My Deadlift Form

[cabUK]

Hi guys,

Posted this in my journal put I think I will get a bit more help in this section.

Filmed myself doing deadlifts and just need some pointers on where to improve my form.

I think I am rounding my back to much but just wanted to make sure and any other things that need to be improved.

Thanks.

[Teledin]

Looks fine to me. On some reps I think you're leaning back a little too far. But all looks good to me.

[cabUK]

Originally Posted by Teledin

Looks fine to me. On some reps I think you're leaning back a little too far. But all looks good to me.

Yeah I picked that up to so I will work on that.

To me it looks like I am really rounding my back to much but maybe its just me.

[dparm99]

Form is fine.

[Wilky88]

Your form is pretty much spot on mate.

One thing i would say about you rounding your back is to try lower your back side a tiny bit more, and try to keep your shoulders as far back as possible. Hopefully that should keep your back nice and straight. If not, lower the weight a little, work on getting the perfect form. A few weeks of practicing your form, and you'll be able to up the weight back to your usual.

[Teledin]

Originally Posted by cabUK

Yeah I picked that up to so I will work on that.

To me it looks like I am really rounding my back to much but maybe its just me.

From what I've been told, you're supposed to stick the chest out on the way up - which naturally forces you to round your back. You weren't doing anything different from the guys deadlifting with the PT at my gym today. But yeah, like I said form seems pretty good to me.

[cabUK]

Thanks for the help guys.

[thael]

Rounding the upper back is ok. Rounding the lower isn't so good. It looks like you're doing the former, not the latter.

Just make sure to deload the weight when you set it down before starting the next rep. You don't want to do a "touch n go" kinda thing. It's all about the pull.

[ferbie]

Originally Posted by Teledin

Looks fine to me. On some reps I think you're leaning back a little too far. But all looks good to me.

bro, there's nothing fine with that! please never tell anyone again to lift like that.

Originally Posted by cabUK

To me it looks like I am really rounding my back to much but maybe its just me.

no it's me too. you are rounding way too much. on some reps, there is absolutely no tension across your lower back. what you are doing is letting the weight hang on your spine, lift it with the legs and when you're pretty much upright, you extend the spine to lockout, which then is not hard anymore cause the lever arm is short by that time. so you're faking the start, you're missing out on really training the erectors here and on top of that, you're really calling for an injury. you're really calling for that.

sorry for being so straightforward, but it's necessary.

Originally Posted by dparm99

Form is fine.

no it's not. bad advice.

Originally Posted by Wilky88

Your form is pretty much spot on mate.

no it's not.

Originally Posted by Teledin

From what I've been told, you're supposed to stick the chest out on the way up - which naturally forces you to round your back. You weren't doing anything different from the guys deadlifting with the PT at my gym today. But yeah, like I said form seems pretty good to me.

that PT shouldn't be allowed to have one more client.

Originally Posted by thael

Rounding the upper back is ok. Rounding the lower isn't so good. It looks like you're doing the former, not the latter.

Just make sure to deload the weight when you set it down before starting the next rep. You don't want to do a "touch n go" kinda thing. It's all about the pull.

what the ****.... he's rounding his back from top to bottom, don't you see that? i agree on the deloading point.

[khajja]

i'm not sure which commentor is correct, but i will say that i'd take dparms advice over ferbie's any day of the week. the proof is in the pudding. dparm is a very accomplished deadlifter.

that said, OP, can we get a vid of heavier weight? if you want to find your weaknesses, you gotta stress yourself more.

edit: ferbie, you bench more than you deadlift? and you're giving lessons on deadlifting?

