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Getbig Main Boards => Gossip & Opinions => Topic started by: pamith on April 28, 2026, 10:45:25 PM
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In his day, what was his estimated deadlift? Maybe 700 lbs?
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he didnt deadlift at all
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he didnt deadlift at all
Romanian Deads
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Way more then than now.
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shut up pamith
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If he worked at it, Yates definitely could’ve done 700LB
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I think if he trained for it, he would've certainly been in the #750-800 range. He was very strong on rows (#455 top sets), and showed very good strength on squats as a young man before he stopped, so the power was there.
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Didn't he had an injury in his lower back, early in his career?
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Didn't he had an injury in his lower back, early in his career?
hip , he had surgery on it
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What is his heaviest documented deadlift?
Big Ron did 800x2.
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What is his heaviest documented deadlift?
Big Ron did 800x2.
I've never seen conventional numbers for him. I have seen stiff leg numbers in the low #500s x 8 placed at the end of his workouts. He was like Haney, in that he was very careful not to get injured (again). It's a "what if" question, but everyone I've seen be as good at rows (#450 x 8 barbell, #200s for single arm) as he was, has been able to get a huge deadlift if they tried for it.
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What is his heaviest documented deadlift?
Big Ron did 800x2.
When I trained at Temple Gym - I asked Dorian & he said he had no idea or interest In
Finding out.
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I've never seen conventional numbers for him. I have seen stiff leg numbers in the low #500s x 8 placed at the end of his workouts. He was like Haney, in that he was very careful not to get injured (again). It's a "what if" question, but everyone I've seen be as good at rows (#450 x 8 barbell, #200s for single arm) as he was, has been able to get a huge deadlift if they tried for it.
Lol.. he ripped his arms to bits FFS
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I recall him saying he prefered rack deads
so likely never attempted to become good at it
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I recall him saying he prefered rack deads
so likely never attempted to become good at it
I read all of Dorian’s training articles throughout his career. He never once mentioned “rack deads”. Never.
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I read all of Dorian’s training articles throughout his career. He never once mentioned “rack deads”. Never.
Ai agrees with you
According to www.iAsk.Ai - Ask AI:
In his training literature and instructional media, Yates frequently discussed his preference for movements that allowed for maximum muscular overload with controlled tension. Regarding the deadlift, Yates famously avoided the conventional barbell deadlift from the floor. He argued that the risk-to-reward ratio for a professional bodybuilder was unfavorable, as the movement often placed excessive strain on the lumbar spine rather than isolating the target muscles of the back. Instead, Yates favored movements like the bent-over barbell row, T-bar row, and various machine-based rows to build thickness.[1] [2]
When discussing "rack deadlifts"—a variation where the bar is pulled from a power rack set at knee height or slightly below—Yates did not incorporate them as a staple in his primary off-season or pre-contest routine. While he utilized partial movements for other body parts, he generally avoided heavy rack pulls for the back, fearing that the heavy loading would exacerbate his chronic lower back issues. His training methodology focused on the "stretch and squeeze" principle, which he believed was better achieved through controlled rowing motions rather than the heavy, explosive nature of rack deadlifts.[1] [2]
Yates’s training partner and contemporary observers have noted that his back thickness was primarily the result of his extreme intensity on rowing variations and pulldowns, rather than heavy deadlifting or rack pulling. By keeping the tension on the lats and rhomboids rather than shifting the load to the spinal erectors, Yates was able to maintain his massive physique while navigating the physical limitations of his lower back
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I read all of Dorian’s training articles throughout his career. He never once mentioned “rack deads”.
youtube video
well, partial deadlifts it was he said. His reasoning is keeping the tension on the back and that the lower part from the floor is more legs/glutes
I've seen him say it in more recent vid but can't find it now. Maybe it was in a long podcast can't remember
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:)
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:)
Thanks ND. That list of exercises changed very little over the years. The only changes that I remember: Yates eventually added Smith Machine Shoulder presses. Dumbbell Front Raises. Seated Hammer Chest press. And he swapped out reverse grip cable pulldowns for Hammer Pulldowns.
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:)
Is that for real, or is it from Flex Magazine or some other place that's famous for just making shit up?
