Form Check Deadlift

[slimchopra]

Here's my deadlift. May I have feedback? Thank you!

https://youtu.be/4R_Bmx1omsk

[air2fakie]

You should put more weight on the bar to see your form when it's more challenging. Some thoughts:

- Lower back looks a bit rounded at the start of some reps (upper back is rounded too but that's not really an issue if it doesn't bother you).
- You look like you're not using your legs and you're lifting only with lower back.
- You don't look like you're locking out tightly at the top.

Your legs look really long though so do what works best for you.

[Camarija]

Hey mate! Just some friendly pointers



Your starting position is at least 80% good, so now you can start working on the minor details.

For example, try retracting your shoulder blades and tucking in your lats before you start. Right now your starting position begins with a rounded upper back, which is a weakness that can be made tighter. Think proud chest.



The bar has left the ground, we have lift off!

The good news is that your lower back isn't rounding, but your upper back is still rounding, maybe even moreso now. Again, think about retracting your shoulder blades and tucking your lats in. Think about pumping out your chest instead of letting your shoulders droop.

Finally, you have the same problem I do. Your hips are shooting up too quickly. The weight is barely off the ground but your hips have moved up vertically faster than the barbell has moved up vertically. When this happens you turn the conventional deadlift into more of a stiff leg deadlift. I haven't really figured out a way to fix this other than work with lighter weight and keep pushing through the quads instead of pulling from the hamstrings/back.



We can see here that your legs are basically locked out vertically and the bar is still below your knees. You're now performing a romanian deadlift instead of a conventional deadlift.

Another issue is that the bar path is too far in front of your knees. This places unnecessary stress on your lower back and makes the movement less efficient. Try thinking about pulling or rolling the barbell up your shins, up your knees, up your thighs. If you have contact the entire time, great. Bruising is to be expected when you start deadlifting with correct bar path.

Cheers mate, I hope this helps!

I'm still struggling with conventional deadlift form myself, but you have to keep at it if you want to get it right.

EDIT:
WolfRose7 just gave me great relevant advice today:

You should absolutely be pushing through quads, that's how we start a deadlift and get it moving as quick as we can.

Best deadlift you'll ever watch

[BeginnerGainz]

Hey mate! Just some friendly pointers



Your starting position is at least 80% good, so now you can start working on the minor details.

For example, try retracting your shoulder blades and tucking in your lats before you start. Right now your starting position begins with a rounded upper back, which is a weakness that can be made tighter. Think proud chest.



The bar has left the ground, we have lift off!

The good news is that your lower back isn't rounding, but your upper back is still rounding, maybe even moreso now. Again, think about retracting your shoulder blades and tucking your lats in. Think about pumping out your chest instead of letting your shoulders droop.

Finally, you have the same problem I do. Your hips are shooting up too quickly. The weight is barely off the ground but your hips have moved up vertically faster than the barbell has moved up vertically. When this happens you turn the conventional deadlift into more of a stiff leg deadlift. I haven't really figured out a way to fix this other than work with lighter weight and keep pushing through the quads instead of pulling from the hamstrings/back.



We can see here that your legs are basically locked out vertically and the bar is still below your knees. You're now performing a romanian deadlift instead of a conventional deadlift.

Another issue is that the bar path is too far in front of your knees. This places unnecessary stress on your lower back and makes the movement less efficient. Try thinking about pulling or rolling the barbell up your shins, up your knees, up your thighs. If you have contact the entire time, great. Bruising is to be expected when you start deadlifting with correct bar path.

Cheers mate, I hope this helps!

I'm still struggling with conventional deadlift form myself, but you have to keep at it if you want to get it right.

EDIT:
WolfRose7 just gave me great relevant advice today:

Mirin response

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Camarija again.

[slimchopra]

Hi All,

Thank you for the feedback. Here is my updated video. I focused on keeping my chest up and lifting from my legs. May I have feedback?

https://youtu.be/Uz_sBgDnDO0

[TolerantLactose]

The weight needs to be heavier to be useful for a form check, imo.

[air2fakie]

Hi All,

Thank you for the feedback. Here is my updated video. I focused on keeping my chest up and lifting from my legs. May I have feedback?

https://youtu.be/Uz_sBgDnDO0

It looks better, you started out with hips lower which helped. Some of the same stuff is still happening (to a lesser extent) but IMO some of that is due to setup challenges because your legs are super long.

[BromanianDL]

Those plates are too small making the bar too close to the ground, you are tall and need full size plates.

[slimchopra]

My gym doesn't have bumper plates unfortunately. Is there any way around the small plates?

