Deadlift form check please

[996GT2]

This was the 5th and last set of the day @ 185.

How's the form? What should I change? Thanks

http://s78.photobucket.com/alb...current=1246205347.flv

 

[Howard]

Holy crap. Are you doing good mornings?

 

[mchammer187]

you gotta use your legs more (knees bent)

you are pretty much lifting it up using your back

bar should literally scrape your shins and thighs all the way up (wear long socks or pants)

weight should not be distributed on your toes (stick your toes up and try to lift it)



at the start of your lift your knees should be over the bar and your shins should be touching it

 

[brikis98]

I don't mean to be insulting, but that is a very ugly and dangerous deadlift. Your back is rounding badly, you're not using your legs, the bar is not in contact with your shins and so on. You are not going to be able to lift much weight this way and if you do, you'll probably injure yourself.

Before things get really bad, I STRONGLY recommend you pick up a copy of Starting Strength and read it cover to cover. It contains the best written instruction of the major barbell lifts, including the squat, deadlift, oh press, bench press, and power clean, that I've seen anywhere. If you're going to spend countless hours doing weight training, it's well worth $30 and a few hours of reading to make sure you're doing it right. The complementary DVD is also excellent, though not essential. Of course, if you're a total cheapskate, at the very least read through the Stronglifts deadlift tutorial and all the related articles at the bottom of the page.

 

[996GT2]

Originally posted by: brikis98
I don't mean to be insulting, but that is a very ugly and dangerous deadlift. Your back is rounding badly, you're not using your legs, the bar is not in contact with your shins and so on. You are not going to be able to lift much weight this way and if you do, you'll probably injure yourself.

Before things get really bad, I STRONGLY recommend you pick up a copy of Starting Strength and read it cover to cover. It contains the best written instruction of the major barbell lifts, including the squat, deadlift, oh press, bench press, and power clean, that I've seen anywhere. If you're going to spend countless hours doing weight training, it's well worth $30 and a few hours of reading to make sure you're doing it right. The complementary DVD is also excellent, though not essential. Of course, if you're a total cheapskate, at the very least read through the Stronglifts deadlift tutorial and all the related articles at the bottom of the page.

Will do and post another video next time I go out. Thanks guys.

Glad I checked form at least.

 

[996GT2]

Wait, I just saw that what I'm doing right now is more like a stiff-leg deadlift.

What's the difference?
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExer...BStiffLegDeadlift.html

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: 996GT2
Wait, I just saw that what I'm doing right now is more like a stiff-leg deadlift.

What's the difference?
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExer...BStiffLegDeadlift.html

However, with a poor form. Straight legs still usually require a flat arch with only very little rounding. Stiff-leg DLs work much more back and stretch the hamstrings a lot. They're a specific type of DL and you're probably deadlifting less because of it. Normal DLs involve both legs and back and will allow for maximum weight to be used (in the long run). You would still have to clean up your form to do straight leg DLs as well.

 

[996GT2]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: 996GT2
Wait, I just saw that what I'm doing right now is more like a stiff-leg deadlift.

What's the difference?
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExer...BStiffLegDeadlift.html

However, with a poor form. Straight legs still usually require a flat arch with only very little rounding. Stiff-leg DLs work much more back and stretch the hamstrings a lot. They're a specific type of DL and you're probably deadlifting less because of it. Normal DLs involve both legs and back and will allow for maximum weight to be used (in the long run). You would still have to clean up your form to do straight leg DLs as well.

Ok, I will try to use more legs and keep my back straight on the normal DLs, but according to what I'm reading here it's normal to arch the back on straight-leg DLs?

http://www.exrx.net/Questions/...ises.html#anchor416052

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: 996GT2

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: 996GT2
Wait, I just saw that what I'm doing right now is more like a stiff-leg deadlift.

What's the difference?
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExer...BStiffLegDeadlift.html

However, with a poor form. Straight legs still usually require a flat arch with only very little rounding. Stiff-leg DLs work much more back and stretch the hamstrings a lot. They're a specific type of DL and you're probably deadlifting less because of it. Normal DLs involve both legs and back and will allow for maximum weight to be used (in the long run). You would still have to clean up your form to do straight leg DLs as well.

Ok, I will try to use more legs and keep my back straight on the normal DLs, but according to what I'm reading here it's normal to arch the back on straight-leg DLs?

http://www.exrx.net/Questions/...ises.html#anchor416052

Not really as much as they show in the gif. I would honestly not round my back as much as that. Plus, when do you ever do a straight leg DL in real life? A normal DL is very, very functional. If you had to pick up a tree that landed on a friend of your's, you would use your legs AND back. Why not train in a way that allows you to be most functional? Straight leg DLs are supplemental, not necessary.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
Straight leg DLs are supplemental, not necessary.

