If you are pulling a PR deadlift and fall backwards, what the hell is a spotter going to do that doesn't get you hurt worse?
If you are pulling a PR deadlift and fall backwards, what the hell is a spotter going to do that doesn't get you hurt worse?
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Nobody says you have to look up. Just look at the judge for the down signal. The spotter is probably there in case you faint after the lift.
In your personal experience, how many times have you see this happen? I went to my first meet in 1978, and I haven't ever seen it happen.
I've seen two people pass out during a deadlift in person. I've seen it in a fair number of videos.
It's never happened to me.
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I have been working at a meet that happens annually with some pretty high end geared lifters (5 or 6 guys with totals of 2300lbs or more). What happens quite often is not that they fully pass out, but since they are lifting in a full deadlift suit, knee wraps, etc. they often get very light headed and stumble a bit after grinding out an 8-10 second max deadlift. Because they really can't move in the gear I have had to catch several of these guys to keep them from falling. The issue is the gear, not the deadlift.
We can debate whether lifting in full gear is really powerlifting (it's not) but it happens and is part of modern powerlifting.
I've fallen deadlifting in competition twice, both times on my 3rd attempt. The first time I fell forward and the second time backwards. I was not looking up either time, I suspect I was leaning too far forward and lost my balance. That said, I haven't seen anyone else fall or faint, but then I generally only focus my attention on other lifters intermittently at a meet, usually if it's someone I know or have struck up a conversation with while at the meet.
When I fell backwards my legs were shaking badly and I overcompensated and just lost it all. The bar and plates dropped with a huge CLANG and as I hit the platform the loaders and spotters were moving in fast like rugby scrum. Why, I don't know because the bar was moving away from me as I staggered back. The spectators were silent from all the noise and drama and I was embarrassed and laughing about my predicament. As I waved off my rescuers and got up, the spectators relaxed. A few applauded, since I was still laughing I took a bow for my silly ass performance which cracked everyone else up too.
Hey, shit happens.
Wide sumo stances, with the hips very close to the bar, can cause lifters to fall backwards.
I don't even think it's the gear as much as the grinding lift. Holding your air for that long is a long time to be without oxygen when you're exerting and your BP is a million over a thousand. It's the sudden bp drop at the top of the lift or when you put the weight down and breathe again that causes passing out. I don't disagree with you altogether though. The tightness of the gear can cause increased pressure, especially for sumo guys using a multiply squat suit to pull in, lol.
There are arguments to made that it shouldn't happen but it does and that's why there are spotters for the deadlift.