[air2fakie]

My gym doesn't have bumper plates unfortunately. Is there any way around the small plates?

If that's an issue you can put them on risers/pads of some sort or use a trap bar (handles up).

[slimchopra]

If that's an issue you can put them on risers/pads of some sort or use a trap bar (handles up).

I will lay some 45 lb plates on the ground and stack them on those and take another video.

Thanks for the advice.

[ECGordyn]

Those plates are too small making the bar too close to the ground, you are tall and need full size plates.

My gym doesn't have bumper plates unfortunately. Is there any way around the small plates?

If that's an issue you can put them on risers/pads of some sort or use a trap bar (handles up).

Any 45s in the gym? If 135 is too heavy then is there a shorter, lighter barbell? You really need to train with the proper starting height to learn proper positioning.

Don't use a trap bar, it's a completely different set up from BB conventional. However, it will help you develop strength, it's just not specific enough for BB DL.

OP, try to hinge down to the bar rather than bend over to grab it. Keep your back straight and hinge down with your hips. Use your lats to push your shoulderblades down your back, keep your triceps close to your body as you grip the bar.

[slimchopra]

Any 45s in the gym? If 135 is too heavy then is there a shorter, lighter barbell? You really need to train with the proper starting height to learn proper positioning.

Don't use a trap bar, it's a completely different set up from BB conventional. However, it will help you develop strength, it's just not specific enough for BB DL.

OP, try to hinge down to the bar rather than bend over to grab it. Keep your back straight and hinge down with your hips. Use your lats to push your shoulderblades down your back, keep your triceps close to your body as you grip the bar.

Wouldn't stacking the weights work to raise them up?

And I will keep the hinging point in mind. Thank you.

[slimchopra]

Updated video with 45 lb plates as requested. I also stacked them because they were still too low.

https://youtu.be/WQ-RmKRwQGM

[ECGordyn]

Updated video with 45 lb plates as requested. I also stacked them because they were still too low.

https://youtu.be/WQ-RmKRwQGM

Looks pretty good, though maybe you could show a 3-5 rep max sometime. I have the same thing you have with a curved thoracic spine, ie not a flat back deadlifter. It's not a problem IMO but I always try to flatten my back anyway.

Seems your hips shoot up a bit at the start of the pull. Maybe start with hips a little higher.

Do you really need the plates under the 45s? If me, I'd take a tape a measure and check the height, but I'm a geek.

[air2fakie]

Think you can get rid of the riser plates if you set up with hips slightly lower. Form looks better but honestly all the videos are starting to look alike to me. :P

[slimchopra]

Looks pretty good, though maybe you could show a 3-5 rep max sometime. I have the same thing you have with a curved thoracic spine, ie not a flat back deadlifter. It's not a problem IMO but I always try to flatten my back anyway.

Seems your hips shoot up a bit at the start of the pull. Maybe start with hips a little higher.

Do you really need the plates under the 45s? If me, I'd take a tape a measure and check the height, but I'm a geek.

Without the plates underneath, I have to bend even lower to reach the bar, which makes it harder to keep my back straight. I will give it a shot though and just hinge more to have my legs go lower. Thanks.

[slimchopra]

May I have feedback on this updated version?

https://youtu.be/edi7jMk1jZw

[ECGordyn]

May I have feedback on this updated version?

You start with your hips too low, and this puts your knees out in front of your forearms. Look where your hips are when the bar leaves the floor. That's your ideal starting position. Were you doing trap bar DL before? It might have messed with your mental picture of a BB DL.

Try to push the floor away with your legs, like a leg press.

[TolerantLactose]

May I have feedback on this updated version?

https://youtu.be/edi7jMk1jZw

Obligatory "easy weights are useless for form checks".

[air2fakie]

May I have feedback on this updated version?

https://youtu.be/edi7jMk1jZw

I think you may be better off doing RDLs instead of DLs if you don't have any specific reason to do DLs. With your ongoing issues with setup and movement (some of which is due to your body dimensions), I think it'd suit you better to go from top down and stay off the floor.

Otherwise, you may want to find a reputable coach or trainer to work with you in person on your DL.

[slimchopra]

I think you may be better off doing RDLs instead of DLs if you don't have any specific reason to do DLs. With your ongoing issues with setup and movement (some of which is due to your body dimensions), I think it'd suit you better to go from top down and stay off the floor.

Otherwise, you may want to find a reputable coach or trainer to work with you in person on your DL.

I'm glad you said this. I'm going to go with the RDL's. As you said, given my body I think those would be much easier to do correctly. I will post a video once I try them. Thanks!