When deadlifting, should you 1) look 5-6 feet in front of you or whatever is comfortable or 2) pack your chin into your neck? I’ve seen some strong dudes do both and I currently do option 1.
It’s generally recommended to just keep your neck in line with the rest of the spine. No one will really look at the same spot because some people need to hinge more or less to get down to the bar.
There’s a good video discussion saying you can be successful either way:
Up.
It activates the back, but then when you come to the top position you end up looking straight.
http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/little_known_controversial_deadlift_tips
Up or at booty.
Thanks fellas, I was just watching Mark Bell and he hit a heavy dead where he was literally staring at the floor the whole time.
I’ve always kept neck aligned with my spine, just proper posture. Found that from there I can actually see the bar and follow it up my shin.
In my imagination, I pull from a point at the intersection of my cervical and thoracic spine, like there is a cable going skyward from there. Head on straight, not thrown back completes the illusion.
Anecdote: While spending a lot of time in the head and side judges chairs, I observed that the guys who unnaturally looked skyward TENDED to be the guys who got on their toes or launched over the bar. Head on straight people TENDED to stay flat footed or well heeled. Tended.
[quote]chobbs wrote:
Thanks fellas, I was just watching Mark Bell and he hit a heavy dead where he was literally staring at the floor the whole time.[/quote]
He stares straight down while squatting, as well. On his deadlift, you can usually see him bring his head back right around the same time as the bar passes his knees, so he’ll typically end up looking straight ahead. He did a video detailing this, and noting how Jess Burdick (I think, could’ve been another lifter) was getting his head up too early and it was causing him to have issues at lockout.
I look up while keeping my neck packed. I find when I keep my head neutral, my back rounds worse than it does looking up, my hips start too high, and locking out is even more difficult.
