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Deadlift Form for Short Arms

May 25, 2011 | By Anthony Marrone

On the surface, deadlifting, or picking a loaded barbell up off of the floor, may not seem that difficult. But deadlifting with heavy weight remains the final event in a powerlifting competition for a reason: it is hard. It becomes even more difficult with short arms, as you not only have to not only bend over farther to grip the bar, but also pull it a greater distance than someone with longer arms. You can use several methods to improve your leverage and increase your poundage. But consult a health care professional before changing your exercise program.

Technique

The basic technique of the deadlift remains the same regardless of your arm length. Bend at the knees and hips to grip the bar, and stand up without rounding your back. To improve your leverage, bend down as much as you can by pushing your hips back. The weight of the bar should help hold you in position. This decreases your torso angle, and if you have short arms, reducing the shearing force on your lower back, because your torso is much closer to vertical. While this may not increase your lift, it reduces your risk of injury.

Sumo-Style

The sumo deadlift is an excellent option if you have short arms. Your feet should be at least 1.5 times the width of your shoulders, and your hands are inside your legs. This allows you to push your knees out over your toes and maintain an erect torso. This not only reduces the shearing force on your lower back, but also reduces the distance you must pull the bar, always a difficulty if you have short arms. By increasing the flexibility of your hips, you can get even more leg drive on the sumo deadlift.

Extra Back Work

The deadlift alone may not be the best exercise for your back, particularly if you have poor leverage due to short arms. An exercise such as good mornings can provide additional lower back work while giving you a break from deadlifting. To perform this exercise, set up the same way you would when squatting, but instead of squatting, lean forward at the hips. Keep your knees slightly bent throughout this exercise, and your back arched. In many powerlifting programs, the good morning is a common accessory exercise for improving both the squat and the deadlift.

Extra Abdominal Work

No matter how hard you try, you are still going to have to pull the bar higher than someone with longer arms. This requires stability in your torso to help balance the strain your back is under. High-repetition abdominal work is not what you need; instead do heavy, weighted abdominal training to build strength.

Weighted crunches and weighted situps work your abdominals well, and a few sets in the 12- to 15-repetition range can do more for your strength than endless sets of crunches. Your abdominals are a strong muscle that help keep you from collapsing forward when deadlifting, so train them accordingly.

References

Article reviewed by Adela McKay Last updated on: May 25, 2011

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