[ferbie]

Originally Posted by khajja

edit: ferbie, you bench more than you deadlift? and you're giving lessons on deadlifting?

i haven't maxed out on DL yet but my 1RM should be ~240 now, so, no, i don't bench more than i deadlift.

and i give deadlifting lessons as long as i want. just because i can't move as much as some others, does that mean i don't know how to do it? besides, i always lift with proper back posture. sometimes i get the feeling that some guys only put up those big numbers because they round their lower backs and rely on their belts to do the dirty work for them. that's simply not my cup of tea.

hey people, this is TRAINING! it's not a weekly powerlifting competition. for training purposes, what sense does it make to fake? none. you're not hitting the back muscles as hard as you could, and you're risking injuries. now tell me how intelligent that is.

i'm just looking for some good footage and links to prove my points. stay tuned.

[powerlifter70]

You do have a slight round in your lower back. Try to do a natural arch or a slight arch in your lower back.

[dparm99]

Originally Posted by ferbie

i haven't maxed out on DL yet but my 1RM should be ~240 now, so, no, i don't bench more than i deadlift.

and i give deadlifting lessons as long as i want. just because i can't move as much as some others, does that mean i don't know how to do it? besides, i always lift with proper back posture. sometimes i get the feeling that some guys only put up those big numbers because they round their lower backs and rely on their belts to do the dirty work for them. that's simply not my cup of tea.

hey people, this is TRAINING! it's not a weekly powerlifting competition. for training purposes, what sense does it make to fake? none. you're not hitting the back muscles as hard as you could, and you're risking injuries. now tell me how intelligent that is.

i'm just looking for some good footage and links to prove my points. stay tuned.

His form is fine, end of story! Nobodys deadlift form is perfect and I strongly don't think he's risking an injury deadlifting with that form.
Btw don't know if you were referring to me or not but I never wear a belt when deadlifting.

[khajja]

ferbie, i stand corrected. of course you can give as much advice as you want. but can you seriously expect people to believe a person who can't show results? how can you be certain that your information is correct when it has yet to produce fruit?

i know somebody here has the stick pic of a 130lbs guy telling a 250lbs BBer that he's doing curls all wrong...

[ferbie]

[khajja]

ferbie, all of those pics show no back rounding at ANY location. lower back rounding is bad, upper back rounding is fine. it doesn't have to look like those pics to be okay.

[dparm99]

Nearly all of those pics also show people before they have even started the lift! It's easy to keep a perfectly straight back when there's no strain on it...

[-Ironside-]

What I've noticed is that your hip flexion/extension timing is a little off on some reps. You're dropping with your hips on the way down before bending at the knees and your extending before your knees begin to extend. #4 looked good.
Try keeping your scapula retracted a bit and abs tight when doing the exercise, it'll help to keep you from arching.
You've already caught the over extension so, good luck

-Edit-
BTW, what's with the belt?

[Teledin]

Originally Posted by khajja

ferbie, all of those pics show no back rounding at ANY location. lower back rounding is bad, upper back rounding is fine. it doesn't have to look like those pics to be okay.

x2

the important point is whether the movement is hurting or not. everyone has their own intuition which signals to them whether a particular pain is 'positive' or 'negative'. If the deadlift form isn't putting any immediate abnormal stress on the spine (that is evident to the lifter), then most likely there is no damage being done. Also need to take into consideration the individual, some people simply can't maintain a back alignment like arnold and the like, simply because of their physical condition.

Nearly all of those pics also show people before they have even started the lift! It's easy to keep a perfectly straight back when there's no strain on it...

Another important point to note.

[ferbie]

Originally Posted by dparm99

His form is fine, end of story! Nobodys deadlift form is perfect and I strongly don't think he's risking an injury deadlifting with that form.
Btw don't know if you were referring to me or not but I never wear a belt when deadlifting.

i've checked your stats and your DL is strong no question. but i still think your advice is not correct. OPs lower back rounds. don't you think so? if you think so, too, do you think rounding is ok? if yes, why? if you don't think he's rounding... PLEEEASE look more closely. and consider his belt may not "perfectly" represent his lower back alignment.

next point, i think, as long as we're talking TRAINING, i do think that everyone's DLing form should indeed be perfect. everything else is ego, and gives no advantage, not strength-wise, not muscularity-wise, not whatever-wise... except higher poundages you can write into your stats.

