Respectable Deadlift?

[ak666666]

Im almost 48, 5' 8", weigh 100kg or 220lbs, 7 months into gym, have 42" waist so I still have a lot of fat. I do dl 2 reps of 120 kg or 264 lbs. One plate here is 20kg = 44lbs. How much is your 1 plate?

[Jbizzlechizzle]

At my body weight of 76 kg, my current deadlift sits at 140 kg, which is smack in the "intermediate" range and on track for how long I've been back in training.

As to whether it's respectable compared to other peoples' deadlifts, who knows? Some people are stronger, others are weaker. I can say with some confidence that I'm a lot stronger than the average person (who doesn't even know what the inside of a gym looks like), but the bar is so low it doesn't mean much.

Unless you're a competitive powerlifter, I'd assert your max lifts should mean very little to anyone else but yourself, and even then the numbers are most useful as a means to gauge your own progress. Trying to get funny with numbers on compound lifts is a good way to get injured.

Agreed. I was really just trying to gauge where I should be as compared to the average bodybuilder. I've always been a very strong guy, but DL has largely been neglected. I'm going to make sure it's a part of my routine and I'll try to progress on this lift much in the same way I progress with my squats. Thanks for the reply.

[strongpath]

In the strength standards chart, the "labels" such as intermediate and advanced have to do with how long someone has been training or their training age. Plus its one guide, not the definitive word. So an intermediate is someone who has been lifting up to a couple of years and an advanced lifter has been training multiple years. I don't think its purpose is to suggest that you should lift "x" amount of weight at a specific bw. I likely have the minority view (usually do anyway), but my focus isn't really on what others are doing because we are all unique. If I am making progress - all good. If not - I need to figure out why and re-set. It's about making sure that where I am today is markedly better than where I was a year ago and the year before that. If you are advancing on your goals, you are achieving. Whether a particular lift is "respectable" is subjectively loaded and the answer you get will be invariably tied to the biases, experience, motivations of the posters. Person (a) may be a jackass and just want to mess with you; another person (b) may come in trying to be helpful but have a personality style that rubs you the wrong way. Saying where you "should be compared to the average bodybuilder" for examples begs several questions. What do you mean by
"average bodybuilder?" Do you mean average recreational bodybuilder who doesn't compete or one who does? Why do you care what bodybuilders think is respectable for a lift that power lifters actually concentrate on as one of the three tested lifts and compete in? Bodybuilders are concerned about symmetry, aesthetics etc. A power lifter like raw elite is focused on pulling as much damn weight as he can. I could dissect this further but you get my point. Depending on a person's reference points, their goals and aspirations, the answer to what is "respectable" will vary. You are in the best position to decide what motivates you best and what is a respectable goal for you. The best thing you can do for yourself and staying positive and moving forward is to decide for yourself and not get pushed and pulled by the random thoughts of others and let what others think, govern what you think is respectable. I'm relatively new to deadlifting, starting at the young age of 46. I've pulled 415 at 175 BW. I'm not sure where I will stop. There is no one in my gym pulling 4 plates aside at my age/weight and I get comments because my gym is an office building and the demographic in the gym reflects that. Doesn't mean anything? Not really. What I am happy about is I have more than doubled where I started at. Conversely, if was to compare myself to raw elite or ID, I would get depressed. But I don't because I decide what matters to me and what matters to me is exploring my own personal limits whatever they may be and with reference to my beginnings. Our personal gifts and challenges are unique. Its about intrinsic motivation, rather than external goals. It's about setting behavioral standards, instead of outcome based. I don't say, "I will be happy when x happens." I say what can I DO right NOW that will make me happy or bring a greater sense of self satisfaction, respect.... call it what you will. Another way of saying it is about the journey, not the destination.

Heck of a tangent, I know, but there you go.

[yepitsme]

Well according to this...you're still an Intermediate - http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLi...Standards.html

I just randomly found this link and posted it just to open up discusson more if people agree with it.

Am I missing something with this chart? The only thing it looks at is weight so a 5' tall man should deadlift the same as a 6' 6" man if they both weigh the same?

[Silentpoet]

Im almost 48, 5' 8", weigh 100kg or 220lbs, 7 months into gym, have 42" waist so I still have a lot of fat. I do dl 2 reps of 120 kg or 264 lbs. One plate here is 20kg = 44lbs. How much is your 1 plate?

Usually 20.4 kilos or 45 pounds. At least face value, my 45s are 44.5, 45.5, 46, and 46 in my home gym. I weighed them. one of my 100s is 98 the other is 103 pounds so it works out.

A respectable deadlift is anything more than last time. Or anything where you give it your all.

[Jbizzlechizzle]

