Problems with deadlift

[Maybach]

Most gyms that "don't allow chalk" are mostly concerned with chalk getting all over the place so that they have to clean it up: any gym that cares enough about their barbells to care if it gets ON the barbells knows that chalk is occasionally necessary. There's a giant LIFTING CHALK PROHIBITED sign in my gym but the owner has said he doesn't give a shit as long as it doesn't get everywhere.

To that end, liquid chalk suits your purposes very well. Just bring a bottle. Works just fine for my hook grip.

[Jakub Nowak]

I missed two workouts. Last time I tried deadlifting 120 kg and I managed to do so, but I think my back was not rigid enough. My phone didn't record the work set, so that's a bummer. Today I set up to pull 115 kg to make sure I don't screw up, and ironically, I did. I forgot to thing about pressing my legs against the floor and a local coach advised me to widen my stance a bit, I think that it was one of the reasons I failed.

I managed to do three reps (the video is below if anyone would like to check out, but I think I need to focus on the cues you gave me so far, so I'm putting it there just if). And I really want to get this damn thing right, It frustrates me that I can't do a relatively simple lift well enough and I want to do it as quickly as possible, so I'm wondering if it makes sense to deadlift on my next workout. After all, it was only three reps and the weight was the same that my squat.

I also thought of paying for coaching, but I'm stubborn and I want to do it the starting strength way and the coach's cues were much different that the five step setup. I'd be really thankful for any advice and I hope you aren't tired of my questions.

2023/09/22 deadlift workout | YouTube

[Mark Rippetoe]

All the standard errors, all in the book. Hips too low/knees too forward/bar forward of mid-foot. I'm really sorry that powerlifting coaches don't understand mechanics, but mechanics operates anyway.

[Maybach]

I think the wider stance was actually good advice: you want to clear room in between your thighs for your belly. This will produce pretty much all the corrections you need: hips can stay higher, knees can stay straighter, and the bar will as a consequence stay over the midfoot.

To be honest these really didn't look hard. Correct these issues but keep getting the weight up. Don't worry if it's not perfect. It won't be perfect until it has to be, and that comes with more weight, not less. You definitely could have gotten this for 5 reps. Add weight, do 5.