I was reading the article about 5 tips to improve your deadlift by John Gaglione, and it says “It’s crucial to maintain a neutral spine…” But, an article posted only a few months ago on Testosterone Nation said that its okay to have a curved back if the curving takes place mostly in the upper back.
The article even said something along the lines that all great deadlifters have a curved spine on their PR lifts, and this is because this allows for more leverage or something like that. The article even said a small degree of curve in the spine is good. I can look for the article but articles can be hard to find.
I agree more with the second view. An expert deadlifter can safely do max effort lifts with a small amount of curve in the back and many do. I think its great that two testosterone nation writers can have differing views. However, I would like clarification. I realize there are different schools of thought in lifting. Maybe there could even be an article where the two writers debate this issue - which is important to weightlifting.
the neutral part refers more to the lumbar spine, IMO. and curve that was reference in the article i think you are mentioning talks about the upper back. so its 2 different sections of the back. so they can both be true.
Don’t worry, it’s not a criticism of T-Nation. I just thought it was interesting and wanted to hear more about the issue. I actually think it’s good that T-Nation is is willing to present differing views. Plus, the basics are agreed upon by most people.
Seems like both articles say that a straight back is best. The curved back article just said that it is ok if your back curves, it doesnt recommend it but rather admits that a curved back may be needed for huge weight. And it said that curving your back too much is risky, so actually they dont really disagree too much. They both say straight back is safest, but we all know that elite lifters know their body better than anyone and elite numbers cause lifts to vary in form. A 300lbs deadlift should always be done with a straight back in an ideal setting. Who the hell knows how a 1,000 pound deadlift should be done, only 2 people even know how it feels.
Some people like to round their upper back, others like to keep everything as straight as possible. Try it both ways, see what works best. Just don’t pull a max weight using a form you’re not used to.
You shouldn’t round anything. Getting hit with a baseball bat is going to hurt a shit load more than getting hit with a wet noodle. Your entire core musculature transfers force the same way. Neutral lumber, relaxed thoracic. Pulling your shoulder blades together lengthens the distance you have to pull the bar to have it appear locked out. Also, you are sapping your lockout power when the shoulder blades are retracted. Pulling with a rounded back is just lazy and/or showcases poor mobility. Before anyone pulls out the Konstantine card, he is an exception… and his back is hurt all the fucking time it seems like.
I try to pull with a round upper back but it’s in my motor pattern to keep my upper back neutral and/or retracted. I wish I could pull with a round upper back, might help me pull more.
I’ve always felt that the deadlift required the least amount of technique compared to the other big lifts. When I squat or bench, I always pay good attention to my form and setup. With the deadlift I just…do it.
Listen to Storm here. Of course your upper back WILL round on a max effort attempt. But it is NOT something to strive for. Perfect scenario is neutral, tight as hell, arms extended as much as possible to decrease distance. It’s like spreading the floor during the squat. Does the floor actually spread? No. There will always be “some” rounding on a max. It is the fight against the form breakdown that keeps the lifter tight and moving in the right direction, which is hopefully up and back!