Regulard Deadlifts: Stance & Grip Width

[Deception]

I've been doing deadlifts for some time, and do them "normal" they're incorporated into my back workout.

Somebody at the gym told me that my stance was too narrow, and that I'd be able to pull a lot more weigh with a wider stance and wider grip to accomodate the stance, but not sumo style. Just regular with almost a shoulder-width stance which put my hands outside my shoulders.

Previously I always had my hands about shoulder width, which obviously made my stance narrower. I didn't really notice a difference today but I do know that changes can take a while to take affect.....

Does anyone else know any factual, not just possible advantages to deadlifting regular style with a wider stance/grip? Disadvantages?

Thanks!

[oark]

Dunno. Ask in the PL section; they'd know.

[DawgPound]

I don't have any facts, but I would think that you could lift more weight w/ a wider stance for deads bc:

1) you're ROM is shortened, so you don't have to lift the weight as far.

2) a wider stance gives you more stability than a narrow stance. Powerlifters use a wider stance for squats, so I would assume that the same might apply to deads.

These are just guesses, so they could be completely wrong

[Kane Fan]

I had to widen my stance so that my.....well...genitals could get out of the way of the bar
I was pulling the bar up into my nutz : o (
so I asked in the pl forum I think and they said to widen my stance so I did and it worked great

[Deception]

Originally posted by DawgPound
I don't have any facts, but I would think that you could lift more weight w/ a wider stance for deads bc:

1) you're ROM is shortened, so you don't have to lift the weight as far.

2) a wider stance gives you more stability than a narrow stance. Powerlifters use a wider stance for squats, so I would assume that the same might apply to deads.

These are just guesses, so they could be completely wrong

Makes perfect sense to me. I was more concerned about my knees than anything, but now that you mention it I've never had problems doing squats with a wide stance

Thanks Dawg!

[Deception]

Originally posted by Kane Fan
I had to widen my stance so that my.....well...genitals could get out of the way of the bar
I was pulling the bar up into my nutz : o (
so I asked in the pl forum I think and they said to widen my stance so I did and it worked great

OOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!

Yet another great reason to widen the stance Thanks!

[abraxxxus]

By widening your stance, you will be using your legs more in the lift. Now if you are a bodybuilder, this wont prove useful on back day. However, with the shorter range of motion and larger usage of leg muscles, you will be able to hoist up more weight.

[lilmuscleman]

i think it's personally all preference. my feet are only about 8-10" away when i dead