Deadlifts
The Proper Strongman Deadlift
In Strongman the deadlift is a staple of any good competition. Starting height may vary but the lockout should always be the same. To the left here is an excellent graphic with a link to the blog from Rucci's Gym.
Here are guidelines for making a good lift:
Straps, suits, and briefs may be allowed at the discretion of the organizers.
Sumo is not allowed unless it is a lever deadlift or a Ukrainian deadlift.
Thumbs should be wrapped around the bar even when using Figure 8 straps.
Unlike powerlifting the bar does not have to have a constant path and may go down as long as it is locked out properly. Hitching is allowed.
At the top of the lift, the athlete must fully extend the hips and knees and stand erect with the shoulders back. When the knees are locked quad definition will become more apparent. The hips must be fully open and the barbell must be under control. The lifter must wait for the down command.
With a good lockout an athlete should be able to maintain the standing position for at least a few seconds. It shouldn't be almost impossible for people to get a picture or screenshot of a solid lockout. Judges need to make sure every part of the body is stacked.
When given a down command the athlete must lower the barbell to the ground in a controlled manner. Dropping the barbell or releasing it suddenly after the lift will result in a no-lift in most settings.
Knees Locked
Good lift
Shoulders Back
Good lift
Weight Under Control
Good lift
Soft Knees
No lift
Shoulders Rounded
No lift
Weight Not Fully Controlled
Good lift?
Ambiguity
The main purpose of all of this is to eliminate confusion and ambiguity. We understand with various body types a lockout may be hard to judge, which is why powerlifting has side judges. A controversial moment in strongwoman history was when Tamara Walcott was given the down command when many people felt her shoulders were rolled forward or that the weight was never fully controlled. Chasing records oftentimes will impact judges' decision-making skills, but "gifting" an athlete a good lift results in controversy and constant questions that will follow that athlete. Eliminating asterisks from an athlete's record is paramount especially when going for a World Record.