This is the key point. The straight leg DL is a supplemental exercise used to strengthen the lower back and hamstrings to better prepare you for a normal (bent leg) DL. Straight leg DL's are usually done with MUCH less weight and are generally only useful for advanced trainees. Moreover, the guy in the picture is doing the straight leg DL on a platform to increase the ROM, which makes it a still more advanced exercise and one to be done with still lighter weights. Stiff legged DL's for most people are done without a platform and with the back locked in extension, both of which reduce the ROM, but also make it a much safer exercise.

At any rate, just about all beginner and intermediate trainees should be doing the bent leg deadlift with the back completely locked in extension.

 

[BigPoppa]

Few pointers:

1. Deadlift. Starts dead from the floor as the name states. Put the weight on the floor every rep. Avoid bouncing if you're going for strength. Again, DEADlift.
2. Don't jerk the weight up. Smooth motion. Tighten up the slack in your back/hams/arms then start the pull.
3. Your back wasn't all that rounded, but avoid the roundness in the lower back. My upper back rounds a bit on heavy pulls, but the lower back stays straight as a board.
4. Everyone pulls a bit different due to leverages, but try to start with your ass down a little bit. Chest up, butt down. This will aid your lower back in not rounding.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: BigPoppa
Few pointers:

1. Deadlift. Starts dead from the floor as the name states. Put the weight on the floor every rep. Avoid bouncing if you're going for strength. Again, DEADlift.
2. Don't jerk the weight up. Smooth motion. Tighten up the slack in your back/hams/arms then start the pull.
3. Your back wasn't all that rounded, but avoid the roundness in the lower back. My upper back rounds a bit on heavy pulls, but the lower back stays straight as a board.
4. Everyone pulls a bit different due to leverages, but try to start with your ass down a little bit. Chest up, butt down. This will aid your lower back in not rounding.

Agreed on most of these points except for the first part. If you completely deload each rep, you're essentially making each rep a single. That puts a much higher strain on the CNS and will produce CNS fatigue much more quickly. I don't advocate bouncing the weight, but a light tap on the ground works well then the weight goes back up.

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: BigPoppa
Few pointers:

1. Deadlift. Starts dead from the floor as the name states. Put the weight on the floor every rep. Avoid bouncing if you're going for strength. Again, DEADlift.
2. Don't jerk the weight up. Smooth motion. Tighten up the slack in your back/hams/arms then start the pull.
3. Your back wasn't all that rounded, but avoid the roundness in the lower back. My upper back rounds a bit on heavy pulls, but the lower back stays straight as a board.
4. Everyone pulls a bit different due to leverages, but try to start with your ass down a little bit. Chest up, butt down. This will aid your lower back in not rounding.

Agreed on most of these points except for the first part. If you completely deload each rep, you're essentially making each rep a single. That puts a much higher strain on the CNS and will produce CNS fatigue much more quickly. I don't advocate bouncing the weight, but a light tap on the ground works well then the weight goes back up.

You'll get a lot stronger doing affectively 'paused' reps. If you reset each rep. If you do continous reps they'll be quite some bit easier to do as your body is already under tension.

Work both. Work a few weeks doing continous reps, don't go crazy with bouncing the bar off the floor as it makes it a lot easier. Then do some weeks with a complete reset of your position for each rep.

The amount of weight he is using and the number of sessions a week isn't going to fatigue his CNS that much, unless he gets a lot more advance...

Work on the pointers 996GT2.

Koing

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: BigPoppa
Few pointers:

1. Deadlift. Starts dead from the floor as the name states. Put the weight on the floor every rep. Avoid bouncing if you're going for strength. Again, DEADlift.
2. Don't jerk the weight up. Smooth motion. Tighten up the slack in your back/hams/arms then start the pull.
3. Your back wasn't all that rounded, but avoid the roundness in the lower back. My upper back rounds a bit on heavy pulls, but the lower back stays straight as a board.
4. Everyone pulls a bit different due to leverages, but try to start with your ass down a little bit. Chest up, butt down. This will aid your lower back in not rounding.

Agreed on most of these points except for the first part. If you completely deload each rep, you're essentially making each rep a single. That puts a much higher strain on the CNS and will produce CNS fatigue much more quickly. I don't advocate bouncing the weight, but a light tap on the ground works well then the weight goes back up.

