Complicated Deadlift Question

O.P.H

I am deadlifting with 37cm plates, so the bar is around 18cm off ground not exactly the ideal 22cm. Anyway, my deadlift technique is not exactly what you would call text book but I will try to describe it for you as best I can so you can tell me if its ok (cant get a vid up)

Ok so how my deadlift is different to the standard is, take your standard deadlift starting pose but now lower it a tad so that you have to take your heels off the floor. Basically do this - stand up straight as if you are at the bar ready to go down, now bend your knees and lower your body keeping your arms perpendicular to the floor, go down until your heels are off the floor, actually the perfect way to describe it is you are crouching down to take a dump in a field, ya know, ya rest your elbows on your legs, your back is straight and at an angle of lets say 45 to the floor and your ankles are off the floor.

Right well if ya have that in your head this is the starting postition I use. So when I deadlift I start like this, I lift the bar up perfectly straight, my back is perfect form, my heels automatically go down and I drive into the floor with them and the lift feels perfectly fine. I think what I am doing is starting crouched lower than your standard position but when I move up I automatically take the correct position before any lifting occurs, so I am moving into the correct deadlift start. My lift feels perfect, for my weight (180pounds) I can 5 x 5 110kg. When I do it the standard way my back hurts and it feels bad, I think the reason for this is that I have tight achilles tendons and I might not be able to get perfect form without moving into it the way it do.

If you want to test it yourself, take your standard start position, now lower your body more till your heels come up like your takin a breather, your arms are kinda slack, start from here, you'll see that the lift dosent actually start until you come up into perfect form like I am doing, so I really dont think its a prob and why ever it works for me my back is thankin me.

Is this ok?:o

d'Oracle

I reckon you should try to post a video.

Even the most experienced trainers will have trouble figuring out what you are on about, I reckon.

itsallaboutheL

You need to work on lower back and hip mobility... it sounds like your not flexible enough to get into a decent position...

Do you find yourself squatting on your toes, or not being able to hit any sort of depth?

Have you tight hamstrings

O.P.H

No I dont squat on my toes but I do use a wide stance, it would be a little wider than shoulder width. I have a feeling this can only be analysed with a vid but maybe your right and I need to work on what ya said.

itsallaboutheL

O.P.H wrote: »

No I dont squat on my toes but I do use a wide stance, it would be a little wider than shoulder width. I have a feeling this can only be analysed with a vid but maybe your right and I need to work on what ya said.

Having that wide a stance would also hint at flexibility issues, people tend to do it when they can't reach depth

O.P.H

Perhaps I should lower my weights a bit and try to work on the strictest form. I can squat and deadlift exactly buy the book, but when I go to the heavier weights I widen the stance for the squat and do that thing in the deadlift. I always thought the squats was up to yourself if ya wanted a wide stance or not. Pretty sure thats what I have to do. I aint been squating more than a year and deadlift about 3 months so I suppose I should just lower the weights I try to be as conventional as possible from now on. One concern, are my 37cm plates big enough for deadlift, off the ground 17 cm the bar is....not sure why I said that like Yoda.

Vegeta

Well a simple thing you could do is put some gym/martial arts style mats under each end of the barbell to bring it up to regulation. Not ideal I know but if you are having flexability issues at regualtion height then you more than likely have flexibility issues full stop.

I definitely suffer a bit on squats e.g. If the weight is too light I ill end up shifting bodyweight onto my toes. My form is horrible with light weight which is not great and I think its hip mobility. I have to consciously try and stop my lower back rounding when deep.

itsallaboutheL

Vegeta wrote: »

Well a simple thing you could do is put some gym/martial arts style mats under each end of the barbell to bring it up to regulation. Not ideal I know but if you are having flexability issues at regualtion height then you more than likely have flexibility issues full stop.

I definitely suffer a bit on squats e.g. If the weight is too light I ill end up shifting bodyweight onto my toes. My form is horrible with light weight which is not great and I think its hip mobility. I have to consciously try and stop my lower back rounding when deep.

Are you lifting in flat shoes?


stick a couple of small plates under your heels..