How much can Dorian Yates deadlift?

[joswift]

Ha! I get wood from doing stiff leg deadlifts but not regular deadlifts. I noticed that when I dropped the stiff's and added regular deadlifts. Added them back and dropped deadlifts and now "boing". Makes no sense to me. Deadlifts supposedly increase your testosterone but I didn't notice any particular increase. Maybe stiff legs affect blood flow or something.

dropeed the stiffs and got a stiff..

[obsidian]

I've thought about this a ridiculous amount over the years because of my approx. 35 years long lover affair with the deadlift. I could be mistaken, plus injuries and physical weaknesses have a strong genetic link as well, but I feel lifts like squats and rows are more injury casing than deadlifts. Almost invariably people with bad lower backs never did ANY serious deadlifting either. And if someone is an avid lifter with a back that is out of order a lot I think a serious deadlift programme is the best answer.

I've torn and herniated a lot of muscles deadlfting but no disc issues. Obviously not saying it's not a risk at all either though.

I  too have noted how weight lifting positively affects libido and general sexual functioning even very acutely. Easier to climax, shortening refractory period and so on. A heavy dead or a squat also seems to immediately increase gripping strength. The other way around, not so much.

I thought my usually supinated on deads bicep was probably immune from tearing after about 4 decades of heavy loading but I hurt it about 2 weeks ago. Still attached but there was some tearing and lots of pain. Ironically just 2 minutes before it happened I was yelling at a guy to keep his arm straight as he was lifting!

Yes. Hack squats will also activate your body like deadlifts. Bench press does not have the same effect.

[pamith]

I believe Dorian could probably deadlift about 650-750 lbs in his prime, if he really wanted to go crazy and max out

[Van_Bilderass]

How did I forget?! Now I remember watching Blood and Guts and Dorian doing his set with like 440lbs. I was like wtf is this shit! I was doing that and not a muscle on my body. Then I read in Flex where he said I'm not trying to win any medals on the deadlift. He was afraid of injuries. Ok so rowing more than that is safe where the back is possibly in a more compromised position? I still don't get it LOL. But he didn't do too badly on the back development LOL.

[pamith]

How did I forget?! Now I remember watching Blood and Guts and Dorian doing his set with like 440lbs. I was like wtf is this shit! I was doing that and not a muscle on my body. Then I read in Flex where he said I'm not trying to win any medals on the deadlift. He was afraid of injuries. Ok so rowing more than that is safe where the back is possibly in a more compromised position? I still don't get it LOL. But he didn't do too badly on the back development LOL.

Bro...

[Humble Narcissist]

How did I forget?! Now I remember watching Blood and Guts and Dorian doing his set with like 440lbs. I was like wtf is this shit! I was doing that and not a muscle on my body. Then I read in Flex where he said I'm not trying to win any medals on the deadlift. He was afraid of injuries. Ok so rowing more than that is safe where the back is possibly in a more compromised position? I still don't get it LOL. But he didn't do too badly on the back development LOL.

Bodybuilders don't have to be smart.

[Van_Bilderass]

Bodybuilders don't have to be smart.

Dorian was and is smart in my opinion. I disagree a bit on how dangerous the deadlift is though. I think BB said he had seen quotes of 500 x 8 of stiffs and that's more like it. You don't have to push to 7-800 but I think well over your rows is reasonably safe. Dorian might have had an even freakier back if he did a little push more, if that's even possible

My most regrettable deadlift injury is diastasis recti or separated abdominal muscles. Started as a small umbilical hernia and then after surgery it started progressing and I just kept deadlifting for decades despite knowing nothing good was coming out of it in that respect. Lifted without a belt too which was stupid. Now I'd need extensive abdominal surgery which a surgeon just told me is not altogether simple and uncomplicated

Example

[joswift]

Dorian was and is smart in my opinion. I disagree a bit on how dangerous the deadlift is though. I think BB said he had seen quotes of 500 x 8 of stiffs and that's more like it. You don't have to push to 7-800 but I think well over your rows is reasonably safe. Dorian might have had an even freakier back if he did a little push more, if that's even possible

My most regrettable deadlift injury is diastasis recti or separated abdominal muscles. Started as a small umbilical hernia and then after surgery it started progressing and I just kept deadlifting for decades despite knowing nothing good was coming out of it in that respect. Lifted without a belt too which was stupid. Now I'd need extensive abdominal surgery which a surgeon just told me is not altogether simple and uncomplicated

Example

thats hankins with a dildo up his ass...

[Stephano]

How did I forget?! Now I remember watching Blood and Guts and Dorian doing his set with like 440lbs. I was like wtf is this shit! I was doing that and not a muscle on my body. Then I read in Flex where he said I'm not trying to win any medals on the deadlift. He was afraid of injuries. Ok so rowing more than that is safe where the back is possibly in a more compromised position? I still don't get it LOL. But he didn't do too badly on the back development LOL.

How are you doing your rows?  For most people, the back is in a much less compromised position while rowing, and it's also largely static.  Deadlifts are dangerous when people hunch their backs while lifting very heavy weights, which can happen at almost any point in the movement.  For some people (especially those with short arms) a hunched back can be practically unavoidable.

Deadlifts really aren't worth the injury risk. 

Also, I don't think that there's a very good correlation between deadlift capability and muscularity just in general.  They really don't do a lot to activate the lats/traps.  Rowing is more obviously useful for bodybuilding.

