Beginner - Deadlift Form Check

[phased]

hi all,

would appreciate any critique and tips on my deadlift form:

YouTube

for a bit of context, i am a 31yo, 183cm (6'), 68kg (150lbs) beginner - been lifting about 6 months. i hope to undertake a proper strength type program (although my ultimate goal is to put on weight). i have a history of lower back pain and have already tweaked my back a couple of times when upping weight and (probably) losing form. i have brought the weight back down and hope to nail the sequencing before upping again.

initially i found the deadlift movement to be quite unnatural. after some research (rip, alan thrall) and practice, i am feeling more confident now - but would love some feedback. this is the first time i've taped myself and have already noticed a few things:

• bar seems to travel fairly vertically on the way up, but this isn't the case going down. i was taught to keep the bar against my thigh / shins, is this not correct?

• after erroneously 'squatting my deadlifts' when i started, i now maintain proper high hips (i think?). i note i rock back slightly before pulling - perhaps in a (subconscious) effort to centre my shoulder blades over the bar. is this acceptable?

• as a further consequence of my high hips (and relatively long torso), my torso isn't far off horizontal when i commence the movement. is this a problem? does this stress my lower back more than say slightly lower hips, and slightly more upright torso? which is most desirable?

• my back appears & maintains neutral. i brace my core before and during the lift and attempt to engage my lats (although i find the latter difficult). i also to try to push my legs laterally into my elbows upon engaging as per alan thrall advice. i suffer lower back pain so would like advice on how to minimise risk here.

• while the higher hips definitely have helped use my glutes & hammies, i still feel like i could better engage my posterior chain. i feel as if my lower back (and to a lesser degrees quads) still take a fair bit of the load. is this normal?

appreciate any advice! cheers

[Mark Rippetoe]

my back appears & maintains neutral. i brace my core before and during the lift and attempt to engage my lats (although i find the latter difficult). i also to try to push my legs laterally into my elbows upon engaging as per alan thrall advice. i suffer lower back pain so would like advice on how to minimise risk here.

Back Pain and Back Strength | Mark Rippetoe

[Justin Smale]

Form looks decent but check when you're breathing during the lift. Air goes in and out at the bottom.

[Jeff LC]

i think you need to focus on re-setting, re-bracing, re-squeezing, etc at the bottom. You are kind of "touch and go"-ing it, even though you don't exactly bounce off the floor, but you're touching down, not adjusting yourself at all and then just re-lifting attempting to maintain the tightness you established prior to the first rep, throughout the entire set.

You should bend over grab the bar, bend your shins to the bar, take a deeeeeep breath, and then flatten the back and SQUEEZE chest up and brace/flex, do the rep all while holding your brreath, bring the weight back down still while holding your breath, then once it's on the floor, you can exhale, but then you have to reset again, breathe in again deep, then arch lower back and focus on doing another squeeze of the chest to tighten/brace the spine, before going for the next rep.

you do a decent job maintaining back tightness none the less, but as it gets heavier you will find that without re-bracing and re-breathing at the bottom after each rep, you will have a tough time maintaining tightness.

Also, your negetives do not need to be so slow.

[Jeff LC]

Also i found a cue that helped with feeling like my lower back was handling all the load, was after you are done setting up and you are inhaled, and tight, and squeezed, and braced, and ready to lift, instead of thinking about lifting the weight. Just think about standing up by driving your feet into the ground and feeling the lift that way. That helped me to utilize my glutes more, i think. It's Just a mental cue, not an actual change in form, shouldn't change the actual form, but does maybe help muscle recruitment of the posterior chain, if it works for you like it worked for me.