Scraping the Heck Out of My Shins

[Bill Quick]

At first I was doing deadlifts wearing shorts and knee sleeves. Bloody shins all around. I switched to wearing sweatpants over the knee-sleeves, but my shins are still getting pretty battered, especially as the weight I can pull creeps up.

Any suggestions, or is this just part of the game, and I need to get used to it?

[Karl Schudt]

There are some suggestions in the book, such as putting the plastic from soda bottles in your tube socks. You should get tube socks.

[carson]

Knee high tube socks. Special tightly fitting knee socks are also available. I got mine for under 3 dollars though they regularly go for over 20.

[Bill Quick]

Thanks, both of you. Excellent ideas.

[pkelly54]

Similar to Carson, I picked up a pair of baseball socks, which cover the shin to just below the knee. It works for me but others have said the bars still scrapes their shins. You could also slip the plastic inside the sock to protect the shin. Some people use medical tape to add a layer of protection, but you always have the challenge of removing the tape while leaving some skin.

[Rook]

I DL with a bar that does not have very much knurling on it.

Some bars have a pretty agressive patterns.

[grover]

I brought a pair of soccer shin guards.

[Suwannee Dave]

I think there may be a form issue involved if you are banging up your shins. You may want to re-read the deadlift section of Starting Strength or post a video for the coaches.

[dgc]

At first I was doing deadlifts wearing shorts and knee sleeves. Bloody shins all around. I switched to wearing sweatpants over the knee-sleeves, but my shins are still getting pretty battered, especially as the weight I can pull creeps up.

Any suggestions, or is this just part of the game, and I need to get used to it?

That's one of the reason's that i use a shrug-bar for my deads.

[Wil F]

I use these: http://www.amazon.com/Swiftwick-Purs...wiftwick+socks

They rule.

You can buy them elsewhere, also. And if you're not tall, you can get 7" ones.