Deadlift fail form check

[SS2016]

Link -> x - YouTube
Last warm up set = 142.5kg x 1 x 2
Working set = 162.5kg x 1 x 2 (fail)
Height = 6ft 5.5
Age = 20

I filmed my working set from the side as I wanted to see the degree of lumbar flexion

This is my first time using a belt while deadlifting

I'm pretty annoyed I failed. I felt my back rounding immediately from rep #1 and it would have got worse with each rep so I didn't want to fuck my back up.

My squat is pretty low (125kg x 3 x 5 high bar) so maybe when that gets into the 140kg range, my deadlift will get stronger. I dont know.

Thoughts/criticisms/suggestions?

Thanks

[Mia Inman]

As you squeeze up, you're letting your hips drop just a bit, and the bar moves forward of the midfoot just a bit. As a result, a) you don't get squeezed up enough, and b) the bar is drifting forward as you start the pull.

So, shins a little more vertical, lock those hips in place, and squeeze your chest up as hard as you can.

You're also dipping/bending the knees a little as you initiate the pull. So, you've lost any tension that you generated while squeezing up.

Instead, create tension in your body by driving your feet into the ground (just enough to create tension, not enough to start the pull) and squeezing the chest up to take the slack out of the bar. Once you're nice and tight, then drive your feet harder to initiate the pull.

[Nick Klemetson]

Short arms + long legs = hard to deadlift.

Additionally, adding a belt to a deadlift can be difficult until you get used to it.

That being said, I agree with everything Mia said. Just keep working at it, and don't be afraid to grind through some hard reps. Your spine won't snap in half.

[SS2016]

Thanks for the responses.

Yep, I agree with you Mia. I noticed some of those issues before but never fully addressed them and now they're coming back to bite me. I'll definitely work hard at them.

Should I drop the weight back to 160kg or should I just attempt 162.5kg again?

Also, Nick, I was under the impression that I had long arms, or at least they were normal proportioned. What from the video indicates that I have short arms?

Thanks again for your input.

[Mia Inman]

Should I drop the weight back to 160kg or should I just attempt 162.5kg again?

I'd say try for 162.5 again. Maybe you just had a bad day and/or, as Nick said, it can take some time to get used to the belt. If you can't get all the reps the second time, you could reset a bit.

(To get used to the belt, you could use it for all your warmup sets and the worksets. Once you're good with the belt, just use it for the last warmup set and then the workset.)

Independent of the weight on the bar, you need to get your back flat/normal anatomical arch prior to the pull (i.e. squeeze up harder!).

If you can get your back flat in your setup, and you can hold it flat during the pull, keep going up in weight.

If you can get your back flat in your setup, but can't hold it flat during the pull (i.e. your erectors are not strong enough because you haven't asked them to get strong as the weight increased), drop the weight down until you can hold it flat through the pull, then work the weight back up over time.

(Make sure you keep a flat back on the way back down).

Nick may have some thoughts on this as well.

[Nick Klemetson]

What from the video indicates that I have short arms?

Because when you're standing up, your arms barely reach past your junk. Looks like the bar hits your berries on every rep.

Compare to Lamar Gant, who barely needs to get the bar past his knees.

Lamar Gant, built for deadlift - YouTube

[SS2016]

Thanks for your responses.

I did light deadlifts yesterday (can't do power cleans due to long forearms relative to my humerus and lack of a coach) and implemented the cues you guys recommended. The bar didn't move forward and my back was held in extension. It felt harder than I anticipated since I haven't used the cue of "pushing the floor away with my feet" for months and my lower back is probably weak due to not being trained correctly for the last few months. My hamstrings and lower back have DOMS this morning, which is indicative of how stupid I was for ignoring this cue.

I'll definitely have to deload back to 150kg as there's not a chance I could do 162.5kg without my back rounding.

I think my arms are of normal length, but I have long legs (particularly my femurs). This is both a relief and annoying as I was frustrated as to why my deadlift wasn't as high as it should be (considering I thought I had long arms which should improve my leverages) and now I realise I had no advantage in that department. It's annoying as I always thought I had long arms.

Again, thanks for all of your help.

[Mia Inman]

Sounds like you've made good progress with your form. Now that you have a better sense of your deadlift, you'll be able to work back up to 162.5 and beyond.

I train a young man who grew 4 inches in a few months, and I swear it was mostly in his femurs. Doesn't make deadlifting very easy. He would understand your frustration.

Keep working at it!