Form critique thread, post your videos here.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-quxSZhfq4
My first form check video -- a few disclaimers. My gym does not have a platform for deadlifting, so I have to start really low. They also don't have equipment appropriate for throwing around, so you'll seem me gingerly lowering the weight back to the ground.
I feel like maybe I'm not pushing my hips forward soon enough?0 -
Ok here's the problem I'm having: my hips/back seem to be interconnected, neurologically. I mean it's like trying to wiggle only the end segment of your ring finger without moving any other fingers. When I try to unlock my hips, it also unlocks my back, know what I mean?
Additionally, and this is slightly lower priority but still worth mentioning, I'd break your hips back further on the descent so that you're not bending at the knees as soon as you are.
Watch the bar path as the bar descends and you'll notice that it's not quite vertical. You're bringing the bar around your knees because your knees are starting to bend (moving them slightly forward and in the way of the bar) early.
Is there a cue or anything that can help with this? (I suspect I just need a lot of practice to retrain my CNS to separate these two.)
I bet you're thinking about downward movement. Try to push your butt back instead of worrying about bringing the bar down at first. It's like you're trying to touch the wall behind you with your butt without bending your knees or moving your torso much.
^ This is a better way to put it vs what I tried to say. The issue that I see is that as the bar lowers, the knees are bending too early and thus getting in the way of the bar, the bar then has to move around the knees.0 -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-quxSZhfq4
My first form check video -- a few disclaimers. My gym does not have a platform for deadlifting, so I have to start really low. They also don't have equipment appropriate for throwing around, so you'll seem me gingerly lowering the weight back to the ground.
I feel like maybe I'm not pushing my hips forward soon enough?
I'd like to see you attempt this with your start position just a bit closer to the barbell. It doesn't look like the bar is quite over your midfoot. In the first 2-4" of the pull I can see a gap between the barbell and your shins, then the bar drifts closer as you pull. You can sort of see a little hitch in your pull as this happens.
Moving another few inches closer at the start should correct this and keep the bar against your legs.
You should sort of feel like you're pulling BACK and dragging the barbell up your legs.0 -
Pushing my butt back did the trick. The weight still goes into free fall but my knees and back are both safe so I'm satisfied. Thanks a million!
Ok here's the problem I'm having: my hips/back seem to be interconnected, neurologically. I mean it's like trying to wiggle only the end segment of your ring finger without moving any other fingers. When I try to unlock my hips, it also unlocks my back, know what I mean?
Additionally, and this is slightly lower priority but still worth mentioning, I'd break your hips back further on the descent so that you're not bending at the knees as soon as you are.
Watch the bar path as the bar descends and you'll notice that it's not quite vertical. You're bringing the bar around your knees because your knees are starting to bend (moving them slightly forward and in the way of the bar) early.
Is there a cue or anything that can help with this? (I suspect I just need a lot of practice to retrain my CNS to separate these two.)
I bet you're thinking about downward movement. Try to push your butt back instead of worrying about bringing the bar down at first. It's like you're trying to touch the wall behind you with your butt without bending your knees or moving your torso much.
^ This is a better way to put it vs what I tried to say. The issue that I see is that as the bar lowers, the knees are bending too early and thus getting in the way of the bar, the bar then has to move around the knees.0 -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-quxSZhfq4
My first form check video -- a few disclaimers. My gym does not have a platform for deadlifting, so I have to start really low. They also don't have equipment appropriate for throwing around, so you'll seem me gingerly lowering the weight back to the ground.
I feel like maybe I'm not pushing my hips forward soon enough?
I'd like to see you attempt this with your start position just a bit closer to the barbell. It doesn't look like the bar is quite over your midfoot. In the first 2-4" of the pull I can see a gap between the barbell and your shins, then the bar drifts closer as you pull. You can sort of see a little hitch in your pull as this happens.
Moving another few inches closer at the start should correct this and keep the bar against your legs.
You should sort of feel like you're pulling BACK and dragging the barbell up your legs.
