deadlift form check

[abenn]

Hi Rip,

Got a friend training out of my garage and wanted to get a form check vid for him. I'm not around during the day so I just asked him to film it and I'd throw it on here. Thanks.

http://vimeo.com/22766690

Set starts at 30 seconds. Ignore lifting partner.

[Mark Rippetoe]

3rd rep was the best, the rest went forward off the floor.

[abenn]

Will let him know Monday. Other than that, back angle look okay? Secondly, you reckon it's the shoes pitching him forward? Pretty high heels on them do-wins.

[Mark Rippetoe]

You coached him through the 3rd rep. What did you tell him? The shoes don't help, no.

[Subsistence]

Mark, I was wondering, in these sets is his back in extension? To me it looks slightly rounded. When I see a back rounding like this I usually say it is "borderline" on whether it is rounded or not. Clarification would be great. Thank you for your time.

[Mark Rippetoe]

It's not in extension at all. It's perfectly flat. You apparently have been told that what is actually overextension is the correct position for the low back in a pull. Not only is overextension a worse position to pull from (because you;ll also lock out in overextension, and excellent way to mash your facet joints), the only people that can pull from that position are underweight, hyperflexible, weak individuals. If this is the only position you have observed people pulling from, you train in a CF facility or a PT studio.

[Subsistence]

It's not in extension at all. It's perfectly flat. You apparently have been told that what is actually overextension is the correct position for the low back in a pull. Not only is overextension a worse position to pull from (because you;ll also lock out in overextension, and excellent way to mash your facet joints), the only people that can pull from that position are underweight, hyperflexible, weak individuals. If this is the only position you have observed people pulling from, you train in a CF facility or a PT studio.

I was under the impression that there was extension, in which the back had the regular lordotic curve present, then overextension where that curve was exaggerated. Are you saying the back should not have any lordotic curve present, or are you saying this is an example of someone with a regular lordotic curve?

Either way, thank you for the clarification.

[Mark Rippetoe]

This is the appearance of a normal lordotic curve for a male of average muscle mass. The erectors fill the convex space in the low back.

[franklie]

Coach, Thank you for your exchange with Substinence. Your explanation has eased a concern that I have had. I thought that because my back didn't have an arch visible that perhaps I was doing it wrong or that the lack of curvature was due to the various back injuries that I have had over the years. I think that one of my back injuries may actually have been caused because I hyper extended the lower back in effort to try to maintain an arch.

[Rusi]

According to my small experience if you are able to pull a weight while maintaining a perfect lumbar curve visible from miles away the weight is light for you. This is correct right?