Deadlifting form

Corksham

Hi all, when you deadlift are you supposed to arch your spine backwards at the top of the movement? Or do you stop when your back is straight ie. without bending backwards?

Cheers

Hanley

Corksham wrote:

Hi all, when you deadlift are you supposed to arch your spine backwards at the top of the movement? Or do you stop when your back is straight ie. without bending backwards?

Cheers

Stand straight up.

Arching and leaning back when you're locked out (aka hyperextending) is a BIG no no.

daveirl

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Corksham

Thanks for the replies

Diarmuid

Sorry for hyjacking your thread but I have a deadlift related question. I tried my first deadlift in the gym at the weekend and I could not put into practice what I've read.

The problem I have, is that as I understand that you start with you shins touching the bar. However as I lift (and lower) my knees are overhanging the bar and as a result touch the bar. It feels very awkward. I also feel like I am doing too much work with my back. I keep it dead straight but in the lift my back feels like I am doing a back extension. Is this normal?

tribulus

A video of you deadlifting would really be needed. It sounds a bit like your just squatting down to the bar and pulling rather sitting back into it, in which case you're probably using a lot of lower back.

Can't really say much more without a video.

Diarmuid

so from a balance point of view do you need to be holding the bar to stop from falling back or should you be able to perform the deadlift using a broom handle using perfect form?

Hanley

Diarmuid wrote:

Sorry for hyjacking your thread but I have a deadlift related question. I tried my first deadlift in the gym at the weekend and I could not put into practice what I've read.

The problem I have, is that as I understand that you start with you shins touching the bar. However as I lift (and lower) my knees are overhanging the bar and as a result touch the bar. It feels very awkward. I also feel like I am doing too much work with my back. I keep it dead straight but in the lift my back feels like I am doing a back extension. Is this normal?

It see it being either one of two things;

1) You've really long legs. Which basically means if you try to start too low your knees get in the way. BUT starting too high will destroy your inital drive. It's a delicate balance between having your hips too low and too high

2) As Trib said, you're not sitting back enough.

I wouldn't be ableto do a perfect deadlift with a broom handle anyway...

davyjose

Diarmuid wrote:

I keep [my back] dead straight but in the lift my back feels like I am doing a back extension. Is this normal?

Make sure your leading with the head. Don't let your hips rise before your shoulders, because when your legs become extended, you will be in a position similar to a good morning, which can be harsh on the back. Maybe try starting with a lighter weight if you find this difficult.

Hanley wrote:

Arching and leaning back when you're locked out (aka hyperextending) is a BIG no no.

When I started, I saw a video where Ronnie Coleman seemed to be doing this. Of course what I didn't think of at the time was that he had spent years tweaking his form to find out what was right for his body. Not mine.Cue back pain!!!

tribulus

If it's the one of him working up to 800 x 2 then he does hyperextend and also does some other things that wouldn't be advisable.

It's not what's right for his body, I think it's just no one is going to tell a ~270lb ripped monster that's pulling 800lbs what he's doing wrong!!

davyjose

tribulus wrote:

It's not what's right for his body, I think it's just no one is going to tell a ~270lb ripped monster that's pulling 800lbs what he's doing wrong!!

Yeah, but don't you think 20 years of training heavy would? If it wasn't right for him?
Edit: yeah I think that's the clip alright.

tribulus

Oh normally I'd completely agree, just that the fact he hyperextends, lets his arms bend and doesn't keep them taut at the start shouldn't be done however much tweaking or deadlifting you've done. It's still crazily strong though, especially only 5 weeks out from the *******.

Hanley

tribulus wrote:

Oh normally I'd completely agree, just that the fact he hyperextends, lets his arms bend and doesn't keep them taut at the start shouldn't be done however much tweaking or deadlifting you've done. It's still crazily strong though, especially only 5 weeks out from the *******.

WTF, there's a word filter on the Mr. O??

daveirl

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davyjose

daveirl wrote:

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That's crazy. What if there was a music vanue named Tony? Does that mean we would be prevented from using that name?

juanveron45

No matter how well someone here decribes it I think your better off being shown how to do it, deadlifting is one of those exercises that needs to be done properly or you risk serious injury

daveirl

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davyjose

daveirl wrote:

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Ha ha, fair enough. Guess it's better safe than sorry.