Double bodyweight deadlift

[Carl in Dover]

"Try using your lats to make sure you're dragging the bar up your shins."

I try to wrap the bar around my legs to do this. Don't just pull back but rotate your wrists outward.

Carl in Dover

 

[william bad butt]

I like these numbers.

ExRx.net : Deadlift Standards

I think most folks could get to the Intermediate standards within a relatively short time period (1 or 2 years?). And I think most could get to the Advanced level if they stick with it for a long time.

 

[Brian P Gill]

Whoa!
A number of ‘interesting’ posts here.

With regard to standards, referring to Steve and William’s posts, don’t use them as goals. If anything, standards should be used as platforms or starting points to take off from.

Use the advice in Steve’s earlier post regarding a certification or day course. There, you’ll get the cues to dial in on proper form AND be around people who don’t aspire for standards. Quoting Charles Poliquin, who was quoting someone else, “normal is for average people and that is far too low a standard for me.”

Last November, I deadlifted 2-1/2 bodyweight for an easy double. Not a PR by any means, but the following week, I finished a marathon in under three hours.

Standard results?

Training for either task is fairly straight forward and I’ve even considered an article. However, talking about marathon training here is like sharing bacon recipes with a vegan.

Regardless, learn the technique, learn what’s possible, train, and do it.

 

[Steve Freides]

talking about marathon training here is like sharing bacon recipes with a vegan.

Not if it's an approach based on strength training and not a ton of running.

-S-

 

[Dr. Michael Hartle]

I agree with Steve Freides. Everyone is potentially able to do at least a 2xBW DL. Whether they can do it, is another story. Obviously there are many factors, many that have already been discussed here. Please remember that lifting, any kind of lifting, is a skill. Would you see a sloppy downhill skier in the Olympics? Or a horrible looking speedskater? No you wouldn't, because they have spent hours and hours perfecting their skill. None of us are Olympic caliber athletes, but what we do have is the same anatomy. I choose to work on perfecting my technique the best that I can. You can too. One way is to be on this forum. Another way is to watch the right YouTube videos. The best way is to attend an SFL 1 Day Course or the 3 day SFL cert. You choose. Have a strong day!!

 

[jca17]

fwiw @bigwood177, I've made my best progress with deadlift doing 5 sets of 5 with 5 minute rest between sets once a week. I also Zercher squat 5x5 once a week to just below parallel which also loads posterior chain a good amount. I also liked doing two sets of 5 daily (from Pavel's Power to the People). No significant muscle gain, but I was really able to hone technique as a beginner. With only two sets, I really focus on each rep. Doing it everyday lets you really work the technique.

 

[DavThew]

I think we can lower the standards once people hit age 85 or so.

It's encouraging to see the bar for what we are considering old getting higher and higher! I can see @Steve Freides still pulling heavy at 100 with such a good attitude.

 

[Brian P Gill]

Not if it's an approach based on strength training and not a ton of running.

-S-

A sub-three hour marathon without a significant amount of running?!?

I will save the fiction for other forums.

That said, the SFL Certification was invaluable for the strength protocols applied.

 

[Steve Freides]

@fdnyceguy, I hadn't noticed the sub-three-hour part. I have a half-marathon best of 1:36:40 a few decades ago. A sub-3 marathon is quite an accomplishment. That's 6:45/mile pace or so for 26.2 miles.

FWIW, we have had people do little running and complete marathons, but never in particularly good times.

-S-

 

[jef]

Last November, I deadlifted 2-1/2 bodyweight for an easy double. Not a PR by any means, but the following week, I finished a marathon in under three hours.

Maybe not world-class, but both are already quite good. And getting both at the same time is quite an achievement, congrats!
I own the double-bodyweight deadlift (actually working on owning the Double overhand version at the moment), and I registered for a half marathon with the goal of running minimally during training. I will report when it's done...

 

[Bauer]

• Deadlift
  • Student must complete 1 repetition (conventional or sumo) with a weight that is equivalent to:
    Men—2 x bodyweight, rounded up to the nearest 5lbs/2.5kg, not to exceed 450lbs/205kg
    Women—1.5 x bodyweight, rounded up to the nearest 5lbs/2.5kg

Source: SFL Barbell Certification Requirements | StrongFirst

Just to clarify that there is an upper limit, so heavy guys don't necessarily have to double their weight.