[Humble Narcissist]

Dorian was and is smart in my opinion. I disagree a bit on how dangerous the deadlift is though. I think BB said he had seen quotes of 500 x 8 of stiffs and that's more like it. You don't have to push to 7-800 but I think well over your rows is reasonably safe. Dorian might have had an even freakier back if he did a little push more, if that's even possible

My most regrettable deadlift injury is diastasis recti or separated abdominal muscles. Started as a small umbilical hernia and then after surgery it started progressing and I just kept deadlifting for decades despite knowing nothing good was coming out of it in that respect. Lifted without a belt too which was stupid. Now I'd need extensive abdominal surgery which a surgeon just told me is not altogether simple and uncomplicated

Example

Fucking brutal!

[Donny]

How are you doing your rows?  For most people, the back is in a much less compromised position while rowing, and it's also largely static.  Deadlifts are dangerous when people hunch their backs while lifting very heavy weights, which can happen at almost any point in the movement.  For some people (especially those with short arms) a hunched back can be practically unavoidable.

Deadlifts really aren't worth the injury risk. 

Also, I don't think that there's a very good correlation between deadlift capability and muscularity just in general.  They really don't do a lot to activate the lats/traps.  Rowing is more obviously useful for bodybuilding.

Yes

[Van_Bilderass]

How are you doing your rows?  For most people, the back is in a much less compromised position while rowing, and it's also largely static.  Deadlifts are dangerous when people hunch their backs while lifting very heavy weights, which can happen at almost any point in the movement.  For some people (especially those with short arms) a hunched back can be practically unavoidable.

Deadlifts really aren't worth the injury risk. 

Also, I don't think that there's a very good correlation between deadlift capability and muscularity just in general.  They really don't do a lot to activate the lats/traps.  Rowing is more obviously useful for bodybuilding.

I do mostly chest supported rows due to the idea the more stability you have the more you can engage the target muscle. If I'd do barbell rows, if I did a Yates row I I'd keep the bar brushing against the knees and would row below the belly button, because as the bar drifts away from the body the low back has to stabilize more. If I do a Pendlay row I'd also row low on the stomach but these can also be done higher up if you want to target the upper/mid back.

The rounding of the back can be bad if that's not a natural posture for you - it's individual. The back can also adapt to all manner of awkward movements. In physical therapy there is a debate whether the Jefferson curl is dangerous or if it's good to strengthen all possible ranges. I'll post a video of Konstantin Konstantinov and his rounded upper back and also my deadlift video as I have a rounded back as well. I started getting upper back pain a few years ago and I was sure I had herniations. I was surprised when an MRI showed no herniations despite deadlifting 660lbs+ pretty much every week for over 20 years straight. Check out the Jefferson curl. You don't have to deadlift extremely heavy - I think it's beneficial for back health as a strong back doesn't get injured as easily. Let me know what you think

For us this is a natural posture. I have some kyphosis. The body adapts.


Lower back is straight

Jefferson curl

My lower back is straight but upper back is in it's "natural" somewhat rounded position

It's true that deadlift strength doesn't correlate to muscle size a lot of times; I'm an example of that. But it might be true of other exercises too. If you have good bodybuilding genetics I think deads will build muscle for sure. I think deads have contributed to Jordan Peters' muscularity. What do you think? I think a lot of people just hate doing them. I have the opposite bias

[Sandrock]

How did I forget?! Now I remember watching Blood and Guts and Dorian doing his set with like 440lbs. I was like wtf is this shit! I was doing that and not a muscle on my body. Then I read in Flex where he said I'm not trying to win any medals on the deadlift. He was afraid of injuries. Ok so rowing more than that is safe where the back is possibly in a more compromised position? I still don't get it LOL. But he didn't do too badly on the back development LOL.

Dorian was doing those deadlifts in nonstop fashion and not putting the weight back on the floor between reps.  Closer to doing Romanian deads:

I knew a guy who claimed he saw a younger Dorian deadlifting 715 for 5(with straps) from the floor.  I don't know if that's true but it's plausible.  I know Dorian made some of his training logs available so maybe it's out there somewhere?

[BB]

Have the journal -

Biggest full deadlifts are #525 x 6 done in 88.

Biggest full squat is #495 x 6.

By 90, full deads are replaced with stiff leg, free bar squats with Smith.

Book ends by the start of 91. The stiff legs are only in the high #300s by then, and he doesn't lie about staying in the 6+ rep ranges, I only see a couple of workouts that end at 5 reps. He's also very fussy about feel and injury. Lots of periods of lighter weights and machine work only for the legs. During this time, he mostly seems worried about leg injuries.

[Van_Bilderass]

Have the journal -

Biggest full deadlifts are #525 x 6 done in 88.

Biggest full squat is #495 x 6.

By 90, full deads are replaced with stiff leg, free bar squats with Smith.

Book ends by the start of 91. The stiff legs are only in the high #300s by then, and he doesn't lie about staying in the 6+ rep ranges, I only see a couple of workouts that end at 5 reps. He's also very fussy about feel and injury. Lots of periods of lighter weights and machine work only for the legs. During this time, he mostly seems worried about leg injuries.

You are amazing with the data. Yes I think he had that hip injury early on and maybe why he was so cautious. But then he went on to do those underhand rows which put the biceps in a very compromised position. After he retired he said he had trained too heavy precontest when you are injury prone.

Dorian was doing those deadlifts in nonstop fashion and not putting the weight back on the floor between reps.  Closer to doing Romanian deads:

Yup. I didn't stop either in my video. If I'd put it down I wouldn't have made another rep. I'd say a single I'd usually triple if I didn't have to stop between reps. 715 for 5 is about what I could do at my strongest with a 770 max. So it's true numbers don't always translate to muscle LOL.