Deadlift form check with video

[Wzo4]

Hi,

I'm a deadlift newbie, can you please review my deadlift form with 60 KG?.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLKJNxwxqys

Two things I've noticed:

1) I kept my back neutral only in the first few reps, after those reps it got a little rounded.
Is it too rounded or it's actually OK?, could it be that this roundness is actually my natural back position?, I really try hard to keep it neutral throughout the entire movement (lifting the chest up) how can i improve this if it's necessary?.

2) My feet raises up and outwards when i pull the bar from the floor.
I know that when pulling, I need to push the floor away with my midfoot, but my feet still raises up even when i'm doing that. Any suggestions? (I have a low arched feet if it matters).


Thanks .

[carson]

Let me begin by welcoming you. Some people get offended when we respond to them. I hope you will take my comments seriously as an attempt to answer your question. I must first know a few things. Have you read the basic books? If you have you have not understood them and you may get pissed at what we say. If you haven't you need to do so. If you are serious about lifting and don't wish to hurt yourself and/or get discouraged follow the plan.

1. Your hips are way too low. They should be almost parallel to the floor.
2. Don't lift with your back. Lift with your legs and hips.
3. Don't raise your head.
4. Get proper shoes.

That's for a starter. The weight looks light for you but if you follow the program and use proper SS technique you will be lifting increasingly heavier weights and do them safely.

[tmcnulty]

Welcome to the forum.

1. You can get your back flatter than that on all your reps. Regardless, show us a heavy set of five next time.
2. Not sure what "up and outward means," but you should make your feet stay on the ground. Maybe it's your wide stance.

Set up for the deadlift exactly as described in Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training. Mark has reproduced the instructions here: Deadlift starting Position Critique

There's also nearly 30 minutes of Mark coaching the deadlift on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...0XP1y9RuRcKL9T

Hope that helps.

[Wzo4]

Let me begin by welcoming you. Some people get offended when we respond to them. I hope you will take my comments seriously as an attempt to answer your question. I must first know a few things. Have you read the basic books? If you have you have not understood them and you may get pissed at what we say. If you haven't you need to do so. If you are serious about lifting and don't wish to hurt yourself and/or get discouraged follow the plan.

1. Your hips are way too low. They should be almost parallel to the floor.
2. Don't lift with your back. Lift with your legs and hips.
3. Don't raise your head.
4. Get proper shoes.

That's for a starter. The weight looks light for you but if you follow the program and use proper SS technique you will be lifting increasingly heavier weights and do them safely.

Thanks for the welcoming .
I'm not offended by the criticism, on the contrary, i posted this message in order to get comments on my deadlift.
I've learned the technique by watching Rippetoe's videos. I've also just started to read the chapter of the deadlift in the SS book.

Regarding your remarks:

1) How can i know how high to place the hips, isn't the height depends on the body type?. In Mark's 5 step setup, he just mentions not to drop the hips, but how can i know to what height to set them in the first place?.

2) The problem is that i'm trying to push the floor away with my feet, how comes my back still does the most of the work?.

4) Aren't Chucks good enough for deadlift?.

Thanks for your help and comments.

[Wzo4]

Welcome to the forum.

1. You can get your back flatter than that on all your reps. Regardless, show us a heavy set of five next time.
2. Not sure what "up and outward means," but you should make your feet stay on the ground. Maybe it's your wide stance.

Set up for the deadlift exactly as described in Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training. Mark has reproduced the instructions here: Deadlift starting Position Critique

There's also nearly 30 minutes of Mark coaching the deadlift on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...0XP1y9RuRcKL9T

Hope that helps.

By "up and outward" i mean that my feet goes up and right.
Thanks for the info and videos.

[Austin Baraki]

1) How can i know how high to place the hips, isn't the height depends on the body type?. In Mark's 5 step setup, he just mentions not to drop the hips, but how can i know to what height to set them in the first place?.

Yes, it does depend on the body type. Follow the setup steps exactly and you'll be where you need to be; that is, when you set up 1) with the appropriate stance (you might be a bit wide there, but can't tell for sure from this angle), 2) with the shins 1" away from the bar, 3) take your grip, and 4) push your shins to just touch (but NOT MOVE) the bar, your hips will be where they need to be. Your job, from there, is to 5) flatten your back by "squeezing" your chest up (or whatever other cue works for you), without dropping your hips from that position. It will feel extremely tight, and not be comfortable. Part of your problem is that you're trying to look straight forward (perhaps to see yourself in a mirror?). Stop that and pick a spot on the floor to look at, say, 10-15 feet in front of you.

2) The problem is that i'm trying to push the floor away with my feet, how comes my back still does the most of the work?.

I'm not really sure what carson meant by "lift with your legs and hips, not your back." The deadlift is a back exercise, in addition to using the legs/hips. Other than your hips being a bit too low at the start, the way you're pulling the bar is fine. Just make sure you complete the lockout at the top (you should be standing fully upright, lift your chest, complete the hip extension).

4) Aren't Chucks good enough for deadlift?.

Yes, although there is an argument for deadlifting in weightlifting shoes as well. You should have some for squatting anyway, so consider giving them a try and see how you like them on the deadlift.

[Wzo4]

Yes, it does depend on the body type. Follow the setup steps exactly and you'll be where you need to be; that is, when you set up 1) with the appropriate stance (you might be a bit wide there, but can't tell for sure from this angle), 2) with the shins 1" away from the bar, 3) take your grip, and 4) push your shins to just touch (but NOT MOVE) the bar, your hips will be where they need to be. Your job, from there, is to 5) flatten your back by "squeezing" your chest up (or whatever other cue works for you), without dropping your hips from that position. It will feel extremely tight, and not be comfortable. Part of your problem is that you're trying to look straight forward (perhaps to see yourself in a mirror?). Stop that and pick a spot on the floor to look at, say, 10-15 feet in front of you.



I'm not really sure what carson meant by "lift with your legs and hips, not your back." The deadlift is a back exercise, in addition to using the legs/hips. Other than your hips being a bit too low at the start, the way you're pulling the bar is fine. Just make sure you complete the lockout at the top (you should be standing fully upright, lift your chest, complete the hip extension).



Yes, although there is an argument for deadlifting in weightlifting shoes as well. You should have some for squatting anyway, so consider giving them a try and see how you like them on the deadlift.

Thanks for your input.

BTW, I really felt my lower back and didn't really feel my legs, could the reason for that be the fact that my hips were too low?. Should i feel my legs more than the lower back?.

[Austin Baraki]

Not necessarily.

One last thing - keep your weight balanced on your mid-foot. I just watched it again and noticed you shifting your weight back onto your heels during each rep (toes came off the floor). This would certainly improve if you wore weightlifting shoes... But you could also just not do it in chucks either.

[carson]

Thanks for your input.

BTW, I really felt my lower back and didn't really feel my legs, could the reason for that be the fact that my hips were too low?. Should i feel my legs more than the lower back?.

The answer is probably. If you lower your hips you will naturally round your back because your back is doing all of the work or lack of work. Obviously the back is engaged but it must be as stiff as a board. Can you imagine putting a glass of water on your back and not spilling it. That is how hard and how flat it must be. Your body is like a machine. Every part must be hard then push against the floor.

[Wzo4]

Thanks for your effort and comments.

I made a new video, hopefully with better form, i've tried to apply your feedbacks, i also added additional 10KG (maybe that was a mistake since i'm not sure that my form is OK).
Is it better now?, what do i still have to improve?. I think that now i have a more neutral back and my feet raises much less, but i still have to work on those two issues some more, correct?.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnbB3zw1qaE