Deadlift form

mreichard · October 2016

Hi all,

So I have been doing deadlifts as part of StrongLifts since about May, but other than watching one or two videos I have not really paid attention to them since until recently they were easy. Once I got up above about 280 pounds, they started to be a bit harder and my recent 300 pound reps felt pretty hard. I took a video of my 300 pound work set in order to see if my form is getting bad and to figure out where to go from here -- i.e. keep incrementing weight until I can't anymore or deload and work on form. If I need to work on form, what specifically?

Any feedback is welcome.

Thanks!

https://youtu.be/Y-FCEb8U8m8

_incogNEATo_ · October 2016

You're basically doing a stiff-legged/straight-legged deadlift (especially that first rep). While that's not necessarily bad, a few things could be changed mechanically to increase weight. Working on form for deadlift is hard to do when you drop weight because you don't have to focus on where your form is breaking down at lighter weights (in my opinion). I'd continue trying to progress in weights WHILE working on form, or at the very least, stay at the same weight.

Drop your hips another few inches. When you do that, your chest will face forward more. You're doing good at keeping your head neutral with your spine (your head starts to pick up slightly on the last few reps), just be sure to continue to do so when you bring your chest up. Lock in tight by trying to pull all of the slack out of the bar before pulling and squeeze your traps together. Your bar path is straight but I can't really tell how close the bar is to your shins. You really want to keep the bar close to your shins. I don't scrape mine like a lot of people do, but just be conscious about not letting the bar get too far away from you.

Lastly, I'm not a big fan of touch-n-go reps because you should be focusing on staying tight through every rep. Focus on those things and I think you'll reach a more optimum pull. I'm not sure of your weight, but 300 lbs is a good weight to be lifting for reps. It seems like you've stuck with SL5x5 for quite some time to be at that point. Keep up the hard work.

sgt1372 · October 2016

OP: Do you experience any back pain or soreness?

If not, you must have an incredibly strong back because it looks like you're mainly using it to do the lift w/relatively little hip/glute involvement.

I think (as already suggested) that you would find it easier and better to bend down further with your thighs at about 60 degrees relative to the floor (you're at about 75) and to initiate the lift w/your hips/glutes (instead of your back which is what you are doing now).

You should also stop over-extending your back at the finish beyond vertical in order to avoid over-stressing your back.

canadianlbs · October 2016

sgt1372 wrote: »

you must have an incredibly strong back

this. i'm hardly a deadlift hero, but in a way i kind of got too strong for my own good on deadlifts - even with bad form there was always a way to muscle something up to lockout. i've been tweaking my own form and trying to stay more honest, and your lifts here look a lot like my strong-but-bad reps were feeling to me. for me it was far more of a mental discipline thing than a strength thing, i.e. making myself do the whole schmear every time.

so fwiw from my limited experience:

- i'd go back to 280 or a little above, if that was your last weight where you felt like you were 'in control'. for me it was 120 or so, but same idea. i found that once the weight was too heavy, it was far too hard to feel the right form in all my muscles and that's when the cheating and corner-cutting would start.

- don't compromise on back and lat tightness. use your grip on the bar to make it feel like you're holding onto it to try and push your feet through the floor. get used to feeling that sensation at your 'easy' weight, and then as you go up pace your increases to whatever allows you to keep that feeling. if you feel it while you're set up but then it gets away from you once you start to actually lift the bar off the floor, you're too heavy. you want whatever weight will allow you to keep that feeling all the way through the rep.

- i've been getting my upper back flat and my shoulders back by thinking 'blood sample' to myself. that last one could be just me, but it makes sure i rotate my arms into the correct position - inside of elbows facing more outwards to pull my shoulders down and back, and engage whatever it is you're supposed to engage.

- my trainer recently gave me this cue that lit bulbs in my head. he said 'connect your feet to hands' . . . it was for bench press but i think it's applicable to just about everything. focusing on the two ends points in my kinetic chain somehow made me less likely to leak power at any point between them.

grob49 · October 2016

_incogNEATo_ wrote: »

You're basically doing a stiff-legged/straight-legged deadlift (especially that first rep). While that's not necessarily bad, a few things could be changed mechanically to increase weight. Working on form for deadlift is hard to do when you drop weight because you don't have to focus on where your form is breaking down at lighter weights (in my opinion). I'd continue trying to progress in weights WHILE working on form, or at the very least, stay at the same weight.

Drop your hips another few inches. When you do that, your chest will face forward more. You're doing good at keeping your head neutral with your spine (your head starts to pick up slightly on the last few reps), just be sure to continue to do so when you bring your chest up. Lock in tight by trying to pull all of the slack out of the bar before pulling and squeeze your traps together. Your bar path is straight but I can't really tell how close the bar is to your shins. You really want to keep the bar close to your shins. I don't scrape mine like a lot of people do, but just be conscious about not letting the bar get too far away from you.

