Deadlift Form Check

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

Could use a form check and what I can look out for. As usual my back always feels tight when lifting but when i looked at the video seems rounded(?). Always had no problem off the ground but always struggling with around the knee. I’m not sure if its cause of the back but with a straight back i can never set up properly cause i have quite long legs.

I tried using rack pulls but i always feel that it doesn’t work for me because I’m in a different position. Here’s the video. Also putting up a PR attempt hoping more could be pointed out instead of the usual completed lift.

2

[quote]Wheynelau wrote:
Could use a form check and what I can look out for. As usual my back always feels tight when lifting but when i looked at the video seems rounded(?). Always had no problem off the ground but always struggling with around the knee. I’m not sure if its cause of the back but with a straight back i can never set up properly cause i have quite long legs.

I tried using rack pulls but i always feel that it doesn’t work for me because I’m in a different position. Here’s the video. Also putting up a PR attempt hoping more could be pointed out instead of the usual completed lift.

IMO your hips are definitely too high - they also look like they shoot up a little at the start.

I’d suggest setting up dropping your hips more and pointing the bottom of your ribcage at the ground. Drag the bar into yourself and pull your bodyweight behind the bar. This will keep your shoulders behind the bar. Initiate the pull by pushing hard off the floor and keeping your torso at the same angle as when you set up until the bar is moving towards the knees. I’ve found the best way to do this is scraping my shins. Wear sleeves on your shins or something or chances are you’ll bleed a fair bit.

Your back kind of rounds, but not horribly. Fixing your setup will probably fix the lower back and upper back rounding isn’t really an issue as long as you don’t let the bar drift forward or find that it hurts.

Also, are those standard plates? They look kind of small. If they are small, that’s going to be making a difference because you’re moving the bar over a larger distance.

In terms of assistance, GHR are great and also reverse hyper if you have access to them. If you don’t, good morning, box squats, front squats and all kinds of rows.

If you can, try posting a completed pull around 90-95% as well.

3

[quote]MarkKO wrote:

[quote]Wheynelau wrote:
Could use a form check and what I can look out for. As usual my back always feels tight when lifting but when i looked at the video seems rounded(?). Always had no problem off the ground but always struggling with around the knee. I’m not sure if its cause of the back but with a straight back i can never set up properly cause i have quite long legs.

I tried using rack pulls but i always feel that it doesn’t work for me because I’m in a different position. Here’s the video. Also putting up a PR attempt hoping more could be pointed out instead of the usual completed lift.

IMO your hips are definitely too high - they also look like they shoot up a little at the start.

I’d suggest setting up dropping your hips more and pointing the bottom of your ribcage at the ground. Drag the bar into yourself and pull your bodyweight behind the bar. This will keep your shoulders behind the bar. Initiate the pull by pushing hard off the floor and keeping your torso at the same angle as when you set up until the bar is moving towards the knees. I’ve found the best way to do this is scraping my shins. Wear sleeves on your shins or something or chances are you’ll bleed a fair bit.

Your back kind of rounds, but not horribly. Fixing your setup will probably fix the lower back and upper back rounding isn’t really an issue as long as you don’t let the bar drift forward or find that it hurts.

Also, are those standard plates? They look kind of small. If they are small, that’s going to be making a difference because you’re moving the bar over a larger distance.

In terms of assistance, GHR are great and also reverse hyper if you have access to them. If you don’t, good morning, box squats, front squats and all kinds of rows.

If you can, try posting a completed pull around 90-95% as well. [/quote]

Awesome tips bro. And yes Im currently a student and i dont have the money to get a membership for a proper gym so I’m using my school’s free one. Don’t have proper plates but can’t complain cause its free. I’ll try to do the assistances u suggested and i dont have another video sorry. Thank you

4

I’d measure the diameter of the weights, compare to what standard ones are, and I’m guessing they will be 1" smaller. If that is the case, set them on top of a plate to start the pull, should make the length of your pull about equal, sort of like a very mini block pull.

I’m interested in this thread as it looks like you get to my sticking point, and your body does the same thing as mine. It shakes and appears to lose all strength all together. You get to the spot, then simply stop, no grind at all.

For me, I’ve been combatting that sticking point with block pulls. I put the bar directly below my knee caps, right where I get the back twinge / shake. I started barely able to pull 405 at that spot and I’m now doing 455x12 (my max pull is around 500).

It looks like your bar path is good, straight up, but because of that, your shoulders are over the bar the entire time and you aren’t able to pull back. Try placing the bar over your mid foot instead of against your chins and see if that helps. Or, like Markko said, sit down more which will pull your shoulders back.

5

[quote]dzirkelb wrote:
I’d measure the diameter of the weights, compare to what standard ones are, and I’m guessing they will be 1" smaller. If that is the case, set them on top of a plate to start the pull, should make the length of your pull about equal, sort of like a very mini block pull.

I’m interested in this thread as it looks like you get to my sticking point, and your body does the same thing as mine. It shakes and appears to lose all strength all together. You get to the spot, then simply stop, no grind at all.

For me, I’ve been combatting that sticking point with block pulls. I put the bar directly below my knee caps, right where I get the back twinge / shake. I started barely able to pull 405 at that spot and I’m now doing 455x12 (my max pull is around 500).