 

[FinlayB]

Wow a lot of interesting replies.

I would love to attend a barbell course. But getting my lifts to a reasonable level first.

Dealing with a small annoying injury right now but I'll be back on it very soon. Moving country in a couple of months and need to get some lifts in before the inevitable break

 

[Steve Freides]

Wow a lot of interesting replies.

I would love to attend a barbell course. But getting my lifts to a reasonable level first.

No need to wait. Learn at the course, and test later - details on the web site page for the course.

-S-

 

[Anna C]

No need to wait. Learn at the course, and test later - details on the web site page for the course.

I might disagree with this...

For the one-day barbell course, absolutely. There is no testing requirement, and you can show up as a total newbie and learn the lifts that are taught.

For the SFL cert, I think you need at least 6 months to a year with the barbell before attending, and be pretty close to the strength requirements even if you are going to finish it out and test later. I was already pretty close, and still it took me (and two of my other friends that had requirements to make up) 5 of the allowed 6 months to complete the SFL requirements.

 

[kyle]

best advice i ever got was worry about you and your numbers, eat right,train hard, sleep good numbers will come

 

[guardian7]

Allow me to explain how strength transforms pain, and injury in my particular case.

My right knee sometimes bothers me during my deadlifts and at other times, too - it's the worse knee. The solution to my knee pain isn't to stop doing deadlifts, but to focus on being sure I am keeping all three contact points of my foot firmly into the ground, and screwing my feet towards the outside, and really pushing hard into the ground as I break the bar off the floor. When I do those things, my knee stops hurting _and_ my deadlift gets stronger. That's a win/win if ever there was one.

That's but one example of the kind of thing we talk about when we discuss improving strength by improving technical skill at a lift. This kind of finding ways to use your strength is also the secret to greater flexibility once you understand that your body insists on you demonstrating strength in any position before it will let you relax in that position and eventually go further. Even stretching should be StrongFirst.

-S-

Good point. With the possible exception of some serious trauma or chronic back injuries, we should see pain as notice that there is something you need to fix or adapt to, not something to avoid. It may just take a while. Our medical system seems hooked on painkillers that don't address problems and fix them.

 

[Steve Freides]

Good point. With the possible exception of some serious trauma or chronic back injuries, we should see pain as notice that there is something you need to fix or adapt to, not something to avoid. It may just take a while. Our medical system seems hooked on painkillers that don't address problems and fix them.

I wouldn't go quite that far. Perhaps I should use two different words, something like "discomfort" and "pain." Real pain is a call to see a medical professional, and at least get an informed opinion about what's going on. Since I've already done that, and I know there's precious little padding left in my knees, I've figured out what I need to do to keep everything working properly.

But I agree completely that painkillers, without addressing the causes of the pain, are very easy to overuse and are probably widely overused in this manner.

-S-

 

[guardian7]

I wouldn't go quite that far. Perhaps I should use two different words, something like "discomfort" and "pain." Real pain is a call to see a medical professional, and at least get an informed opinion about what's going on. Since I've already done that, and I know there's precious little padding left in my knees, I've figured out what I need to do to keep everything working properly.

But I agree completely that painkillers, without addressing the causes of the pain, are very easy to overuse and are probably widely overused in this manner.

-S-

Yes, I meant that as well, not sharp pain, but chronic soreness, discomfort, etc. We may not be able to cure it but we can cope better when we are stronger or have better mobility and stability, rather than avoiding exercise. I fixed almost all of a plantar fasciitis (chronic foot arch pain) problem after throwing away my orthotics, which did not address the underlying problem, and instead doing barefoot training, jumping rope, martial arts etc. (Swings, especially one hand, may be underestimated as help for healthy feet and strong calves/balance for the undertrained).

 

[guardian7]

Uncommon but doable. If you get there, you should be proud, it is an admirable achievement.

Yeah, I remember vividly the first time I hit it. Felt Strong!, for a middle-aged guy with a sedentary job. Now I know it is not much that a bit of training and coaching can't achieve! Sigh.

 

[Steve Freides]

I know it is not much that a bit of training and coaching can't achieve!

But you did that bit of training and got the necessary instruction. Good on you, and your performance is, in the general population, exceptional - and you should be proud of having achieved it.

-S-