Should tall people do deadlifts? Is it bad for your back?

This is the fourteenth question that I’m answering this month of the 24 most commonly asked questions Mark and I receive.

The Short Answer

No. It doesn’t matter if someone is short or tall, deadlifts are not bad for you.

The Longer Answer

Deadlifts are a fundamental movement necessary for everyday life. Put simply, if you can’t pick up something off the ground, you’re crippled. The deadlift is the proper way to pick up any object up off the ground.

There are different variations of the deadlift: conventional, romanian, sumo, etc. But every deadlift is going to put stress primarily on your hamstrings and low back. This is good. Many individuals with back pain would benefit from doing more deadlifts. Collectively, we aren’t very strong in the posterior chain — even for the exercising public. We bias the anterior chain (quadriceps, hip flexors, & abdomen) at the expense of the posterior (hamstrings, glutes, & erectors).

But what about tall people?

Tall people clearly have more distance to travel when performing a deadlift. But it doesn’t make it any less dangerous. When performed properly, short and tall people will benefit greatly from a proper deadlift.

Takeaway

Do deadlifts. Perform them at least every week. A healthy back starts with weight training – and deadlifts are the foundation to every weight training program.

If you don’t know how to deadlift, I made you this video here.

Tyler