Thanks for the tip, I'll give it a shot closer to the bar. I think i may have been a little wary this time because I scraped the **** out of my knee on the knurling during my warm-up.0 -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-quxSZhfq4
My first form check video -- a few disclaimers. My gym does not have a platform for deadlifting, so I have to start really low. They also don't have equipment appropriate for throwing around, so you'll seem me gingerly lowering the weight back to the ground.
I feel like maybe I'm not pushing my hips forward soon enough?
I'd like to see you attempt this with your start position just a bit closer to the barbell. It doesn't look like the bar is quite over your midfoot. In the first 2-4" of the pull I can see a gap between the barbell and your shins, then the bar drifts closer as you pull. You can sort of see a little hitch in your pull as this happens.
Moving another few inches closer at the start should correct this and keep the bar against your legs.
You should sort of feel like you're pulling BACK and dragging the barbell up your legs.
Thanks for the tip, I'll give it a shot closer to the bar. I think i may have been a little wary this time because I scraped the **** out of my knee on the knurling during my warm-up.
Watch the vid and focus on the first couple of inches of the pull just to see if you can see what I'm referring to. Getting a visual of it might help.
EDIT: Secondary thing: Your head is a bit too upright as the pull starts. Not sure if you're looking in a mirror or not but your spine is not quite neutral.0 -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-quxSZhfq4
My first form check video -- a few disclaimers. My gym does not have a platform for deadlifting, so I have to start really low. They also don't have equipment appropriate for throwing around, so you'll seem me gingerly lowering the weight back to the ground.
I feel like maybe I'm not pushing my hips forward soon enough?
I've always found driving my hips HARD forward helped me with the deadlift (more than any other movement in the gym, deadlift is the one I've found benefits most from being angry). Some people think about pulling the bar back onto them which works quite well, I personally think of it more as trying to do the nasty to the bar. I mention this because, in line with your thinking, there's a part when the bar is right around knee level where your hips kind of stagnate a bit.0 -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-quxSZhfq4
My first form check video -- a few disclaimers. My gym does not have a platform for deadlifting, so I have to start really low. They also don't have equipment appropriate for throwing around, so you'll seem me gingerly lowering the weight back to the ground.
I feel like maybe I'm not pushing my hips forward soon enough?
I've always found driving my hips HARD forward helped me with the deadlift (more than any other movement in the gym, deadlift is the one I've found benefits most from being angry). Some people think about pulling the bar back onto them which works quite well, I personally think of it more as trying to do the nasty to the bar. I mention this because, in line with your thinking, there's a part when the bar is right around knee level where your hips kind of stagnate a bit.
Doing deadlifts tomorrow - need to remember that!
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225x5 squat. Day 3 of squatting since knee has felt better. Dinged the rack on the way out.
Also, the glaring error to me here is the head position. Need to be looking downward more -- corrected this on the following set at 225x4 then I ran out of gas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-RxaBIrl4E&feature=youtu.be 0 -
225x5 squat. Day 3 of squatting since knee has felt better. Dinged the rack on the way out.
Also, the glaring error to me here is the head position. Need to be looking downward more -- corrected this on the following set at 225x4 then I ran out of gas.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-RxaBIrl4E&feature=youtu.be
You had already said it's something you're working on, but cut down on the number of steps out of rack.
Also how hard are your knees locked out when you're hips are breaking at the top? If it's not causing you issues I don't know that you need to change anything, but from the video it looks like that's putting a lot of strain on your knees. I generally unlock my knees slightly before breaking at the hips (if I didn't I'd probably fall over, and the cue got me to stop rocking into my squat).0 -
225x5 squat. Day 3 of squatting since knee has felt better. Dinged the rack on the way out.
Also, the glaring error to me here is the head position. Need to be looking downward more -- corrected this on the following set at 225x4 then I ran out of gas.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-RxaBIrl4E&feature=youtu.be
You had already said it's something you're working on, but cut down on the number of steps out of rack.