Some of the exercises/poundages seem weird. (70lb dumbbell incline curls and 60lb hammer curls? Hammer curls are twice as easy. If you can incline curl the 70s with good form, you can hammer curl the 100s ez.)
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Is that for real, or is it from Flex Magazine or some other place that's famous for just making shit up?
Some of the exercises/poundages seem weird. (70lb dumbbell incline curls and 60lb hammer curls? Hammer curls are twice as easy. If you can incline curl the 70s with good form, you can hammer curl the 100s ez.)
Your entire post is weird
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Thanks ND. That list of exercises changed very little over the years. The only changes that I remember: Yates eventually added Smith Machine Shoulder presses. Dumbbell Front Raises. Seated Hammer Chest press. And he swapped out reverse grip cable pulldowns for Hammer Pulldowns.
The other half
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The other half
It’s all legit. Yates workout reported directly to Peter McGough.
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so he trained exactly the same as everyone else
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so he trained exactly the same as everyone else
Not the same as Doug Brignole
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I fucked up my lower back squatting when I was younger. Also hurt my back with deadlifts a few times. Fortunately not to the point where I could not recover from it. Dorian was smart to ditch those exercises. Ronnie did not and look at him now. Deadlifts are still very useful and I might do them with much lighter weights. I used to get morning wood the day after even lighter deadlifts. Your whole body is activated by the movement.
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I think most people deadlifting alot fucks up their back eventually.
I mean just think about the load you put on your spine in a compromised position. And people go out their way to load it as much as possible. It's pretty fucked when you really think about it :D
many lifters has completly f-ed backs. Some don't want to admit it some just lift through the pain, some are forced to quit.
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Deadlifts really seem to have nothing to do with muscularity, anyway.
The biggest deadlifter I ever saw IRL looked like he never touched a weight in his life. Tall, skinny arms, skinny calves, large gut.
In bodybuilding, and especially serious drug-assisted bodybuilding, it's wise to avoid exercises with high potential for injury -- which includes freeweight squats and especially deadlifts.
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I think most people deadlifting alot fucks up their back eventually.
I mean just think about the load you put on your spine in a compromised position. And people go out their way to load it as much as possible. It's pretty fucked when you really think about it :D
many lifters has completly f-ed backs. Some don't want to admit it some just lift through the pain, some are forced to quit.
THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THAT 🙄
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Deadlifts really seem to have nothing to do with muscularity, anyway.
The biggest deadlifter I ever saw IRL looked like he never touched a weight in his life. Tall, skinny arms, skinny calves, large gut.
In bodybuilding, and especially serious drug-assisted bodybuilding, it's wise to avoid exercises with high potential for injury -- which includes freeweight squats and especially deadlifts.
just stop
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THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THAT 🙄
Hey fanboy fagget you didnt even keep track of what your idol said about the deadligt på try keep up ;D
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Deadlifts really seem to have nothing to do with muscularity, anyway.
The biggest deadlifter I ever saw IRL looked like he never touched a weight in his life. Tall, skinny arms, skinny calves, large gut.
In bodybuilding, and especially serious drug-assisted bodybuilding, it's wise to avoid exercises with high potential for injury -- which includes freeweight squats and especially deadlifts.
Trap Bar deads are quite good, at least for me ...but yeah for back development Rows, chins, Hypers are much more productive for a Bodybuilder
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Didn't he had an injury in his lower back, early in his career?
He had all kinds of injures his body was a mess by the time he robbed Nasser in 97
Unlike Ronnie his "true calling in life" wasn't to cripple himself to death at the gym so he got out in time with no biceps but somewhat functional
WoooSSSHHHHHHHHHHHH yip yip
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Hey fanboy fagget you didnt even keep track of what your idol said about the deadligt på try keep up ;D
You’re an Angry INCEL with nothing to offer the world.
Bye 😂
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shut up pamith
Bro...
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I refuse to believe that Ronnie could deadlift 800 lbs for 2 reps and Dorian only deadlifted 455 lbs for like 5 or 6 incomplete reps, SMH
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You’re an Angry INCEL with nothing to offer the world.
