, lifting lighter weights (form still ok but not the best)

I finally wondered could it be the way i lift. I use the conventional type mid leg spread and so on. I wondered should i try sumo, i haven't really tried it fully. Is there any major differences in both styles and is there any proper instructional videos or articles on this?

I would love to hear from any tall lifters

[karky]

Have you tried sumo deads? I'm 6'4, my femurs make me long, my upper body is short compared to my lower. I've recently tried sumo deadlifts and I liked them a lot. And I don't think bending the upper back is that big of a deal; if your goal is to lift big weights, rounding of the upper back is actually adviced by many.

Posting a video of your deadlift would probably help us see if there's anything form wise you can correct.

[Rawgrip]

I was thinking of trying sumo deadlifts now, i will see how it goes. I should put up a video of me deadlifting soon.

[dmw]

I'm 6-4 and deads are my best lift. I really think my height gives me leverage.

[Rawgrip]

Originally Posted by dmw

I'm 6-4 and deads are my best lift. I really think my height gives me leverage.

My deadlift is also my best lift but my form isn't the greatest, allot of tall people have long arms hence the better leverage but this is not the case here.

[Simplex]

Im 6'7 and never felt comfortable with deadlifts, not that I can do much of them anymore without a barbell at my gym.

[Lisa~]

Maybe there'll be something helpful for you in this article:
Overcoming Lousy Leverages, Part II by Eric Cressey and Mike Robertson

And this follow-up article by Mike:
Understanding Supplemental Exercises: The Deadlift

[Lisa~]

There's a good discussion of sumo deadlifting in this thread:
Deadlifts, good, bad, or ugly?

EliteFTS has a good article on switching from conventional style to sumo style:
10 Tips for Sumo Deadlifting

[Rawgrip]

Thank you Lisa i have read some of them before but re-reading them again

[Rawgrip]

Wanted to give an update, tried sumo deadlifts today. I felt so much more natural and I didn't feel so much stress on my lower back and another great thing about it my lift went up about 20%. Try it if you haven't before it works for me so it seems.

[nickd30]

Do you get the same benefits from doing a sumo deadlift? I have read everything I can get my fingers on about deadlifting and still feel like a total tool doing them and end up with a sore back. I am 6'6" and my torso is pretty much the same length as my legs, so should find them easy, but I basically can only do a proper one with the bar or minimal weights before my form goes to crap.

[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by nickd30

Do you get the same benefits from doing a sumo deadlift? I have read everything I can get my fingers on about deadlifting and still feel like a total tool doing them and end up with a sore back. I am 6'6" and my torso is pretty much the same length as my legs, so should find them easy, but I basically can only do a proper one with the bar or minimal weights before my form goes to crap.

There are crossovers. Sumos tend to hit the posterior chain harder. Conventional hits all that, plus a little more of the quads than sumo.

Why does your form suffer? Is it because of flexibility in the hips? I can get in the sumo position, but I don't yet have the form to deadlift heavy in the conventional position. Example. I can sumo 405, but at 205 in a conventional deadlift, I feel like my lower back rounds. For me, it's because I can't get low enough, for whatever reason (hips, calves, ankles, hams, etc.).

BTW, I'm only 6'1", so I really have no "tall" excuse. I'm just not flexible enough yet.

If you're getting a sore back, you should stop until you get the form down pat. Do things that you can do safely.

[nickd30]

Ya, I have really type hips... been working on loosening them for a while now and starting to get some results. I think I need to work with a trainer to get the deadlift figured out. No wonder so many people avoid it!

[JeremyBJJ]

I prefer a trap bar. That may be something you could try. Once I started using a trap bar, I never went back. I'm not into pl'ing so that should be noted. The Bigger Faster Stronger coaches really push the trap bar on their athletes.

[maxattack]

I'll second the trap bar suggestion. I lifted at a different gym over the summer for a few months and they had a trapbar which was very rarely used. I was follwing S2B by Berardi at the time and he suggested DLing with a trap bar in his book. I tried it and loved it. My current gym doesn't have one so I'm stuck with the regular oly bar right now.

anyway, I don't know which is technically better but the trapbar is another consideration to try. It worked well for me as a change of pace.

btw, Berardi's book Scrawny to Brawny has some good info for tall or long limbed lifters, as well as a great corrective chapter for diagnosing and fixing problems with posture, tightness, and lifting form. It helped me out as well.

[karkid]

the prob with the trap bar is it puts more emphasis on quads, lessening the effect on your hammies

[nickd30]

Ya, been recommended the Trap Bar a few times, but none at my gym - even checked out a bunch of other gyms in my hood and no one has one.

[AFI82]

Can you put in a suggestion at your gym for them to get a trap bar? Maybe ask your friends to suggest it too.

[Simplex]

Ive tried using just dumbbells and it feels really awkward.
Anything one can do when a) 6'7 and b) there's no barbell?!