In the strength standards chart, the "labels" such as intermediate and advanced have to do with how long someone has been training or their training age. Plus its one guide, not the definitive word. So an intermediate is someone who has been lifting up to a couple of years and an advanced lifter has been training multiple years. I don't think its purpose is to suggest that you should lift "x" amount of weight at a specific bw. I likely have the minority view (usually do anyway), but my focus isn't really on what others are doing because we are all unique. If I am making progress - all good. If not - I need to figure out why and re-set. It's about making sure that where I am today is markedly better than where I was a year ago and the year before that. If you are advancing on your goals, you are achieving. Whether a particular lift is "respectable" is subjectively loaded and the answer you get will be invariably tied to the biases, experience, motivations of the posters. Person (a) may be a jackass and just want to mess with you; another person (b) may come in trying to be helpful but have a personality style that rubs you the wrong way. Saying where you "should be compared to the average bodybuilder" for examples begs several questions. What do you mean by
"average bodybuilder?" Do you mean average recreational bodybuilder who doesn't compete or one who does? Why do you care what bodybuilders think is respectable for a lift that power lifters actually concentrate on as one of the three tested lifts and compete in? Bodybuilders are concerned about symmetry, aesthetics etc. A power lifter like raw elite is focused on pulling as much damn weight as he can. I could dissect this further but you get my point. Depending on a person's reference points, their goals and aspirations, the answer to what is "respectable" will vary. You are in the best position to decide what motivates you best and what is a respectable goal for you. The best thing you can do for yourself and staying positive and moving forward is to decide for yourself and not get pushed and pulled by the random thoughts of others and let what others think, govern what you think is respectable. I'm relatively new to deadlifting, starting at the young age of 46. I've pulled 415 at 175 BW. I'm not sure where I will stop. There is no one in my gym pulling 4 plates aside at my age/weight and I get comments because my gym is an office building and the demographic in the gym reflects that. Doesn't mean anything? Not really. What I am happy about is I have more than doubled where I started at. Conversely, if was to compare myself to raw elite or ID, I would get depressed. But I don't because I decide what matters to me and what matters to me is exploring my own personal limits whatever they may be and with reference to my beginnings. Our personal gifts and challenges are unique. Its about intrinsic motivation, rather than external goals. It's about setting behavioral standards, instead of outcome based. I don't say, "I will be happy when x happens." I say what can I DO right NOW that will make me happy or bring a greater sense of self satisfaction, respect.... call it what you will. Another way of saying it is about the journey, not the destination.

Heck of a tangent, I know, but there you go.

And then a common sense approach kicks in. Thanks for the reply. Rep'd

[Jbizzlechizzle]

I've never taken the deadlift very seriously, but I'm now reading about all of the benefits. I'm 5'9" 182 lbs and pulled 315 lbs raw yesterday and it felt pretty easy. I'm a little anxious to go heavier until I clean up my form due to ongoing back problems. I plan on staying light and working on my form before really pushing this exercise.

Question: what's a respectable dl for a guy my size?

Here's a video for form check... what do you guys think? I think the form is pretty good.

[Jbizzlechizzle]

I hit 405 over the weekend on DL. Unfortunately, there is no video this time, but I'll get one up next time I DL. I pulled it without much trouble. Next stop... 455.

[EB68]

Your form looks pretty good to me. You ,maybe could sit back a little more and keep more weight on your heels, pulling the bar closer to your shins, but from the video that is all I can see where you could improve. Maybe keep your chest up a little more at the initial pull from the ground.
I would spend a little time working in the 315/345 range before making any huge jumps in weight though and really grind the form in.

[SideSteal]

Here's a video for form check... what do you guys think? I think the form is pretty good.

I would consider the following changes:

1) Stand closer to the barbell in your setup. As it is now you've got a fair gap between the bar and your legs and quite frankly it's impressive that you can peel the bar off the floor in that position.

2) Narrow your stance a bit, probably 4-6" to start.

3) Grip the bar just outside your stance.

Your current stance width (and consequently grip width) is wide enough such that your arms are not vertical in the setup. Bringing them in may put you in a slightly better position.

4) Before you pull, you should cue your chest out to get everything tight. You are basically pulling from a limp position and as that bar gets heavier that could lead to injury.

See here:
*****://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syt7A23YnpA&feature=kp

[EvanStroud]

Dont worry about what is 'respectable' and just do an appropriate amount of weight for you. I respect anyone doing their best to improve and using solid form.

Wisdom.

[Jbizzlechizzle]

Your form looks pretty good to me. You ,maybe could sit back a little more and keep more weight on your heels, pulling the bar closer to your shins, but from the video that is all I can see where you could improve. Maybe keep your chest up a little more at the initial pull from the ground.
I would spend a little time working in the 315/345 range before making any huge jumps in weight though and really grind the form in.

I would consider the following changes:

1) Stand closer to the barbell in your setup. As it is now you've got a fair gap between the bar and your legs and quite frankly it's impressive that you can peel the bar off the floor in that position.

2) Narrow your stance a bit, probably 4-6" to start.

3) Grip the bar just outside your stance.

Your current stance width (and consequently grip width) is wide enough such that your arms are not vertical in the setup. Bringing them in may put you in a slightly better position.

4) Before you pull, you should cue your chest out to get everything tight. You are basically pulling from a limp position and as that bar gets heavier that could lead to injury.

See here:
*****://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syt7A23YnpA&feature=kp

This is exactly the type of advice I've been looking for. I'll be sure to keep things lighter to nail down the form. I'll also work on my starting position and keep in mind that I should keep my chest up, shins closer to the bar and butt farther back so that the weight remains on my heels. Thanks for your help!

[bradandblake]

Your video shows at least another 50, maybe 75 pounds of potential power, right now.

[Ragnar13]

Just my opinion, but a respectable deadlift is any deadlift! Having it in your training program is already a step in the right way. To many folks don't.

[Rajon25]

Every deadlift is respectable.

This. I respect anyone lifting heavy, heavy is relative. My 595 was a record at my crossfit box, caused a scene at my globo gym and was 'cute' at a powerlifting seminar I attended. it is 5lbs less than my goal of a DL starting with a 6 and that is all that really matters. I beat my month old self.