Bodyweight to Deadlift Weight Ratio

Out of curiosity, is there a particular way to determine how much weight you should be doing minimum for the deadlift? i thought that double your body weight at least would be pretty good. i don’t have any “gym” buddies, and the ones i had did’nt deadlift. seeing as this site is my only real training partner, i figured i would ask. thanks…

bump bump bump.

It’s real hard to determine because if you are real light say 140 pounds 280 is not a very big deadlift but if you are like 250, 500 pounds isn’t to bad not for average people at least powerlifters would say that sucks but no equipment or chalk weights are different. Also, if a guy is 6"4 and 200 pounds he is a stick were as if a guy is 5"8 200 pounds he is a house. and you wouldn’t expect there lifts to be the same. I don’t really know were to go with this but just thought I would post somthing

BW x 2 = good

BW x 3 = great

Yeah but not getting injured is better.

Use the heaviest weight you can handle with good form. The amount you lift is only a tool to increase your strength or size, it’s not an end in itself unless you are a powerlifter or an olympic lifter.

[quote]Sxio wrote:
Yeah but not getting injured is better.

Use the heaviest weight you can handle with good form. The amount you lift is only a tool to increase your strength or size, it’s not an end in itself unless you are a powerlifter or an olympic lifter.
[/quote]

Agree always aim to do better that YOU. Push damn hard but be smart.

For me a 2.5xbw is what I consider(ed) getting an ok base. Or to take one from Dave Tate. That moved me from “Shit” to “suck” Now I want a 3x bw. aiming to alway do better than what I did prior.

3X BDWT RAW is healthy minimum. 3 1/2 RAW very impressive, 4X RAW you are the man.

damn. 3x body weight? that would be 690, fuck.i better lose some weight, i am only pulling mid 5’s.give or take on different days, funny how that works. i barely started doing deads this year, but 180 lb gain seems pretty steep. oh well, nothin to it but to do it(did i just say that?)

[quote]moonjumper wrote:
3X BDWT RAW is healthy minimum. 3 1/2 RAW very impressive, 4X RAW you are the man.[/quote]

you do realize that Bill Kazmier never deadlifted 3X bodyweight in his life?

I think your ratios are ok for the 220lbs and under guys…heavier than that, anyone that pulls 750 or more is a strong puller, 800 or more you’re an elite puller, 900 or more and you’re part of a VERY select club (to my knowledge, less than ten guys have managed a 900lbs or higher pull)…

[quote]sob440 wrote:
It’s real hard to determine because if you are real light say 140 pounds 280 is not a very big deadlift but if you are like 250, 500 pounds isn’t to bad not for average people at least powerlifters would say that sucks but no equipment or chalk weights are different. Also, if a guy is 6"4 and 200 pounds he is a stick were as if a guy is 5"8 200 pounds he is a house. and you wouldn’t expect there lifts to be the same. I don’t really know were to go with this but just thought I would post somthing [/quote]

You make it sound like chalk is cheating.

I think 2 i easily achieveable…I think everoyne should shoot for a 2.5 BW deadlift…and then work their way up from there to get as much as they can. 3x bodyweight raw…beautiful.

I know this a “bodybuilding” forum so I say what I say with care and respect.

Bodyweight is a very important consideration in the weights you manage to lift. Sure, bigger guys complain that a bodyweight ratio can’t apply to them, but they can’t seriously expect us smaller-framed guys to do what they do either. So if you’re “average”, i.e. 5’8" to 5’10" and 150-180 lbs, bodyweight ratios can apply. If you’re stout, say 5’6" and 200 lbs, then you may be a natural powerhouse, while if you’re over 6’3" or so, you may not be “built” to express much strength in certain movements like the back squat and especially not in terms of bodyweight multiples.

Now that I’ve said all that, let me say that the average person SHOULD be able to deadlift double bodyweight. If they work up to doing that with good form, then they will have built themselves a strong, healthy backside from their necks down to their knees. They will have nice glutes and hamstrings for running and jumping, too. A 2.5xbodyweight deadlift is a very admirable goal for those who want to be fitter and stronger than the masses and a 3xbodyweight deadlift definitely puts you far, far ahead of most people. If you get to 4 or 5, start thinking about competing in local PL meets.

If you’re under 200lbs and you’re pulling anywhere near 3x bodyweight raw you’re a powerhouse…not the biggest on mind you…but in the club.

[quote]moonjumper wrote:
3X BDWT RAW is healthy minimum. 3 1/2 RAW very impressive, 4X RAW you are the man.[/quote]

These are ‘elite’ not minimums. I don’t care if you weigh 150 or 200. At my weight, your claim that I would need to pull 825 as a minimum is stupid.

For experienced ironheads, you can use the 2,2.5etc…numbers, but really who cares. Are you improving? Is it carrying over to other lifts? How do you feel? This is all that is important.

Too many get hung up on formulas and others. Weightlifting, except for the few competitive, is about the best you can do. Not in relation to anyone or anything else. Simply, what is the best you can do.

[quote]sasquatch wrote:
moonjumper wrote:
3X BDWT RAW is healthy minimum. 3 1/2 RAW very impressive, 4X RAW you are the man.

