Ways To Minimize Shin Scraping From Deadlifts
Aug 21st, 2007 by Mehdi Tags: Deadlift, Exercise, Strength Training, Weight Lifting
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Scraped shins are the price to pay for Deadlifts. The closer the bar to your shins, the less torque on your lower back. Scraped shins prove you’re keeping the bar close to you during deadlifts.
Unfortunately, scraped shins can turn into bleeding shins. Which will hurt. And when your shins hurt, you’ll deadlift with the bar away from the shins. Here are some ways to minimize shin scraping from deadlifts.
Get Closer to the Bar. If the bar is far from your shins, you’ll bend more from the ankles & hit your shins on the way up. Position yourself 5-10cm/2-4″ from the bar & push from the heels.
Protect Your Shins. Depending on your body type, scraped shins will be inevitable. Here are some ways to minimize shin scraping:
- Long Socks
- Long Pants
- Chalk
- Sports Tape
- Shin Sleeves
- Shin Guards
I always deadlift with long pants & pull my socks up.
Use Another Bar. Some bars have more aggressive knurling than others. Switch bar for a while to give your shins time to heal.
- Bar with less aggressive knurling.
- Bar with less wide knurling in the middle.
- Trap bar.
By the way. Scraped shins aren’t necessary. Some don’t get scraped shins at all. A lot depends on your body type: length of limbs & torso. As long as you keep the bar close to you’ll be safe. Whether you get scraped shins or not.
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I find that scraped shins are less of a problem for me than bruised shins. Especially when I’m DLing my 80% max I tend to bump the top of my tibia, which hurts like a b** - though I always start with my shins touching the bar. Funny enough, this isn’t a problem when I’m pulling closer to my 1RM, possibly because the bar is moving slower.
Noob, really focus on pushing from the heels. In the end, it will all depend on your body type: height, length of limbs,… If it does give you problems: use the tips above. If not: you’re lucky
Thanks for the advice. I’ve been pushing through the arch/ball of my feet because I thought that would be the most powerful, but I will definitely try pushing with the heels.
The other confusing aspect of the DL is the orientation of the upper back. Some (Rippetoe, etc.) advocate retracted scapulae and a flat upper back, but almost all competitive powerlifters I’ve seen pull with a rounded upper back, and Dave Tate in his T-Nation article says that you should actually pull your scapulae forward. Any thoughts?
Noob. Never look at competition lifts to check technique. Athletes max on competitions. Which means that the technique is often not what it should be. If a competition powerlifter has his upperback rounded, either it’s because the weight is so heavy this upperback bents either he’s not using correct technique.
Check this article on pulling back on the deadlift.. Be sure to read the comments & links provided in that article too Noob. It has all answers you need.
I had read that article on Deadlifting before (read most of your articles, you have a great site by the way). Went over the comments and you did indeed address the shin bumping - thanks for the reminder.
About the rounded upper back, I don’t think this is something that is only done in competition. Check this article:
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459744
Specifically, read:
Mistake #2: Pulling the shoulder blades together
I’ve read arguments and reasoning from both sides and it seems like the Dave Tate/powerlifting camp feels that a rounded upper back is safe since it accomodates the natural curve of the thoracic spine. In any case, I tend to pull with a flat back simply because it feels safer for me.
Thanks again for the advice.
Thanks for the motivating words on the blog Noob.
What I meant: you often see a rounded back on competitions because:
-Max attempts are rarely done with safe technique in powerlifting.
-They are deadlifting wrong, really.
-The camera angle doesn’t allow you to see how the deadlift is actually performed. Camera should be aside.
I agree with the natural curve of the thoracic spine part. But you need to consider the shoulderblades. Their natural position is back & down. You can’t achieve that by letting the shoulders roll forward. You need to pull the shoulderblades together.
Thats one of my biggest problems is being able to pull my shoulderblades together. When I do I can’t seem to reach the weight and if I do I will be well below parallel for my legs on the initial squat part of the deadlift.
Keep your chest up, that should do it. When looking from the side your shoulder-blades should be above the bar, shoulders in front of the bar (sligthly). if you can’t get into this position: stretch your hamstrings.
I know this sounds like a bad excuse, but no matter how low I go I can’t get my chest up. It feels as if my legs are preventing me from getting my chest up. Even when working with light loads. I try 185 because its not heavy and its not light for that lift. I don’t think I am that tall that I should be strugling the way I am. I mean I am 6′2” and weigh 215. It gets so frustrating. I wake up in the morning do some squats with no weights to practice form but come lift time I can’t do it right. This is the kind of frustration that leads to pain because when I do get into the gym to lift I am so critical of myself and because I struggle with it makes me want to master it even more. Therefore I am in the gym for long periods of time just trying to make small improvements. Also I did 75lb bentover barbell rows and had the same problem. I am just venting some frustrations. Just giving you further insight to my dilema. Oh and I refuse to wear a belt by any means so please any advice is good advice.
Don’t worry, I never advised a belt here
Make a big chest, lift it up, look forward. Then get into position. I don’t really see how your legs might prevent your chest to stay up. Could you can make a video of your deadlift form so I can see what is going wrong?
I’m glad I’m not the only one who scrapes the hell out of my shins while doing deadlifts!
Thanks for the info.