Newbie DL form check

[Andrey.]

I started to learn DL with 40 kg for a couple of sessions. I feel I can increase weight, but I'm pretty sure my form is bad (I'm not sure to the what degree, hence the thread). Videos:

- front quarter: DL 1 - YouTube
- side view: DL 2 - YouTube

Problems I identified:

- Not setting the back enough, except maybe prior the first rep (I judge by shirt wrinkles, on subsequent reps they're diminished, though I still trying to set the back). The tension at the start position is hard, so I either put the bar in my fingers thus "making my arms longer" or drop the hips. The bar in the fingers is bad habit to develop? The hips often drop to some degree but I'm not sure if it's critical enough (on video I'm not always see the bar moving forward during this). On subsequent reps it becomes harder to identify proper hips position, so I just put them as high as I can and follow the marks provided in this SS video (shin contact, mid foot, elbow contact at mid-arm).
- Shin position. Is it too close? From the side view they can be seen through the hole in a plate, and it looks too close when standing straight
- Bar path: it travels around the knees. I extend hips too fast on ascent, and bend knees too fast on descent?
- Poor Valsalva, I'm holding the breath and bracing, but the breath is not big (often like a regular breath).
- Shin bruises from the contact with the bar at the start position. The drag is fine, but I'm pushing the bar and shins together at the start to keep everything tight and overdo this, so these spots become red and sore, lasting about a week. I should just make a light contact with shins, right?


The biggest problem I see is the back. It is very hard to set it at the bottom, and I never completely sure if it's "good enough". This is exaggerated by the fact that I try not to hang around for long at the start position, because then I may start feel like passing out at the top (it gets better though).

I would appreciate your comments and suggestions.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I see nothing wrong with this technique. Go on up in weight.

[Andrey.]

So minor hip drop is ok as long as the bar stays in the right place? Here’s my recent 47.5 kg set. I see the bar is moving forward before the 1st rep due to a hip drop. Though it becomes irrelevant on the next reps because I no longer have a reference to compare, but instead an approximation with "mid-arm knee contact"