Apocryphal Tales about Deadlifts and Train Tracks

Have you ever wondered why the distance between rails on standard train tracks is 4 feet and 8.5 inches? Probably not, but allow me to share a theory…

In England, the rails are 4 feet 8.5 inches apart and English expatriates designed the US railroads.

• Why did England build their railroads like that? Because the first railroads were built by the same people who built the tramways, and that’s the size they used.

• Why were the tramways built like that? Because they used the same jigs and tools they had for building wagons, and 4 feet 8.5 inches was the standard length of the axles.

• Why did wagon axles have such a specific spacing? Because the ruts worn into the long distance roads were that far apart.

• Why were the ruts in the road that wide apart? Because when the Roman Empire built their extensive network of roads throughout Europe, that’s how far apart the wheels on their war chariots were.

• Why were the wheels spaced just so? Because the frame needed to be wide enough to accommodate two horses in front of the chariot.

And thus the United States railroad system’s standardized gauge of 4 feet 8.5 inches is derived from Ancient Rome and two horses’ asses.

Now you know.

The other day I posted a video of me deadlifting off of 4” blocks. It was a casual set of 500 for 5.

Someone reached out and asked why I was limiting the range of motion on my deadlifts. It’s a good question and I have two answers:

First— I do a lot of different variations of deadlifts. Sometimes with the bar on 2” blocks or 4” blocks to shorten the range of motion… other times I’ll stand on blocks to increase the range of motion.

Just like sometimes I’ll deadlift with wide feet vs narrow. The theory is that slightly changing the stimulus will allow for more consistent long term

adaptation. Sometimes doing the same exercise all the time will cause a plateau in progress.

Different people will be stronger or weaker at different variations just because of individual limb lengths and leverages.

It’s good to rotate exercises, get strong at all of them, and avoid stagnation. Second answer— I’m not so sure I was limiting my deadlift range of motion. If you’re 6’4” and I’m 5’9”, what’s the correct deadlift range of motion? What determines the

range of motion on a deadlift?

Everyone is a different height with different limb lengths…

Once upon a time when God invented 45 lb plates, He made them 17.75” in diameter. So when you deadlift, the barbell is about 9” off the ground.

Why that diameter? Is 9” from the ground the most anatomically correct deadlift form? No way!

It’s just the random height that the manufacturers came up with when they first produced plates that weighed 45 lbs! No anatomy or range of motion considered.

For some people, deadlifting from the ground isn’t a necessity. I compete in a strength sport where it’s one of the main events, so I have to practice it.

For most people, doing deadlifts that start an inch or two below the kneecaps is usually pretty good.

The “proper” range of motion is a full hip hinge… as deep into hip flexion as you can go with a neutral spine. For some people, this means elevating the bar to a higher starting position. Now if you go to the gym tomorrow and you deadlift from the floor, will your spine explode?

Probably not. But if you’re over 6’ tall, this article should be useful food for thought.