Also how hard are your knees locked out when you're hips are breaking at the top? If it's not causing you issues I don't know that you need to change anything, but from the video it looks like that's putting a lot of strain on your knees. I generally unlock my knees slightly before breaking at the hips (if I didn't I'd probably fall over, and the cue got me to stop rocking into my squat).
^ Thanks. I think you and Sara (I PM her these vids) are saying the same things in different language. I'll try and explain my thought process but ultimately I think you're both correct.
Initially with squats, I was having a problem with not getting my hips back far enough and early enough. It was almost as though I was bending at the knees exclusively and not breaking the hips enough (or soon enough) resulting in my knees going WAY past my toes.
So a cue that I've been working on is to get my hips back early. But what seems to be happening now is that the hips are coming back too soon and it's sort of a one-two action instead of a fluid descent.
Is this similar to what you are talking about?
I'll definitely need to practice my unracking.
Thanks!!0 -
So a cue that I've been working on is to get my hips back early. But what seems to be happening now is that the hips are coming back too soon and it's sort of a one-two action instead of a fluid descent.
Precisely, but again if it's not hurting you I don't think it's a make or break on the squat (like not going low enough or something)...more likely something that could limit your top-end strength down the road. Like I send I unlock my knees a bit first because I'm not coordinated enough to unlock and unhinge at the same time lol.0 -
I think that's what I'm seeing -- right around the knees where my hips don't seem to be moving. "Do the nasty to the bar" ... I'll try to implement that!
I've always found driving my hips HARD forward helped me with the deadlift (more than any other movement in the gym, deadlift is the one I've found benefits most from being angry). Some people think about pulling the bar back onto them which works quite well, I personally think of it more as trying to do the nasty to the bar. I mention this because, in line with your thinking, there's a part when the bar is right around knee level where your hips kind of stagnate a bit.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-quxSZhfq4
My first form check video -- a few disclaimers. My gym does not have a platform for deadlifting, so I have to start really low. They also don't have equipment appropriate for throwing around, so you'll seem me gingerly lowering the weight back to the ground.
I feel like maybe I'm not pushing my hips forward soon enough?0 -
I don't know if this one is already common knowledge but in Starting Strength, one thing he said that I've found very helpful is to focus (in your mind's eye) on the actual bar path as being a straight vertical line instead of thinking about what your individual body parts are doing. (I think the idea is that your cerebellum already knows the solution to that problem for your body's individual metrics.)225x5 squat. Day 3 of squatting since knee has felt better. Dinged the rack on the way out.
Also, the glaring error to me here is the head position. Need to be looking downward more -- corrected this on the following set at 225x4 then I ran out of gas.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-RxaBIrl4E&feature=youtu.be
You had already said it's something you're working on, but cut down on the number of steps out of rack.
Also how hard are your knees locked out when you're hips are breaking at the top? If it's not causing you issues I don't know that you need to change anything, but from the video it looks like that's putting a lot of strain on your knees. I generally unlock my knees slightly before breaking at the hips (if I didn't I'd probably fall over, and the cue got me to stop rocking into my squat).
^ Thanks. I think you and Sara (I PM her these vids) are saying the same things in different language. I'll try and explain my thought process but ultimately I think you're both correct.
Initially with squats, I was having a problem with not getting my hips back far enough and early enough. It was almost as though I was bending at the knees exclusively and not breaking the hips enough (or soon enough) resulting in my knees going WAY past my toes.
So a cue that I've been working on is to get my hips back early. But what seems to be happening now is that the hips are coming back too soon and it's sort of a one-two action instead of a fluid descent.
Is this similar to what you are talking about?
I'll definitely need to practice my unracking.
Thanks!!0 -
Overhead press form check. My spine seems to be rather concave by default. OHP stresses my back a lot, about where the bottom of my sternum is, feels like I'm trying to bend too far backward, am I doing something wrong?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd01-azDq6c
I also found that I can lift more by squeezing my grip on the bar as hard as possible. (Would have failed the 4th/5th reps without that!)
