THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION
From our video When Deadlifting Heavy, Don't Stand Up & Try This Instead (click the title to watch):
Biknjak
Wow. Thanks! I've watched approximately a bazillion videos on deadlifting cues and this is a great one. I've noticed that even though it seems totally counterintuitive, that LIGHTLY touching shins to the bar, and trying hard to keep my back more horizontal (hips higher) and over/ahead of the bar seems to result in the lift moving easier and shorter upwards. Instinct tells me to drop my knees and get more "under the bar", but that shoves my knees forward and the "wedge" becomes a "squat". Others have cued to bend the bar around your legs, but that has resulted in bloody/bruised shins and an actually more difficult pull. Now I simultaneously "kiss" shins to the bar as I flatten lower back/lift chest and cue myself with "legs!!" (i.e. push the floor down). As unnatural as it seems, the lift actually feels like it pops up faster and travels shorter if I am hovering out fairly horizontally at the beginning of the pull. Anyway, still trying to perfect it all, but your video helps!
Phil
I’m glad to hear that this video helped you, and thank you for the kind words! You are dead on that even though it can seem counterintuitive, setting up in this manner is definitely more efficient, and we see it all the time with people who come in to get coaching on their deadlifts with us.
As far as hip height, the three key factors are 1) bar over midfoot, 2) balance on your midfoot, and 3) shins touching the bar. If those three things are satisfied, then their hips will be in the correct (i.e., most efficient and effective) position for the deadlift based on mechanics and their individual anthropometry, and usually – as you noted – that is a “higher hips” position than they want to use at first.
Biknjak
@TestifySC Thank you. I think some of my trouble has been with concentrating TOO much on engaging lats and "bending the bar around your legs", which seems to result in dropping my hips too much and puts my shins too far forward, thus making a difficult pull even more difficult. Anyway, thank you for taking the time for your advice!
Phil
You’re very welcome, and although it is true that the lats are responsible for keeping the bar tight to the shins, we don’t usually recommend focusing on the lats. Instead, if you notice the barbell swinging away, a simple cue of “pin it to the shins“ will usually rectify the problem.
Biknjak
@TestifySC Thanks!👍
