Deadlift form check (low back pain)

[bruno]

Hi,

I hope you're doing well. I would really appreciate some advice on my deadlift form. Since I have low back pain after my deadlifts, I am likely doing something wrong.

I feel like getting into proper position is difficult. For instance, if I want to be balanced over mid-foot, I have to either a) lean forward more than I like with high hips and horizontal back angle (see video below), or b) drop my hips really low and have a more vertical back angle (not shown in video). In the latter case, clearing my knees from the ideal vertical bar path is really difficult (or very awkward to do), and I still feel too much weight on my heels.

A note about my proportions : I have a long torso (I have the torso of the average 6 feet guy, but I'm only 5'6'', and I also have relatively short limbs). I believe this might complicate things a little. Or am I wrong ?

Here is a video of my deadlift :

Thank you !

[Devyn Stewart]

That weight looks much too light to draw any inference from. You might not even be able to move the way you are right here at all on a 5rm.

Here's my $0.02:

It looks like your positioning is wrong because your hips are way too high. You can see that when you have a flat back, your shoulders are quite far out in front of the bar. When you hyperextend your back, which you appear to do before you start, at least on this very light set, then it appears as though your shoulders are close to the correct position. However, you're artificially shortening the back segment by hyperextending it, and your leverage would thank you if you just lowered your hips a bit more.

Have you watched the 5 step deadlift video? If you have, I think your problem is in step #3, bringing your shins to the bar. FWIW, I'm 6'3" with the torso of a 7'0" man (just kidding, but you get the point), and I had a similar problem to you. Not sure if it's at all related to anthropometry, but I would lean forward off balance to bring my shins to the bar. In order to start the pull, I'd have to bring my shoulders back and get into balance before the bar would leave the ground. In doing this, my back rounded before the bar left the ground. My hunch is that this is happening to you when the weight is heavier, and it might be causing your lower back pain. The way I fixed this was by thinking about bending at the knees to bring my shins to the bar. Your hips are supposed to drop a bit during step #3, but only to a certain degree, so just bend your knees until your shins touch the bar. At that point, keep your hips where they are and proceed to step #4.

Hope this helps. If a SS coach or more experienced trainee posts and thinks they know what's happening, please do feel free to ignore what I've said. Good luck!

[Satch12879]

Bar is behind mid-foot. Look at the shins. Vertical.

OP, check your setup. Move the bar a little more towards your toes. That should fix things.

If you feel like you’re going around your knees, that means you’re opening your hips/back angle too early. Think about pushing the floor away.

Give us a video from the front quarter next time.

And keep your shoes on.

[bruno]

I went and listen to the 5 step deadlift video. Interesting, thanks !

I will try to get my hips lower, bend at the knee to the barbell, and see if that helps.

[Devyn Stewart]

I went and listen to the 5 step deadlift video. Interesting, thanks !

I will try to get my hips lower, bend at the knee to the barbell, and see if that helps.

Sure, dude. Feel free to upload a video once you think you've gotten the hang of it (or not). I'd love to see if things have gotten better.

[bruno]

Bar is behind mid-foot. Look at the shins. Vertical.

OP, check your setup. Move the bar a little more towards your toes. That should fix things.

If you feel like you’re going around your knees, that means you’re opening your hips/back angle too early. Think about pushing the floor away.

Give us a video from the front quarter next time.

And keep your shoes on.

Indeed, I usually find that my knees are in the way. That was one of the reasons I tried to not get my hips in a lower position (it pushed my knees forward). I'll try to extend my knees sooner and see if that helps. Thanks for the tips.

Also, why would you recommend keeping my shoes on ? They are quite elevated at the heels (they are standard running shoes...). Wouldn't that put me in a deficit ? Or are you saying that I should simply buy shoes for deadlifting ?

[csorthofeet]

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[Mark Rippetoe]

If this spam wasn't so funny, I'd delete it immediately.

[Satch12879]

Indeed, I usually find that my knees are in the way. That was one of the reasons I tried to not get my hips in a lower position (it pushed my knees forward). I'll try to extend my knees sooner and see if that helps. Thanks for the tips.

Also, why would you recommend keeping my shoes on ? They are quite elevated at the heels (they are standard running shoes...). Wouldn't that put me in a deficit ? Or are you saying that I should simply buy shoes for deadlifting ?

"Standard running shoes" are no more appropriate for strength training than 3-inch stilettos are appropriate for a real sport like bowling. I'm saying, get a pair of real weightlifting shoes, Adidas, Nike, Do-Win, etc. and keep them on.

In brief, shoes give you a stable platform to push against and stabilize all of the bones of the foot. The heel helps a little with setting the back and can add a little more quadriceps into the movement. You are pulling somewhere in the 200s if that; worry about deficits, which in the case of a 5/8-3/4 inch heel is around a quarter of an inch, when you're in the 400s or more. You might not even worry then.

[bruno]

"Standard running shoes" are no more appropriate for strength training than 3-inch stilettos are appropriate for a real sport like bowling. I'm saying, get a pair of real weightlifting shoes, Adidas, Nike, Do-Win, etc. and keep them on.

In brief, shoes give you a stable platform to push against and stabilize all of the bones of the foot. The heel helps a little with setting the back and can add a little more quadriceps into the movement. You are pulling somewhere in the 200s if that; worry about deficits, which in the case of a 5/8-3/4 inch heel is around a quarter of an inch, when you're in the 400s or more. You might not even worry then.

That's good to know, thanks. I also found some additional info here :