How much do you Stiff legged deadlift?

[strongsmartsexy]

If you do stiff legged deadlifts, how much weight do you use? Do you use a platform to get full stretch? And where do you place that excersize in your routine?

 

[Scotsman]

Best I have done is 405 for five. I usually do them after squats on leg day. I do them right out of the squat rack with legs shoulder width or a little more usually. No I don't do them on a platform you can get all the stretch you need standing on the floor. You just have to keep a little tightness in you back and pull back with your traps. If you need to get up on something you are rounding you back too much and risking injury. IMO

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[super_rice]

If you need to get up on something you are rounding you back too much and risking injury. IMO

i agree with that. most people can't keep that strong arch in the lumbar if they are bent over in that position.

i can stiff leg more than i can with leg drive. which is strange

 

[supersizeme]

i do sl deads instead of conventional ones. only on back day, too, since i train hams that day instead of with quads and calves. last heavy day was 300x5, 320x5, 340x5, 360x5. going for reps tomorrow so it should be something like 310x10, 330x8, 350x5.

like scotsman said, no platform.

 

[Buddy_Christ]

WOW! my straight back stiff leg dead weight seems like a warm up set to you guys......

i do stiff leg deads on leg day right after squats. i superset with hack squats. no platform. i do them in the power rack on the lowest setting. i can feel the pull in my hams as soon as i start to lift up on the bar, so for the time being i don't see a reason to put the weight on the floor or grab a platform. i have done them off the floor before. the stiff leg deads didn't feel too bad off the floor, but i didn't like my hack squat like that. since i superset them, it's just easier to do it on the lowest setting in the rack.

i do 3 sets, 10, 8,then 5-6 reps, increase weight each set. last week i did 135, 145, 165 (for 6) and felt real strong. tomorrow i think i'll do my third set at 175, so maybe 155, 165, 175.

i only superset them so i don't have to change the weight on the bar 5 times. makes it a bit easier. less thinking to do too i don't go to the gym to do math, i go to lift. changing weight too many times just distracts me.

 

[strongsmartsexy]

WOW! my straight back stiff leg dead weight seems like a warm up set to you guys......

i do stiff leg deads on leg day right after squats. i superset with hack squats. no platform. i do them in the power rack on the lowest setting. i can feel the pull in my hams as soon as i start to lift up on the bar, so for the time being i don't see a reason to put the weight on the floor or grab a platform. i have done them off the floor before. the stiff leg deads didn't feel too bad off the floor, but i didn't like my hack squat like that. since i superset them, it's just easier to do it on the lowest setting in the rack.

i do 3 sets, 10, 8,then 5-6 reps, increase weight each set. last week i did 135, 145, 165 (for 6) and felt real strong. tomorrow i think i'll do my third set at 175, so maybe 155, 165, 175.

i only superset them so i don't have to change the weight on the bar 5 times. makes it a bit easier. less thinking to do too i don't go to the gym to do math, i go to lift. changing weight too many times just distracts me.

I'm right there with you. I can't imagine doing stiff legged deadlifts at weights of 300+lbs. Damn, I'm not only olde, I'm a lightweight too!

 

[string_bean00]

I do them right after squats in the power rack. I'm at 215 now doing 5x5.

 

[strongsmartsexy]

I do them right after squats in the power rack. I'm at 215 now doing 5x5.

I do squats, leg presses and then SDLs. I'm at 215ish depending on the energy level that day. I thought I was doing so good too. I'm going back to wimp training class...

 

[Scotsman]

I do squats, leg presses and then SDLs. I'm at 215ish depending on the energy level that day. I thought I was doing so good too. I'm going back to wimp training class...

Hey 215 is a pretty respectable weight to be doing. I probably have a couple of pounds on you in bodyweight that evens it up a bit. I do mine right after squats too.

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[strongsmartsexy]

Hey 215 is a pretty respectable weight to be doing. I probably have a couple of pounds on you in bodyweight that evens it up a bit. I do mine right after squats too.

Cheers,
Scotsman

I haven't quite figured out why, but it seems that the back "Half" of my leg is much thicker than the quads. I can clearly handle much more weight with the quads, but it just seems with as much hamstring as I have, I should be able to do more.

 

[Scotsman]

I haven't quite figured out why, but it seems that the back "Half" of my leg is much thicker than the quads. I can clearly handle much more weight with the quads, but it just seems with as much hamstring as I have, I should be able to do more.

