Deadlift Problems

[Brother Francis]

Hey Rip,

It's Francis from Canadia. Since going to your seminar back at the end of July, my squat, bench, clean, press, and bodyweight have all gone up satisfactorily but the deadlift has given me no end of trouble. I just can't seem to set up properly and have terrible lumbar rounding when lifting pretty much anything over 225.

Today I managed this set at 255. Which I think looks acceptable, although the 5th is a little sketchy.

I recall pulling 275 at the seminar. This is what 295 looked like a few weeks ago: Shitty deadlifts.

I know the hips start too low in the 295 pull. Even when I start with the hips higher, they still look like that though. If you have any words of advice, I would really appreciate it.

Thank you very much for your time and thank you, again, for the phenomenal seminar earlier this summer!

[Mark Rippetoe]

I think the belt may be interfering with your perception of the set position. A think belt does this to me. Take off the belt, make sure your toes are pointed a little out, shove your knees out a little, squeeze the chest up and pull. See if this helps.

[Brother Francis]

That sounds about right, actually. I can never get the belt to feel comfortable on deadlifts. I'll try without it on Friday. Thanks!

[Subsistence]

I feel like the issue isn't the weight. At 295 you seem to start out rounded, before you ever pull the bar off the ground.

[DoctorWho]

I couldn't tell from the video, but are you using dual-overhand grip? Switching from a DOH grip to alternating, hook grip can shoot you up 50 pounds in your deadlift. Don't ask how I know that.

[Brother Francis]

I use a hook grip when the weight gets heavy. I've pulled 415 with no grip problems (but some pretty brutal back problems). In the 255 video I'm just using DOH though. I don't like the feel of the alternating grip.

[hbriem]

Deadlifting always feels heavy with an overhand grip. 150kg (331 lbs) feels heavy to me overhand. Mixed grip, it's like a feather, not even a warmup weight. For me, using mixed grip is about 50kg (110 lbs) stronger than hook grip, about 80kg (176 lbs) stronger than overhand.

[cjangelo]

I think the belt may be interfering with your perception of the set position. A think belt does this to me.

I'd like to second this. I just recently got so goddamn frustrated with it I stopped using it when pulling, and my form just feels better. In particular, I am better able to use the lats to pull the bar into me, keeping the bar in contact with my legs and making the movement more efficient. With the belt the bar seems to get away from me--that is, drift forward.

I'd be interested to see if anyone else had this experience.

Unfortunately, I can't pull as much weight without the belt. That's pretty lame. Any suggestions for re-incorporating the belt would also be welcomed.