It looks like your bar path is good, straight up, but because of that, your shoulders are over the bar the entire time and you aren’t able to pull back. Try placing the bar over your mid foot instead of against your chins and see if that helps. Or, like Markko said, sit down more which will pull your shoulders back.[/quote]

Yea i placed some smaller plates at the bottom but im not sure if its accurate. Rack pulls dont really work well for me cause my set up is very different. On rack pulls my back is textbook straight but i have to compensate that for a normal deadlift. I remember doing a triple for this weight for rack pulls. And i do them below knees too. The george leeman romanians or dimel deadlifts helped alot with my deadlifts. Went from 220kg to 240 in 3 months. Maybe i was drained thats why i couldnt grind it out.

I see what you meant by the shoulders over bar. I’ll probably have to try out sitting down more. Thanks for the advice

6

You’ve definitely made a good point about fatigue. I found that once I was pulling over 200 kg regularly in training I had to drop my heavy volume. Right now around once every eight days as a minimum break works well. Any DL in that time period is fine, but should be lighter.

7

[quote]Wheynelau wrote:

[quote]dzirkelb wrote:
I’d measure the diameter of the weights, compare to what standard ones are, and I’m guessing they will be 1" smaller. If that is the case, set them on top of a plate to start the pull, should make the length of your pull about equal, sort of like a very mini block pull.

I’m interested in this thread as it looks like you get to my sticking point, and your body does the same thing as mine. It shakes and appears to lose all strength all together. You get to the spot, then simply stop, no grind at all.

For me, I’ve been combatting that sticking point with block pulls. I put the bar directly below my knee caps, right where I get the back twinge / shake. I started barely able to pull 405 at that spot and I’m now doing 455x12 (my max pull is around 500).

It looks like your bar path is good, straight up, but because of that, your shoulders are over the bar the entire time and you aren’t able to pull back. Try placing the bar over your mid foot instead of against your chins and see if that helps. Or, like Markko said, sit down more which will pull your shoulders back.[/quote]

Yea i placed some smaller plates at the bottom but im not sure if its accurate. Rack pulls dont really work well for me cause my set up is very different. On rack pulls my back is textbook straight but i have to compensate that for a normal deadlift. I remember doing a triple for this weight for rack pulls. And i do them below knees too. The george leeman romanians or dimel deadlifts helped alot with my deadlifts. Went from 220kg to 240 in 3 months. Maybe i was drained thats why i couldnt grind it out.

I see what you meant by the shoulders over bar. I’ll probably have to try out sitting down more. Thanks for the advice[/quote]

If you can rack pull at your sticking point for the same weight you failed at, then that definitely is not any sort of issue.

Try one more thing. And I only mention this just because your fail looks exactly like mine do when I fail in good form (bad form fail is bad form fail). Lower the belt on your lower back even more, put it just above your ask, and get it as tight as you can. You won’t really be doing much bracing on the belt due to the position, but, for me, it removes the shake of the body and the lower back twinge and allows me to pull a shit ton more weight, the downside is it is much harder to get in a better position, but that is for me only, I’m 330 so I have a gut to deal with.

Try it on around a 85% pull with your belt where it is, then move the belt lower to where I say and see if you feel any speed increase or if it feels any easier.

8

I agree that you should try putting the belt into a different position, but I would also try setting it higher. You mention that you feel your back is tight, but it is clearly rounded in the video. This may be caused by the belt hitting your hips and not letting you flex your hips far enough to get your back into a good starting position. Moving the belt higher will let you flex your hips farther.

9

Does your form look different with and without a belt when lifting heavy working sets?

10

Never tried but the best i pulled beltless was 200x3. It was a period i trained without belt cause my belt was pinching me badly it gets more uncomfortable the more reps i do. From then on i only used my belt for singles. I definitely pull lesser without a belt but ironically my back seems straighter cause i can bend down more if that makes any sense.

11

I’d say toss your belt up higher around your lower ribs. In my eyes you’re a little to bent over and I’d like to see a more upright setup and a lot more lat engagement. Ducking your feet out slightly and compressing your core should allow you to put it all together for success.
S

P.S. Strong attempt.

12

[quote]Deepgoat wrote:
I’d say toss your belt up higher around your lower ribs. In my eyes you’re a little to bent over and I’d like to see a more upright setup and a lot more lat engagement. Ducking your feet out slightly and compressing your core should allow you to put it all together for success.
S

P.S. Strong attempt.[/quote]

Alright I’ll try it out. And erm what do you mean by ducking my feet out. Other than that thank you for the tips!

13

[quote]Wheynelau wrote:
Never tried but the best i pulled beltless was 200x3. It was a period i trained without belt cause my belt was pinching me badly it gets more uncomfortable the more reps i do. From then on i only used my belt for singles. I definitely pull lesser without a belt but ironically my back seems straighter cause i can bend down more if that makes any sense. [/quote]

Yeah, it’s the same for me. I can’t pull conventional with my normal belt position because I can’t get my back flat. It’s much easier to keep everything tight without a belt. If I feel like going heavy for a narrow deadlift stance, I just go with narrow sumo instead of conventional so I don’t have to worry about it.

14

sit back. let the bar roll into your shins and work on your quad and hamstring strength/mobility. I think after you learn to sit back more that deficit DLs would be a big help for you

15

I’ll try it out thank you very much. Could be a mobility issue