Think of it this way. Your quads are four muscles, and you hammies are only two. The quads are designed to press while the hammies are designed to pull. Also think about simple physics when you are squatting or leg pressing the load is directly in line with the plane of motion in regards to you body. Whereas when doing sldls you are forming a simple lever with your upper body. So theoretically if your upperbody is two feet from hip to shoulder and you have 215lbs on the bar you body is lifting 430ftlbs at the pivot fulcrum(your hip).

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[strongsmartsexy]

Think of it this way. Your quads are four muscles, and you hammies are only two. The quads are designed to press while the hammies are designed to pull. Also think about simple physics when you are squatting or leg pressing the load is directly in line with the plane of motion in regards to you body. Whereas when doing sldls you are forming a simple lever with your upper body. So theoretically if your upperbody is two feet from hip to shoulder and you have 215lbs on the bar you body is lifting 430ftlbs at the pivot fulcrum(your hip).

Cheers,
Scotsman

Good point! I should have thought of it in terms of body mechanics. And I'd imagine a taller person is lifting more with the same weight than a much shorter person...

 

[Scotsman]

Good point! I should have thought of it in terms of body mechanics. And I'd imagine a taller person is lifting more with the same weight than a much shorter person...

Bingo. That's why taller guys are actually doing more work with the same amount of weight as a shorter guy.

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[strongsmartsexy]

Bingo. That's why taller guys are actually doing more work with the same amount of weight as a shorter guy.

Cheers,
Scotsman

I noticed that same phenominon with bench press. I have 34/35" arms, so I'm pushing a lot of weight around. My ex-training partner was like 5'2" and had little stubbie arms. He could push a HUGE amount of weight, but only had to move the bar 6 - 8".

 

[string_bean00]

I'm afflicted with the long arm problem. My strict bench 1RM always grows with everything else, but it's never more than 10-15 pounds over bodyweight.

 

[Scotsman]

I noticed that same phenominon with bench press. I have 34/35" arms, so I'm pushing a lot of weight around. My ex-training partner was like 5'2" and had little stubbie arms. He could push a HUGE amount of weight, but only had to move the bar 6 - 8".

My arms are like 36/37" my wingspan is 3" more than my height and ideally they should be the same length. That was great for him I have like a 14-15" stroke on my bench. My monkey arms aren't great for benching but nice for deadlifting.

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[Buddy_Christ]

this thread inspired me to lift more today. after squatting 215lbs 5x5, i did hack squats and sldl, 10, 8, 6 reps, 155, 165, 175lbs. felt like there was still some juice left in the tank, but i could feel my lower back muscles saying "ok, we've done enough." with exercises that put a lot on the lower back, i listen to my back when it starts saying we might be reaching the "good enough" point. arms and chest, however, are a different story

my hacksquat and sldl weight are going up though, very slowly, but they're going up. that's better than never bumping them up at all though, and at least i'm doing them.

 

[bigstve12]

SLDL are one of my fav exercises...i usually start back day with them. Did them with legs for a while, but i find i can concentrate better and push myself harder if i do em fresh...I get about 10reps with 275 on my heavy set

 

[supersizeme]

crak - keep in mind that i do my sl deads as the very first exercise on my back/hams day. you're doing them after squats which is obviously a compound exercise that expends quite a bit of energy - i do them with a full tank of juice whereas yours is half empty. this is the reason i give them a separate day since deads are one of the big three.

do you do regular deads as well?

today i hit all the reps that i said i was going to earlier in the thread(pr for me). higher rep sl deads are punishing - i never really fully recover from the lower back stiffness for the rest of my back workout, but now 3 hours later sitting in my chair at work it's a nice feeling to have nailed them.

 

[Scotsman]

crak- good work my man
bigstve12- nice weight for 10 reps.
ssme- great job on the pr. Also love the avatar it is a favorite with the guys I work with.

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[Synpax]

Blue.

 

[coolcolj]

405x1 a year ago, from the floor

well it was a deadlift attempt, but I stiffed it up

I can probably do 365lbs for a few sets of 3 right now, since I RDL'ed deadlift 4x3 with 353lbs from the floor a few weeks ago. Grip being the main limitation, but I am stronger now. More or less a similar lift except I lower all the way to the floor and then back with a shrug at the top.