Originally Posted by khajja

ferbie, i stand corrected. of course you can give as much advice as you want. but can you seriously expect people to believe a person who can't show results? how can you be certain that your information is correct when it has yet to produce fruit?

i know somebody here has the stick pic of a 130lbs guy telling a 250lbs BBer that he's doing curls all wrong...

i expect people to judge statements by their integrity and logic and not by the powerlifting triple of their author.

p.s.: within the last 2 1/2 weeks, i've increased my DL 5RM by 30lbs.

[chazzy1864]

Originally Posted by dparm99

Nearly all of those pics also show people before they have even started the lift! It's easy to keep a perfectly straight back when there's no strain on it...

+1 When I'm setting up for my DLs, I have perfect form. Now pulling 375lbs off the ground, my upper back starts to round over a bit, as my traps are pretty worn out and have trouble keeping everything pulled back nice and tight. My lower back stays nice and tight though, and carries the weight.

I don't wear belts either, so I don't think my 1rm of 405 is "all belt".

[khajja]

Originally Posted by ferbie

i expect people to judge statements by their integrity and logic and not by the powerlifting triple of their author.

p.s.: within the last 2 1/2 weeks, i've increased my DL 5RM by 30lbs.

logic says a 3x bodyweight lifter knows more about the lift than a <1.5x bodyweight lifter.

your ps reminds me of the movie Major Payne: "You're still a **** sandwich. You're just not a soggy one. From this moment, you are no longer turds. You have graduated to maggots!"

[ferbie]

Originally Posted by dparm99

Nearly all of those pics also show people before they have even started the lift! It's easy to keep a perfectly straight back when there's no strain on it...

and your back is supposed to stay like that you lazy bee! let me quote an "expert":

The weight leaves the floor when the quadriceps extend the
knees, but for this to happen the hamstrings and glutes
must anchor the hip angle in its position. The
hamstrings pull down on the pelvis from below, and the
glutes hold it from the top of the iliac crest; if the back
stays flat this allows the force to travel up the rigid
back held at a constant angle while the quads push the
floor. This knee extension can then provide the initial
drive off the ground. If the hamstrings and glutes fail to hold
their position during this initial push, the quads don?t
contribute to the movement of the weight since they
straightened out the knee without any movement of
the load. When this happens, you just shove your butt
up in the air without the quads lifting any of the
weight. When the lift is done correctly, though, the hip
angle opens only very slightly as the bar rises to the
knees, and the back angle?the angle the torso makes
with the floor?stays constant. During this process, the
quads move the weight, the glutes and hamstrings hold
the hips down, and the flat back transfers this force up
to the shoulder blades and down the arms to the bar
mark rippetoe, crossfit journal 51, 2006

Originally Posted by khajja

ferbie, all of those pics show no back rounding at ANY location. lower back rounding is bad, upper back rounding is fine. it doesn't have to look like those pics to be okay.

WHAT? look at #3: that girl is a perfect example of perfect form. you can see a natural lordosis in the lumbar spine and a natural kyphosis (ROUNDING, friend!) in the thoracic. can't you see that?????

upper back rounding may be fine for spinal health, but why are you doing deadlifts in the first place? to tell people how much you lift? or to TRAIN YOUR BACK? if you want to train your back, you'll restrict upper back rounding to a natural kyphosis, and not emphasize it!

Originally Posted by Teledin

If the deadlift form isn't putting any immediate abnormal stress on the spine (that is evident to the lifter), then most likely there is no damage being done. Also need to take into consideration the individual, some people simply can't maintain a back alignment like arnold and the like, simply because of their physical condition.