I gotta agree with BigPoppa on this one. When training for strength, every single rep of the deadlift should start "dead" - that is, sitting on the floor. Bouncing should be avoided for 3 reasons:

(1) It's very difficult to maintain proper form and tightness in the deadlift if you bounce. The impact with the ground loosens the tension in the body and attempting to start the next pull at the very next instant means reps 2 and onward are not going to be done with optimal tightness. It's much safer to set the weight down, reset and retighten everything, and then go for the next rep.

(2) The deadlift is all about moving a completely stationary object. By design, there is no momentum or anything to help you. If you bounce, then you are changing this aspect of the lift, as even a light tap on the ground produces some momentum on the bar. This can not only mess up your technique (as mentioned above) but also changes the training effect. After all, if you attempt a 1RM at deadlift, you won't have any bounce to work with, so why train with one?

(3) In many other lifts, such as the squat, there is a "stretch reflex" that you can take advantage of. You can essentially "bounce" out of the hole in the squat by taking advantage of the stretch & contraction of your hamstrings. This lets you use improved hip drive and move more weight. This is NOT the same "bounce" as in the deadlift as the deadlift does not have any real stretch reflex and rather than bouncing it off your muscles (which makes you stronger), you're bouncing off the floor, which effectively makes the exercise easier with no benefit for you.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: brikis98

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: BigPoppa
Few pointers:

1. Deadlift. Starts dead from the floor as the name states. Put the weight on the floor every rep. Avoid bouncing if you're going for strength. Again, DEADlift.
2. Don't jerk the weight up. Smooth motion. Tighten up the slack in your back/hams/arms then start the pull.
3. Your back wasn't all that rounded, but avoid the roundness in the lower back. My upper back rounds a bit on heavy pulls, but the lower back stays straight as a board.
4. Everyone pulls a bit different due to leverages, but try to start with your ass down a little bit. Chest up, butt down. This will aid your lower back in not rounding.

Agreed on most of these points except for the first part. If you completely deload each rep, you're essentially making each rep a single. That puts a much higher strain on the CNS and will produce CNS fatigue much more quickly. I don't advocate bouncing the weight, but a light tap on the ground works well then the weight goes back up.

I gotta agree with BigPoppa on this one. When training for strength, every single rep of the deadlift should start "dead" - that is, sitting on the floor. Bouncing should be avoided for 3 reasons:

(1) It's very difficult to maintain proper form and tightness in the deadlift if you bounce. The impact with the ground loosens the tension in the body and attempting to start the next pull at the very next instant means reps 2 and onward are not going to be done with optimal tightness. It's much safer to set the weight down, reset and retighten everything, and then go for the next rep.

(2) The deadlift is all about moving a completely stationary object. By design, there is no momentum or anything to help you. If you bounce, then you are changing this aspect of the lift, as even a light tap on the ground produces some momentum on the bar. This can not only mess up your technique (as mentioned above) but also changes the training effect. After all, if you attempt a 1RM at deadlift, you won't have any bounce to work with, so why train with one?

(3) In many other lifts, such as the squat, there is a "stretch reflex" that you can take advantage of. You can essentially "bounce" out of the hole in the squat by taking advantage of the stretch & contraction of your hamstrings. This lets you use improved hip drive and move more weight. This is NOT the same "bounce" as in the deadlift as the deadlift does not have any real stretch reflex and rather than bouncing it off your muscles (which makes you stronger), you're bouncing off the floor, which effectively makes the exercise easier with no benefit for you.

I understand what you're saying here and can respect it. I have pretty good proprioception in my body and can tell when I loosen up. When I do, I will completely deload and reset. However, I have had CNS fatigue and I don't like it one bit. My deload is thorough and I don't bounce at all. I let it touch the ground and squeeze all the way back up. Often times, I can't help but deload due to the stupid plates moving/rolling (octagon or decagon shaped plates). Perhaps it would be better to elaborate that it's more like me having a tight grip and already-primed back rather than not deloading. There is definitely no bouncing though. That would be cheating. In essence, I just have to prevent myself from doing 5 singles each set since my back likes to round if I start doing that. Perhaps the way I think of it is more drastic than it actually is.

 

[matas]

There are many variations for deadlifts. Usually you would use your legs more because you should work out shoulders and legs at the same day, not back. Back usually goes with biceps. But you can do deadlifts just for your back, kinda the way you are doing.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: matas
There are many variations for deadlifts. Usually you would use your legs more because you should work out shoulders and legs at the same day, not back. Back usually goes with biceps. But you can do deadlifts just for your back, kinda the way you are doing.

Not if you don't do a bodybuilding split.