(I have tried the stretch reflex but the extra bounce/force at the bottom stresses my mid back more than I prefer.)0 -
Overhead press form check. My spine seems to be rather concave by default. OHP stresses my back a lot, about where the bottom of my sternum is, feels like I'm trying to bend too far backward, am I doing something wrong?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd01-azDq6c
I also found that I can lift more by squeezing my grip on the bar as hard as possible. (Would have failed the 4th/5th reps without that!)
(I have tried the stretch reflex but the extra bounce/force at the bottom stresses my mid back more than I prefer.)
First, expect OHP to be tough for you, your arms are pretty darn long it would seem (on the plus side, it'll help you with deadlift).
Try widening your stance a bit, it might help. Also try a thumbless grip.
Wrt to pain on your back, I suspect that has something to do with the eccentric phase of your lift. A couple of those reps it looked like it came down a bit hard. Try loading the weight on your biceps on the descent (it'll probably fit in nicely with your focus on squeezing the bar, and it'll take some of the strain off your triceps which'll keep you fresher for the concentric phase.
Another thing that you should consider doing is fielding the weight, since you aren't using the stretch reflex. When the weight hits rack, break at the hips and knees a bit to cradle the weight and reduce the force of impact. It would almost be like doing a push press but the bounce is at the end rather than the beginning. Then reset and repeat.
If the pain still isn't going away, you might want to try adjusting for it somewhat. You can try Klokov pressing (it's a snatch grip behind the neck press), which'll force you to drop the weight pretty tremendously. You can alternate your cycle and do a strict press one week and seated PBN or seated dumbbell pressing the next week. You should still see really good progression that way (and if you're worried about your stabilizer muscles getting shafted, throw in some cleans and/or farmer carries somewhere).
Lastly the stretch reflex shouldn't be a bounce, it's the difference between touch and go (where your muscles maintain tension throughout) and pausing your rep (like a competition bench press). When I use the stretch reflex on overhead work the weight never fully comes back to rack position. If you're having back pain though, definitely do NOT try using the stretch reflex until it gets sorted.0 -
Thanks, I will work on the OHP suggestions and post feedback! Here's the new deadlifts, which I think are improved a little. My long arms would be an advantage if I didn't have such long legs to go with them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdxsZSwUSw4 0 -
Hi I wasn't sure if this would be best here or as its own post.
I have hip mobility/joint pain issues and have had difficulty with deadlifting in the past. So I looked to RDL and SLDL. I thought I had the differences down, and thought I was doing a good RDL, then I saw this video. The female video, they say knees slightly bent, but look at her knees! The male video seems like exactly what I'm doing. So I start at the top, lower the bar a little below my knees, knees bend very little, back doesn't round, keep my head up but don't hyperextend my neck.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/romanian-deadlift
So should I be bending my knees more like Jamie? Thanks
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Thanks, I will work on the OHP suggestions and post feedback! Here's the new deadlifts, which I think are improved a little. My long arms would be an advantage if I didn't have such long legs to go with them.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdxsZSwUSw4
Not bad, but how far apart are your feet? Its tough to tell but it looks like you may be a bit wide. When your feet are wide (unless youre pulling sumo) you cant keep your arms parallel. At an angle like that, you actually end up having to pull the bar a bit higher. When I pull my feet are very close together. Just something to keep in mind.
Forgive the lack of apostrophes, Im at a Mexican computer on vacation right now and cant figure out where it is.0 -
Hi I wasn't sure if this would be best here or as its own post.
I have hip mobility/joint pain issues and have had difficulty with deadlifting in the past. So I looked to RDL and SLDL. I thought I had the differences down, and thought I was doing a good RDL, then I saw this video. The female video, they say knees slightly bent, but look at her knees! The male video seems like exactly what I'm doing. So I start at the top, lower the bar a little below my knees, knees bend very little, back doesn't round, keep my head up but don't hyperextend my neck.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/romanian-deadlift
So should I be bending my knees more like Jamie? Thanks
My understanding is that RDLs have a slight bend and SLDLs dont. I like RDLs better.0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEqJi2i5-eo