These are ‘elite’ not minimums. I don’t care if you weigh 150 or 200. At my weight, your claim that I would need to pull 825 as a minimum is stupid.

For experienced ironheads, you can use the 2,2.5etc…numbers, but really who cares. Are you improving? Is it carrying over to other lifts? How do you feel? This is all that is important.

Too many get hung up on formulas and others. Weightlifting, except for the few competitive, is about the best you can do. Not in relation to anyone or anything else. Simply, what is the best you can do.[/quote]

Spoken well.

[quote]sasquatch wrote:
moonjumper wrote:
3X BDWT RAW is healthy minimum. 3 1/2 RAW very impressive, 4X RAW you are the man.

These are ‘elite’ not minimums. I don’t care if you weigh 150 or 200. At my weight, your claim that I would need to pull 825 as a minimum is stupid.

For experienced ironheads, you can use the 2,2.5etc…numbers, but really who cares. Are you improving? Is it carrying over to other lifts? How do you feel? This is all that is important.

Too many get hung up on formulas and others. Weightlifting, except for the few competitive, is about the best you can do. Not in relation to anyone or anything else. Simply, what is the best you can do.[/quote]

it’s funny how easy it is to lose sight of that. your right, i should just worry about myself. it’s just nice to be able to brag a little about SOMETHING. oh well, back to the iron.

[quote]sasquatch wrote:
moonjumper wrote:
3X BDWT RAW is healthy minimum. 3 1/2 RAW very impressive, 4X RAW you are the man.

These are ‘elite’ not minimums. I don’t care if you weigh 150 or 200. At my weight, your claim that I would need to pull 825 as a minimum is stupid.

For experienced ironheads, you can use the 2,2.5etc…numbers, but really who cares. Are you improving? Is it carrying over to other lifts? How do you feel? This is all that is important.

Too many get hung up on formulas and others. Weightlifting, except for the few competitive, is about the best you can do. Not in relation to anyone or anything else. Simply, what is the best you can do.[/quote]

To a degree, yes, but it’s nice to have standards. The beautiful thing about weight training is that you can hold yourself to outside standards or just your own. Or you can do a mix of both. In the lifts at which I’m naturally talented, I like to compare myself to some average and know that I have or can exceed it by far. In the case of the lifts at which I naturally suck, I hold myself to my own standard because I KNOW it would be pointless to worry that that lift isn’t as good as the average guy’s.

Weight training is definitely about self-improvement, but as with any sport or accomplishment, there is also a sense of “I’m going to be the best.” It’s human nature to strive to outshine those around you and that should be encouraged and applauded. At the same time, I can see myself as my best and only competition. It can go both ways.

Aside from that, I agree that 3xbodyweight and up a) isn’t a fair standard if you are around or over 200 lbs and b)is the threshold for elite status. The average gym-goer who doesn’t follow strength sports (Oly, PL, SM) probably doesn’t even conceive that a 2.5xbodyweight deep squat or 3xbodyweight deadlift is possible.

[quote]snatchcleanjerk wrote:
sasquatch wrote:
moonjumper wrote:
3X BDWT RAW is healthy minimum. 3 1/2 RAW very impressive, 4X RAW you are the man.

These are ‘elite’ not minimums. I don’t care if you weigh 150 or 200. At my weight, your claim that I would need to pull 825 as a minimum is stupid.

For experienced ironheads, you can use the 2,2.5etc…numbers, but really who cares. Are you improving? Is it carrying over to other lifts? How do you feel? This is all that is important.

Too many get hung up on formulas and others. Weightlifting, except for the few competitive, is about the best you can do. Not in relation to anyone or anything else. Simply, what is the best you can do.

To a degree, yes, but it’s nice to have standards. The beautiful thing about weight training is that you can hold yourself to outside standards or just your own. Or you can do a mix of both. In the lifts at which I’m naturally talented, I like to compare myself to some average and know that I have or can exceed it by far. In the case of the lifts at which I naturally suck, I hold myself to my own standard because I KNOW it would be pointless to worry that that lift isn’t as good as the average guy’s.

Weight training is definitely about self-improvement, but as with any sport or accomplishment, there is also a sense of “I’m going to be the best.” It’s human nature to strive to outshine those around you and that should be encouraged and applauded. At the same time, I can see myself as my best and only competition. It can go both ways.

Aside from that, I agree that 3xbodyweight and up a) isn’t a fair standard if you are around or over 200 lbs and b)is the threshold for elite status. The average gym-goer who doesn’t follow strength sports (Oly, PL, SM) probably doesn’t even conceive that a 2.5xbodyweight deep squat or 3xbodyweight deadlift is possible.

[/quote]

Sorry my friend, but picking and choosing your events and your measures–what the heck does that prove.

These aren’t standards. These aren’t averages. You go in any gym in the world and tell me these are close to average. Average people can’t even pull their own weight for the most part.
These are generalizations for experienced lifters. Yah, it’s ok to know where you stand, but the best–come on.

Why is it important to beat someone. How does that help you? Improving 5 lbs on your best bench is just that. If you think it’s better because now you’ve moved ahead of some imaginary curve somewhere, I guess then it is helping you. But really–WHO are you comparing yourself too. What about variables? Diet, supplementation, stress.