1. basically, you've just said that the whole concept of chronical injuries is bull****

2. physical condition? as you can see in my sig, i can lift 214 for 5 reps with proper back alignment. i could probably lift 230 for 5, but i couldn't do so with proper alignement. that means that i don't have the conditioning to lift 230 with proper alignment. so what do i do about it? ? ? ? ? ? hmmmmmmmmm....... maybe.......... lift 214???????? in case you mean flexibility, if someone lacks flexibility, he's supposed to put the bar on goddamn blocks. period.

[cabUK]

Some people agree that my back is rounded which I believed it was.

As -Ironside- stated I think I need to retract my scapul more as it looks like they are just sloped I think (although I do have some slight rounding in my shoulders not sure if that would matter).

Keep my lower back tight and straight.

Stop dropping my hips before bending at the knees.

Keep my abs tighter than they are.

Remove the belt some people say use one some done so ill go without.

Next deadlift session is on Monday so I will try to get another video then or the following week to see if I have improved it any.

Thanks for the info everyone.

[ferbie]

Originally Posted by khajja

logic says a 3x bodyweight lifter knows more about the lift than a <1.5x bodyweight lifter.

maybe he does. maybe not. but i was talking about the logic of the statement itself. you're making this a meta- discussion.

[-Lucifer]

Originally Posted by ferbie

i haven't maxed out on DL yet but my 1RM should be ~240 now, so, no, i don't bench more than i deadlift.

Wow, when I told you your forearms and biceps were both 10" in circumference, you edited your sig to make your bi's 14.5". I don't know how weird you'd look if your upper arms and forearms measured the same. :P

P.S. Your bodyspace still has the same old bi and forearm stats.


EDIT
Sorry for the hi-jack btw. And ferbie, no offense mate.

[ferbie]

Originally Posted by cabUK

Some people agree that my back is rounded which I believed it was.

As -Ironside- stated I think I need to retract my scapul more as it looks like they are just sloped I think (although I do have some slight rounding in my shoulders not sure if that would matter).

Keep my lower back tight and straight.

Stop dropping my hips before bending at the knees.

Keep my abs tighter than they are.

Remove the belt some people say use one some done so ill go without.

Next deadlift session is on Monday so I will try to get another video then or the following week to see if I have improved it any.

Thanks for the info everyone.

how much is that in that video? if you accept suggestions from a humble 1.5x lifter:
- prior to the DL, stand next to a mirror, mimick the DL starting position and, twiggle with plevis tilt and low back alignment and determine whether you are able to hit the starting depth with proper back or not. if not:
- work like mad on hip and ankle flexibility
- pull from blocks or the rack until the flexibility issue is solved

at any rate:
- use 30% less weight
- chest up, upper back tight, not more than natural kyphosis-rounding
- activate the lats and let them straighten out your back
- have a starting position alignment like in those pics i've posted and keep this alignment while you lift!

[ferbie]

Originally Posted by Berserk13

Wow, when I told you your forearms and biceps were both 10" in circumference, you edited your sig to make your bi's 14.5". I don't know how weird you'd look if your upper arms and forearms measured the same. :P

P.S. Your bodyspace still has the same old bi and forearm stats.


EDIT
Sorry for the hi-jack btw. And ferbie, no offense mate.

LOL

this is funny and absurd. last time we had beef about that i checked my bodyspace b/c i just couldn't believe it, and i was sure that there was 14,5". now i checked again and it actually is 10... don't know what's going on there, however, my upper arms are not 10" but 14,5" last time i measured, and i also did not change my sig because of you, it says 14,5" for about 2 years straight now.

however i will fix my bodyspace

[-Ironside-]

i still dunno how to use bodyspace after all these years.
Gotta understand Ferbie, when the mob mentality kicks in around this place it no longer matters if you're right or wrong, you lose :P

[JerG]

I see substantial lower back rounding.

If you were maxing, then I wouldn't say much about it. But since you rounded on every single rep, I think you need to work on your form.