I’ve been working on setting the back correctly.
Watching it back it looks weird to me - I can’t work out if I’m rounding my lower back, or pulling from my back, or if it’s actually OK now? Can anyone help me?
I’ve been working on setting the back correctly.
Watching it back it looks weird to me - I can’t work out if I’m rounding my lower back, or pulling from my back, or if it’s actually OK now? Can anyone help me?
Doesn’t look like you’re rounding it while you lift, but you start with it rounded at the setup and then consciously flatten it out. Seems decent.
You get so tight that during the lift you have to hold your breath and go in slow motion. That’s why you’re seeing stars and out of breath. You shouldnt be that tight.
Then after you complete a rep you relax so much that you get into a really bad position and its hard to get set back up for the next rep. Like all tension is lost and you’re starting all the way over. You shouldnt be that relaxed.
Its like you’re trying both too hard and not hard enough.
I think an easy way to fix this would be to use Loaded Carries like the two dumbbell farmers walk and the 1 dumbbell suitcase carry somewhere in your workout for awhile.
Instead of focusing on the minute details of breathing, bracing and lifting technique, carry some dumb shit around. It will teach you how to get braced and stay tight (but not too tight) while breathing and moving. And how to relax but not get too relaxed under a load.
Bar over mid foot, shoulders over bar, then push your hips forward/upward.
But Flats’s tips are really great.
Being bent over the bar as long as you do would take about 10% of my strength away. That said, more people I see today, totally reset after every rep, than just pull the weight.
I wanted my back completely relaxed before I bent over to pick up the bar. The longer I was bent over the bar, the weaker I felt like I got. Every powerlifting meet that I did, once I warmed up, I was lying on my back - resting my erectors. When I was called on deck, I got up and approached the lifting area. Once the bar was loaded for my lift, I walked to the bar and positioned my feet in the proper position relative to the bar. I stood up and stared straight ahead, visualizing the lift, until straight ahead looked blurred. And then positioned my hands, shoulder width with opposing grip. At a medium speed I dropped to grab the bar and “gripped it and ripped it.” I was bent over the bar for only moments. (I should mention that I had totally mastered the technique, at least as well as I knew.)
Thanks for this. I’ll try and speed everything up - it has been killing me just holding the position and that’s going to be part of why
Coming here to echo: I also think you’re down there too long.
I think you’ll improve with just practice.
Really picky, I think you could start extending your hips through just a tad earlier, but you’re tall and it’s hard to see if maybe your knees are in the way.
You do actually pack your lats and get tight, which is the hardest thing for most folks to learn, so I think you’re in a good spot.
@FlatsFarmer those are really interesting points! I don’t know that I’ve ever really thought about being too tight for the lift, but you’re right you definitely can be especially with reps and that long a setup.