Using thumbs to keep shins un-bruised in Deadlift

[Amy-in-PHX]

Since getting my deadlift work set weight up to 100 lbs at the end of my 3d week of novice LP, I've been having a lot a bruising of my shins. Today I took a bunch of extra time to work on form @the 65-lb warmup set weight, re-setting between each rep, etc. Still had a painful problem at 100 lbs, until I happened to narrow my grip slightly, so that the knuckles of my thumbs ended up cushioning my shin bones from the bar as I lifted it. The thumbs remained un-bruised. Anybody have a view on whether this may be a useful beginner technique -- or whether it's bound to become a problem if I want to gradually increase my deadlift to, say, 200 lbs?

[Michael Wolf]

Don't recommend it - the friction of the bar against your leg is apt to open up your thumb and make your hold weaker at heavier weights. Read this fine article by Coach Nikolai, and also remember that you just need to maintain contact, not grate your shins like a cheese grater: Scraped Shins on the Deadlift | Nick Delgadillo

[Steve Hill]

THis also presumes you’re deadlifting correctly. If you’re starting with your hips low, and they are in the way of a vertical bar path on the way up, Wolf’s instruction is going to be difficult.

[Angela Pereira]

Although I don’t find it painful I often get light brown bruises just below my knees from deadlifting. These socks have helped - Deadlift Socks – MOXY Socks

[Amy-in-PHX]

Thank you for the responses. The Nick Delgadillo article is spot-on, and I also re-read the deadlift chapter of The Book (SS:BBT 3dEdition), and found some very helpful info, particularly at pp. 125-134. The part about initiating the movement and breaking the bar off the floor with knee extension, prior to allowing the hips to extend, seems to have helped me. Also Rip, in the book, talks about the effects of different anthropometries and suggests externally rotating the feumurs a bit, and making sure your weight is evenly on the midfoot and not too far forward. I practiced those ideas on all my warmup weights in the DL today, and did the 65-lb warmup very slowly to get the movement down. Did not use my thumbs for cushioning the shins at all, and the lifting went much better this time than at my previous workouts. Work sets done at 100 lbs; no new bruises.

Thanks, Angela, for the link to the socks -- I have a couple pairs on order! I think they will help, too, for when I don't execute my form as well as I'd hope.

[Michael Wolf]

A good pair of socks, or sweats, for the DL is essential IMO, because shit happens. But it sounds like a close read of the material has solved most of the problem, which is excellent.

[I_iz_a_fatass]

Anytime I got shin bruising the video showed the bar path moving forward as soon as it broke the platform.

For socks, I ordered Nike soccer socks. They've worked.