Form Check: Deadlift

[Advanced?]

Hi Starting Strenghth Team
,
I am realy new to weightlifting and especially to deadlift.
I would really appreciate it if you can formcheck my Set.
It's Part of my 5x5 StrongLifts and its not that heavy at the moment.
Keep up the nice work and all the best from Germany,

Fabian

Link 1x5 90kg: YouTube
Link 1x5 90kg: YouTube

PS: I struggle with the set-up in the last part. "Bring your chest up" is hard for me to follow, but next set i will focus on that in more detail!

[Dillon Spencer]

You're right that the "bring your chest up" step is the weakest link here. Really focus on getting your nipples pointed at the wall in front of you. At this weight you may even feel the bar start to break the floor if you're squeezing up hard enough. Are you able to arch your lower back when just standing? Seems like a silly question, but lots of people can't.

You're also lowering the bar around your knees on the way back down, causing the bar to creep forward of mid foot throughout the set. To lower it, stick your butt back until the bar passes your knees, then break at the knees to get it the rest of the way to the floor.

Also, if you're doing 5x5 on deadlifts, be prepared to stall out sooner than later. Around here the program calls for 1 set of 5 on deadlifts for novices because they get very strenuous very quickly.

[Satch12879]

Lose the belt until you learn to control your lower back. Also, that's not the kind of belt you're going to want to use anyway.

[Eric Schexnayder]

I agree to ditch the belt.

Another cue, which I prefer, is to think about pulling the bend out of the bar. Lift your chest/upper back up in an attempt to bend the barbell upward before starting the pull. You may end up lifting the bar off the ground at this weight, at Dillon pointed out, but this may help you get your upper back set harder. At the same time, try to touch your butt to the back of your head.

When you start the pull from this position, don't actually think about "pulling" the bar up. Think about holding on to the bar and using it as leverage to push the floor away from you.

[Advanced?]

You're right that the "bring your chest up" step is the weakest link here. Really focus on getting your nipples pointed at the wall in front of you. At this weight you may even feel the bar start to break the floor if you're squeezing up hard enough. Are you able to arch your lower back when just standing? Seems like a silly question, but lots of people can't.

You're also lowering the bar around your knees on the way back down, causing the bar to creep forward of mid foot throughout the set. To lower it, stick your butt back until the bar passes your knees, then break at the knees to get it the rest of the way to the floor.

Also, if you're doing 5x5 on deadlifts, be prepared to stall out sooner than later. Around here the program calls for 1 set of 5 on deadlifts for novices because they get very strenuous very quickly.

Hey. Thank you for your Tipps. My Programm just asks for 1x5Dl and atm the weight imcreases by 5kg each Workout. There are some Sets with lower weight before the 1x5.

Lose the belt until you learn to control your lower back. Also, that's not the kind of belt you're going to want to use anyway.

Okay.


Today i did my 1x95kg DL and I realy tried to point the Nipples to the Wall... But i also tried to raise my Head to see if that can help to have a straight back..
Unfortunatly i think it isnt way better. What do you think, do i have to lower the weight to learn it? It doesnt feel toooo heavy, but the Video says other..

Next time i also try the last Tipps as well. I am 1.91m tall btw, do you think the Plates can be not high enough? I hope i can manage it without adjusting the plate height, because at the End i want to have a solid no Equipment DL for crossfit as well!

Thanks alot for your nice Input!

DL 1x95kg
YouTube

[Advanced?]

Bump

[misspelledgeoff]

I don't think these are bad deadlifts. I would like to see more arch in the thoracic and lumbar spine. That's the whole point of the 'chest up' and 'nipples to wall' cues is to get you to set your back in extension (arched) as you start the pull.

[Bekah Cygan]

Fabian-

Really nice adjustment on your second set of deadlifts. Do you see how your t shirt is wrinkling from the top of the collar to the hips? That is a good tell that you are setting your back properly. The bar is also set up over mid-foot much better throughout your set here. You will probably want to use a 3 inch wide belt for deadlifts. I don't think you need the belt yet though. The weight is still light. Have you read the Starting Strength Programming book? You will probably get farther as to how much weight you can add to the bar with doing only one heavy set of five in your workout. Deadlift 2x a week and keep adding weight to the bar. When it gets heavier- add a narrower belt.

Thanks for submitting your form check!