Hey guys! I posted here a while back regarding a back issue I had trouble with. Shout out to Aragorn for all the advice! Added all the extra work for my weaknesses.
If people could help clarify some questions I have:
Do I keep glutes tight throughout the entire rep?
How do I keep a neutral low back? Cues?
I find that as I get up to heavier weight, I have trouble keeping tightness in my lats and keeping chest up, realizing that I lose tightness unconsciously midway through a heavy rep. Tips?
Video: Deadlift Form
*I am using very light weight still as I am trying to avoid any irritation of the low back, starting up again next week.
In the video, only after a few reps with light weight, I already feel the familiar tightness/soreness in my low back. To me, that indicates that I may not be using glutes/hamstrings properly as before my injury. Is this normal?
If a better quality video is needed or with more reps, please do not hesitate to tell me, this is my first time filming myself!
From the video, your form looks fine to me. Perhaps, we are not going to see the form breakdown without heavier weights. In any case, if you practice these techniques while taking your time with the load, so you reinforce good habits, I think you will be okay.
It is hard to tell by the angle and the plate blocking your legs, but-- If you feel like you are having a difficult time loading the hammies and glutes, try making sure you are lifting with a vertical shine angle (relative the floor).
Form looked fine to me too. Nothing glaringly wrong that I can see.
It sounds like you are worried about how your lower back feels. Are you sure this discomfort is bad? I’ve been deadlifting every week for 3 continuous years and a sore lower back was an expected outcome, especially when I was lifting beltless.
Why are you concerned about soreness in your lower back? Is this soreness somehow different than other soreness you get from lifting?
Thanks for the reply! Ive never actually deadlifted with vertical shins before, I’ll give it a shot. I usually push my knees forward so it’s not totally perpendicular to the ground.
Hey thanks for the reply Slave. Just wanted to make sure I ain’t doing something wrong! The soreness is not painful nor different, no worries there. I do get it after my first set though.
Hey flats farmer, could you please enlighten me? This is worrying! My feet are shoulder width apart for the conventional deadlift and my toes are pointed straight.
You mentioned Pushing your knees forward, and I think that may be the key. Instead of pushing knees forward, you could try to think about pulling them back. This will help with the vertical shin angle Evolve mentioned. Right now, you use tons of lower back, to over arch and pull yourself into an upright position, then squat the weight up with your quads.
Look at the 40-41 second mark of your video. As you go Up Your knees are “forward” and you have to pull the bar way out and in front, to get around them. If you look close, you can see daylight between the bar and your legs! This is not good.
If you look at 56-57 seconds, as you lower the bar, you can see your knees go backward to get out of the way. Your shins are vertcal, and the bar goes straight, staying close to your legs. This is good.
The width of your stance, and how far you turn your toes out are going to vary a lot from person to person. But with your feet so close, and your toes so straight, it looks like you can’t get close to the bar. It’s out in front of you. Maybe If you open up a little, you can get the bar closer to you at the start.
I just now learned about “waiter’s bows.” Double Aragorn shout out! You should try some, outside of the gym, 3 times a day for a week or so. Focus on hinging, and really loading up your hamstrings. Also pay special special close attention to the hand that is on your lower back. Your lower back should not “move” or “arch more.” It should holds its position, straight, like a steel bar as Your hips drive forward.
Its not a pull, it’s not in your hands. Its not a push, your knees don’t flex.
GM’ing your squat up is bad.
I’m a super grab-asstic lifter, so I somehow squat my deadlifts, yet GM up my squats.
Kip Miller, Highland Games World Record Holder and “Redneck Jedi” said, short guys will love GMs. Tall guys will prefer stiff leg deads. That’s good enough for me.
Funny you mention this stuff. I was thinking about the Conjugate System yesterday. There really is not “form” or “technique.” There is the position at the start and the position at the end.
In between, You Go!
If you’ve practiced bending over and using the hamstrings, and you’ve used some lifts to build your hamstrings, you’re gonna use lots of hamstrings.
If you were an Oly dude, you’d probably squat all your deads up. All your lifts would train you to stay upright, and build quads. Knees in front of the bar, maybe even knees turning in.
