Deadlift Tips for Tall Lifters

Vine Urbank is 6'7 and Pull Just Fine!!

I'm 6'5. Being tall is awesome. We know when it rains first, we can see over everyone at a movie theater, and we're all great at basketball. Ok, maybe not. However being tall has it's advantages but one of them is not lifting weights. Our leverages suck and we have have to work twice as hard on form to lift half as much weight as guys with "normal" height. One lift in particular that can be challenging for us tall folk is the deadlift. Which really stinks because nothing can put mass and strength on our lanky frames as efficiently as the deadlift. Lucky for me I was kind of ignorant to the fact that deadlifts can be difficult for taller lifters and it became my favorite exercise after some trial and error. Here are some tips and tricks to help you pull safe and strong.

The main issue with being tall (over 6'0) and deadlifting is getting all the way down to the bar in a good starting position. Sure we have long arms, but usually lanky tall guys also have long legs and a long torso. That makes for a long way to the bar when it's on the floor. The second is rounding our lower back and looking like a scared cat when we first begin to pull. This is usually caused by the above issue (bad starting position), weak glutes, weak hamstrings and poor mobility. The good news is since we know our weaknesses as a tall lifter, we can address them directly.

Lets tackle number one first as a good setup is the foundation of the deadlift. First consideration for taller lifters is foot position. I recommend a hip width or maybe a tab wider than hip width base. To figure this out easily, do a vertical jump a few times. Find the place where you generate the most force and get the highest. That's how far your feet should be apart when you approach the bar. Point your toes slightly outward. Your shins should be all the way to the bar. The rest of your setup should follow "general" deadlift techniques. I recommend checking out this article from Eric Cressey for a full setup with the above considerations.

Getting down to the bar can be tough at first due to all of our lankiness. Warming up is key in making sure all of our parts work together. Stretch your quads, glutes, groin, and hamstrings before you start anything. I like to do some jump squats to get everything fired up after stretching. Don't go to crazy, you don't want to tire yourself out, just warm up and get loose. You can also put plates, blocks or pads under the weight to raise the bar a bit. Don't over rely on these, but use them as a stop gap until you're strong and limber enough pull all the way from the ground.

The second issues is rounding your lower back. Deadlifts need to be done with a neutral spine in order to keep your back safe. This is easier said than done for us tall folk. If you can maintain a neutral spine on your setup, but your back rounds during the "off the floor" part of the lift, you need to find the weak link. Tall lifters usually have skinny weak legs, which means hamstrings and glutes aren't doing the work, your back is. For a conventional deadlift these are the primary leg muscles involved. Reverse hyper extensions, good mornings, stiff leg deadlifts and rack pulls are all great ways to strengthen the muscles in your legs and back. These muscle need to work together to stabilize you and lift the weight off the ground. If you have a really hard time with the deadlift, start with these moves for a few weeks before proceeding to the real deal.

Last but not least are some general tips that make the deadlift easier for any lifter. Your footwear should be minimal if not barefoot. You don't want to wear sneakers that lift your heel. I'm a big fan of Vibrams Five Toe shoes but not everyone wants to look like a douche (I pull that shit off). Go with some Converse sneakers, barefeet, or Reebok power shoes. Last but not least is reps and sets. The deadlift is not a bicep curl. You don't need to use high reps to get results. Keep your reps between 1-5 for your "working weight". I usually do one warm up set of eight with very light weight to get my body warmed up followed by 4-5 more warm up sets of 2-3. Form is so important during a deadlift you don't want to sacrifice it by doing higher reps just because.

Don't let being tall be an excuse why you aren't doing deadlifts. No exercise out there taxes the body and builds muscle as well as this move. Find your weak points and use the above tips to overcome them. Sure our leverages suck and some lifts are harder for us to do, but the payoff of battling through and picking up the weight will reap benefits unlike any other exercise.