Bye 😂
By definition not an incel having 2 kids retard
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By definition not an incel having 2 kids retard
Maxx how much can you deadlift bro?
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Maxx how much can you deadlift bro?
Only got up to 550. Natural/no gear around age 28. Then i got a back hernia from mma training and after that i have never done them again
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Only got up to 550. Natural/no gear around age 28. Then i got a back hernia from mma training and after that i have never done them again
Not bad!
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By definition not an incel having 2 kids retard
Please stop telling us about your fake family, and your fake lifts.
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Please stop telling us about your fake family, and your fake lifts.
Lol trying to lite me to post pics and proof so that you can harrass me. Or make someone like Josh do it. Nice try loser
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Lol trying to lite me to post pics and proof so that you can harrass me. Or make someone like Josh do it. Nice try loser
This thread is not about you. Goodbye
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This thread is not about you. Goodbye
You go offtopic talking shit to offer members in just about every thread so stop talking..
And go offline and do something productive, you freak :-*
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You go offtopic talking shit to offer members in just about every thread so stop talking..
And go offline and do something productive, you freak :-*
Just stop
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I fucked up my lower back squatting when I was younger. Also hurt my back with deadlifts a few times. Fortunately not to the point where I could not recover from it. Dorian was smart to ditch those exercises. Ronnie did not and look at him now. Deadlifts are still very useful and I might do them with much lighter weights. I used to get morning wood the day after even lighter deadlifts. Your whole body is activated by the movement.
Also do them only with overhand grip. I've seen 2 guys in the gym tear biceps using the staggered grip.
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I think most people deadlifting alot fucks up their back eventually.
I mean just think about the load you put on your spine in a compromised position. And people go out their way to load it as much as possible. It's pretty fucked when you really think about it :D
many lifters has completly f-ed backs. Some don't want to admit it some just lift through the pain, some are forced to quit.
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 used to get morning wood the day after even lighter deadlifts. Your whole body is activated by the movement.
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.
Also do them only with overhand grip. I've seen 2 guys in the gym tear biceps using the staggered grip.
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! :D
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I think most people deadlifting alot fucks up their back eventually.
I mean just think about the load you put on your spine in a compromised position. And people go out their way to load it as much as possible. It's pretty fucked when you really think about it :D
many lifters has completly f-ed backs. Some don't want to admit it some just lift through the pain, some are forced to quit.
100% truth.
I deadlifted for many years until one day I felt something twist in my back and cause severe pain for a few weeks.
When I recovered I decided to go sumo style thinking that would avoid the back issue. It actually did but then I got a hernia while lifting. lol
Never did another deadlift again.
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I fucked up my lower back squatting when I was younger. Also hurt my back with deadlifts a few times. Fortunately not to the point where I could not recover from it. Dorian was smart to ditch those exercises. Ronnie did not and look at him now. Deadlifts are still very useful and I might do them with much lighter weights. I used to get morning wood the day after even lighter deadlifts. Your whole body is activated by the movement.
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.
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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.
Could be a lot of possible mechanistic explanations available, possible increases in this or that hormone that is involved with libido
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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..
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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! :D
Yes. Hack squats will also activate your body like deadlifts. Bench press does not have the same effect.
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I believe Dorian could probably deadlift about 650-750 lbs in his prime, if he really wanted to go crazy and max out
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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.
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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...
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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.
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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 :D
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
(https://drmarco.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/rectus-diastasis-in-man.jpg)
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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 :D
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
(https://drmarco.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/rectus-diastasis-in-man.jpg)
thats hankins with a dildo up his ass...
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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.
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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 :D
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
(https://drmarco.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/rectus-diastasis-in-man.jpg)
Fucking brutal!
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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
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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 8)
For us this is a natural posture. I have some kyphosis. The body adapts.
(https://my.clevelandclinic.org/-/scassets/images/org/health/articles/17671-kyphosis)
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 :D
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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?
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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.
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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.
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Franco pulled over 700 and his back was insane......I saw him in person in his prime..........fucking guys back was incredible.
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Franco pulled over 700 and his back was insane......I saw him in person in his prime..........fucking guys back was incredible.
Too bad it didn't help with that refrigerator. ;D