Technical Failure in Deadlift

civilizedworm
civilizedworm Posts: 796 Member
edited November 9 in Fitness and Exercise
My question is not regarding complete failure in the deadlift -- where one is unable to complete the exercise through the full ROM -- but with technical failure where one completes the exercise, but where the ROM is a little ugly, yet the rep is completed. (Sorry, I can’t locate the link, but I had read a really good definition of technical failure by someone a lot smarter than me.)

I checked around at some of the different powerlifting federations (like the IPF) and the rules regarding this say nothing at all about technical failure in the deadlift, just that you are not allowed to rest the bar on your thighs and that one must lockout for the rep to be considered complete and legal.

If one rounds their back during a deadlift, is that considered a “technical failure” and if so does that rep count? Or am I being overly pedantic and should I just return to eating those delicious Christmas cookies that my Aunt Betty makes for me every year and get my lift on.

(IMO, yes, yes and yes.)

Replies

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Since I know you rock, go eat some cookies!
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
    edited January 2015
    There are a lot of round back deadlifters that are very competitive in the powerlifting world.

    http://nattyornot.com/rounded-back-deadlift-round-round/
  • civilizedworm
    civilizedworm Posts: 796 Member
    edited January 2015
    shutupandlift308 wrote: »
    There are a lot of round back deadlifters that are very competitive in the powerlifting world.

    http://nattyornot.com/rounded-back-deadlift-round-round/
    Very interesting. Nice read!

    The differentiation between rounded upper to rounded lower is handy too.
  • natecooper75
    natecooper75 Posts: 72 Member
    Before everyone chimes in and says that it will cause injury and it is bad for you, I already know this. For the competitive powerlifter, I don't feel that it is as bad because they are trying to move the most weight possible and if that means the back some then so be it. They accomplished their goal. As long as they get white lights, they are happy. Most of these guys have honed their technique to the point that if they didn't round some, they would have much lower numbers.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
    Couple technical failures come to mind - any downwards movement of the bar before lockout, ramping/hitching which you've already mentioned, and stepping forwards/backwards
  • PwrLftr82
    PwrLftr82 Posts: 945 Member
    I don't think you want to round your back, not because of "technical failure" or whatever, but because that's how people end up getting hurt. Bad form is bad for a reason.
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
    edited January 2015
    PwrLftr82 wrote: »
    I don't think you want to round your back, not because of "technical failure" or whatever, but because that's how people end up getting hurt. Bad form is bad for a reason.

    Bad form isn't as strictly defined as a lot of people make it out to be. For the average Joe, no, they probably shouldn't be rounding their back. For a competitive powerlifter educated in strength training and body mechanics, not nearly as big of a deal.

    Also, in competition, most of them are exceeding their known 1RM during their attempts. Form isn't going to be dead on in a lot of those cases just because of how far they are pushing their bodies and how fatigued they may be from their previous lifts.

  • PwrLftr82
    PwrLftr82 Posts: 945 Member
    shutupandlift308 wrote: »
    PwrLftr82 wrote: »
    I don't think you want to round your back, not because of "technical failure" or whatever, but because that's how people end up getting hurt. Bad form is bad for a reason.

    Bad form isn't as strictly defined as a lot of people make it out to be. For the average Joe, no, they probably shouldn't be rounding their back. For a competitive powerlifter educated in strength training and body mechanics, not nearly as big of a deal.

    Also, in competition, most of them are exceeding their known 1RM during their attempts. Form isn't going to be dead on in a lot of those cases just because of how far they are pushing their bodies and how fatigued they may be from their previous lifts.

    Yeah, but OP is an "average joe" and I've watched his DL videos.
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
    edited January 2015
    PwrLftr82 wrote: »
    shutupandlift308 wrote: »
    PwrLftr82 wrote: »
    I don't think you want to round your back, not because of "technical failure" or whatever, but because that's how people end up getting hurt. Bad form is bad for a reason.

    Bad form isn't as strictly defined as a lot of people make it out to be. For the average Joe, no, they probably shouldn't be rounding their back. For a competitive powerlifter educated in strength training and body mechanics, not nearly as big of a deal.

    Also, in competition, most of them are exceeding their known 1RM during their attempts. Form isn't going to be dead on in a lot of those cases just because of how far they are pushing their bodies and how fatigued they may be from their previous lifts.

    Yeah, but OP is an "average joe" and I've watched his DL videos.

    I assumed he was talking about in competition because he was discussing whether or not a rep was considered good if there is a supposed technical failure like back rounding.
    I checked around at some of the different powerlifting federations (like the IPF) and the rules regarding this say nothing at all about technical failure in the deadlift, just that you are not allowed to rest the bar on your thighs and that one must lockout for the rep to be considered complete and legal.

    If one rounds their back during a deadlift, is that considered a “technical failure” and if so does that rep count?
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
    In competition, it doesn't matter what your reps look like as long as they fit the criteria outlined in the rulebook then they are good. You can hunch your back, let your butt shoot up, whatever... As long as the bar doesn't travel downward at any time once it has left the floor, your feet don't move and you don't support the weight of the bar on your thighs, you're good.
  • PwrLftr82
    PwrLftr82 Posts: 945 Member
    shutupandlift308 wrote: »
    PwrLftr82 wrote: »
    shutupandlift308 wrote: »
    PwrLftr82 wrote: »
    I don't think you want to round your back, not because of "technical failure" or whatever, but because that's how people end up getting hurt. Bad form is bad for a reason.

    Bad form isn't as strictly defined as a lot of people make it out to be. For the average Joe, no, they probably shouldn't be rounding their back. For a competitive powerlifter educated in strength training and body mechanics, not nearly as big of a deal.

    Also, in competition, most of them are exceeding their known 1RM during their attempts. Form isn't going to be dead on in a lot of those cases just because of how far they are pushing their bodies and how fatigued they may be from their previous lifts.

    Yeah, but OP is an "average joe" and I've watched his DL videos.

    I assumed he was talking about in competition because he was discussing whether or not a rep was considered good if there is a supposed technical failure like back rounding.
    I checked around at some of the different powerlifting federations (like the IPF) and the rules regarding this say nothing at all about technical failure in the deadlift, just that you are not allowed to rest the bar on your thighs and that one must lockout for the rep to be considered complete and legal.

    If one rounds their back during a deadlift, is that considered a “technical failure” and if so does that rep count?

    Ahhh...gotcha!
  • SpecialSundae
    SpecialSundae Posts: 795 Member
    In competition, anything goes form wise (as long as it doesn't involve hitching). In training, keep it pretty.

    Seemples!
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