Helping my coach and deadlifts

[alex_i]

Firstly, I'm a sprinter. I know you don't really respect us, but running is simply what I love doing.

I had been doing Starting strength since mid February and the other day I realised he was expecting everyone he knew were doing weights to do quarter- squats, he was completely convinced that sprinters only need that part of the squat to be good. My initial shock aside, I immediately realised why out of the 5 months I trained at that track, every month we'd have 2 people sitting out on training with a hamstring injury. How can I possibly explain to my coach that he's wrong, without offending him?

That question aside, this is very important to me. I have seen doctors and physiotherapists about this and they've all given me the "I don't know, it's probably alright". For some, most likely genetic or that damn Chernobyl or whatever, I have never been able to straighten/lock my elbow. The greatest extension I can get is about 155-160 degrees. I haven't had problems with deadlifts so far, but I know that usually there would be many issues with doing deadlifts when your elbows aren't straight. Do you think think I should stop doing deadlifts?

Thanks

[Mark Rippetoe]

You know I don't respect sprinters? This is really a bad way to get my attention. I respect all athletes who train seriously. I do not respect coaches who think they don't need to learn anything new. Your elbows will be fine, and you'll know if there's a problem. Until there is, keep deadlifting.

[alex_i]

I'm sorry if I offended you, it was just the impression I had after reading the "Core" Stability "Training" article. Glad to hear that I can calmly do them, they're my favorite excersise along with the power clean.

Thanks

I guess you're saying I should just be straightforward and tell him what I've read. I'll just do that and recommend the SS book and see how it goes.

[Steve Hill]

It would probably help if we knew the dynamics of your coaching situation. Is this High School? College? Independent? Recreational? Do you pay him? Does he pay you? etc, etc.

My cycling coach (who I paid) was always open to my suggestions. He would push back (or play devil's advocate to my suggestions) to make suer they were good suggestions, but he was always open to them.

If I were you, I;d suggest to your coach that the squat needs to be a squat, and his concerns about leg / knee / hip angle (which is his reasoning for 1/4 squats - it's wrong, but that's what it is) are addressed more properly by the power clean, where all those angles are closer to those of the sprinting position.