Lastly, I'm not a big fan of touch-n-go reps because you should be focusing on staying tight through every rep. Focus on those things and I think you'll reach a more optimum pull. I'm not sure of your weight, but 300 lbs is a good weight to be lifting for reps. It seems like you've stuck with SL5x5 for quite some time to be at that point. Keep up the hard work.

Pretty much as Sgt has started above your doing straight leg deadlifts. Drop your hips down a little more to where your first move is with hips and legs.

Chieflrg · October 2016

Bar closer at set up.

Hips could be a little lower, also you're shooting your hips which isn't unusual at first when under heavy load, but something you want to work on. Bar should be moving same speed as your hips.

Touch and goes have there place, but I would suggest to stop and reset every rep for now.

Biggest problem I see is your exhaling on your accent sometimes and on the top everytime. Your breath should be held to help keep your back tight and strong. Try to release at the bottom.

Not bad all in all for being newer bud.

Wheelhouse15 · October 2016

Chieflrg wrote: »

Bar closer at set up.

Hips could be a little lower, also you're shooting your hips which isn't unusual at first when under heavy load, but something you want to work on. Bar should be moving same speed as your hips.

Touch and goes have there place, but I would suggest to stop and reset every rep for now.

Biggest problem I see is your exhaling on your accent sometimes and on the top everytime. Your breath should be held to help keep your back tight and strong. Try to release at the bottom.

Not bad all in all for being newer bud.

+1 Every point I would make. You are shooting the hips up, you are too far back, set for each rep, breath control and drive more with the legs. Decent form for a beginner but you will be limited now due to bad form.

The way I like to think about the proper lifting form is to just set up in a bowed position and stand up. The initial drive is with the legs through your heels and pull you glutes in to keep your hips in proper position.

Here is a good video by John Candito, one of the best deadlifters in the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6UgD1H_AXw

Walter__ · October 2016

You're hyperextending at the top.

Don't lock it out by hyperextending. Instead, lock it out by pushing through with your hips at the top (squeeze your glutes).

Also don't exhale at the top. Hold your breath throughout the entire movement - it keeps your back and core braced. Exhale and catch a new breath at the bottom.

mreichard · October 2016

Thanks everyone! Quick question --- by "shooting the hips" do you all mean that my hips are coming up? If I understand correctly, you are saying don't raise my hips and use my legs more rather than my back. That makes sense to me, since right now the lift feels like it is coming from my back and not my legs. I had heard previously not to make the deadlift into a squat, but I guess that I am overdoing it and taking my legs out of it too much. Is that right?

musclegood_fatbad · October 2016

Pretty much what everyone else is saying, work on driving your shoulder blades back on the set up and through the lift. That may help lower the lips a bit and help you drive through the legs a bit more.

sgt1372 · October 2016

"mreichard wrote: »

. . . I guess that I am overdoing it and taking my legs out of it too much. Is that right?

You can't take your legs (hips and glutes) "out" of the DL. You just aren't using them as the main impetus for the lift.

I suggest you go back and look at your video and then re-read and compare what you see (and what we saw) with all of the critiques to get the full understanding of what was mentioned and what you need to do to improve your form.

Good luck!

Wheelhouse15 · October 2016

mreichard wrote: »

Thanks everyone! Quick question --- by "shooting the hips" do you all mean that my hips are coming up? If I understand correctly, you are saying don't raise my hips and use my legs more rather than my back. That makes sense to me, since right now the lift feels like it is coming from my back and not my legs. I had heard previously not to make the deadlift into a squat, but I guess that I am overdoing it and taking my legs out of it too much. Is that right?

Yes, you hips are coming up way to fast. When you do a lift you need to ensure that you are allowing all of the muscle to participate fully throughout the lift for maximum power. If you shoot up to quickly you are fully extending your quads too quickly.

cqbkaju · October 2016

My recommendation to improve your form is to use a trap bar, but I realize that may be impractical.
Your back looks way too rounded to me.
Try pushing your belly button forward, keep your shoulders back and your head up.

It seems like you are cheating your form so you can move more weight.

subcounter · October 2016

OP, please do not deadlift like that. You will injure your lower back, however strong it is, or will end up with a hernia. I would check Elliot Hulse's deadlift videos, or Alan Thrall's.

Make sure you fix your form before doing anything heavy. After watching their videos you will understand the mistakes on your form by yourself. No need to point them one by one really. Let me know if you have any questions after you've seen those!

Good luck, and safe workouts!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1IGeJEXpF4

P.S It's a great idea to shoot the video from that angle actually, can fix form mistakes and critique yourself after workout. I might try that next time

Deadlift form

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