I do a circuit rotation with full squats and abs, all of em heavy, 3mins between sets of each

 

[Buddy_Christ]

ssme - valid point about me doing stiff legs after squats.

yes i do regular deads. this week i did 4 sets of 5 and one set of 8 with 200lbs. it's one of my 5x5s, however, i normally do 10 on the last set and slow the pace down quite a bit. this week i was feeling weak and out of gas by the time i got to that last set, hence a lowly 8. in 12 weeks, i've gone from 105lbs being a major pull on my back to working 200lbs. we went up 10lbs a week for a while, and finally slowed it down last week. after the first few weeks, it was just TOO light to add 5lbs a week. now that my working deadlift is above my bench (but slightly below my squat) i'm satisfied. now as long as all 3 continue up on a steady pace, i'll be happy.

scotsman, thanks!

you guys have some impressive numbers. keep it up!

 

[b fold the truth]

I may look and see if I can find the video...but I think last year some time I did just a tad over 500. Can't remember the exact number...but in the VERY low 5's. I pulled it from the floor like a deadlift, then down, then back up...then back down. Raw.

I don't think I'll be doing them for a while but I'll probably start them back this Summer LIGHT.

B True

 

[Nonerz]

haven't done them in so long...just the old fashioned deadlift for me as of late.

anyhow, nothing against the underdog, but i miss your other avatar!

 

[IronandGravity]

I work out just to keep in shape, so I only do 120, after squats and lunges. Back day I do regular deadlifts, 160. I'm a wimp, but I'm not trying to get huge.

 

[WalkingBeast]

Ive never tried stiff legs. How exactly are they done? Just keep the knees completely locked and lift like a dead? Also how is wing span measured exactly? ThanX!

 

[IronandGravity]

I keep my knees locked, feet about 1 foot apart. I hold my upper body as stiff as possible and my back as arched as possible, and focus on pulling with only my hams and gluts. It really hits the hamstrings, much more than regular deadlifts.

 

[WalkingBeast]

ThanX brother!! Ill have to give them a try, once I get past this injury.

 

[Buddy_Christ]

i keep my back as straight as possible for stiff leg deads. i do the same thing for regular deads as well (you should see how straight my back is for regular deads...amazing). other than that, just like iron and gravity said, feet are pretty narrow, i go maybe shoulder width or narrower, knees are locked, and just stand it up.

if you don't feel comfortable off the floor with them, try them in the power rack. i've been doing them (and beast lifts) on the lowest setting. i don't want to go lower for stiff leg deads because i feel like i'll start to round my back.

 

[strongsmartsexy]

i keep my back as straight as possible for stiff leg deads. i do the same thing for regular deads as well (you should see how straight my back is for regular deads...amazing). other than that, just like iron and gravity said, feet are pretty narrow, i go maybe shoulder width or narrower, knees are locked, and just stand it up.

if you don't feel comfortable off the floor with them, try them in the power rack. i've been doing them (and beast lifts) on the lowest setting. i don't want to go lower for stiff leg deads because i feel like i'll start to round my back.

Isn't the rounding the back when going very low more a function of flexibility in the hamstrings and hip flexors?

There are a couple of guys at the gym who use the platform and are basically doing a toe touch with the SDLs. Admittedly they're only doing about 135 - 185, but still. I wish I had that kind of flexibility.

 

[Tweakle]

that extreme ROM with baby weights isn't going to do much more than improve their flexibilty at the lift.

the stiff leg is one of my better lifts, yesterdays I did 10 with 405 then rest paused 5 more, after squats. last time I posted pics online of my legs people told me my hamstrings were weak so I guess they're not a great lift for muscle development.

 

[he-man]

squats, leg ext, and then sldl, followed by calf raises is usually how i fit them in. last 2 working sets with 365 x 5. i never go past 90 degrees with that weight - end up using too much lower back

 

[bran987]

WalkingBeast. I keep a *slight* bend in my knees, but just don't bend the knees up or down from that position while doing the movement.

Make sure you stick your ass BACK out while you're bending down, helps you keep the back straight.

I am up to 275 for 8 reps on my final set of SLDL (bodyweight 153, 5'4"). It is one of my favorite exercises. My best ever was 315 for 8.

Crak, if I did these AFTER my set of 20 rep squats, you may as well cut the weight I've listed for SLDL in HALF. There is no way I could do that. Doing Squats/Deads Back2Back is hardcore!

The funny part is half the time I'm doing them, some guy tries to offer me a weightbelt, says I'm gonna hurt myself deadlifting without a belt, lol.

Anyone have a link to one of the hundreds of articles about why not to deadlift/squat with belts? I'd like to show him.