Deadlift technique... Andy Bolton says your doing it wrong

COH

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9EvG_NTPfk

Thoughts?

d'Oracle

Grand for him.
And Dave Tate.
And Mike Tuchscherer.

But weaker folk like me will probably get more benefit from packing the upper back. If you get me.
But then also maybe not.

jive

I'll worry about it when I near a 700lb deadlift....

COH

d'Oracle wrote: »

But weaker folk like me will probably get more benefit from packing the upper back.

Do you need to reaaly retract your scap to pack your upper back though?

jive wrote: »

I'll worry about it when I near a 700lb deadlift....

Well assume heavy is relative, one mans 700 is another mans 300 or whatever.


I'm only thinking out loud really because it runs contrary to the majority of advice here but what if to start a deadlift with a retracted scap means basically squatting the weight up because of the lower hip positioning? Is that a strength issue that you should work on, or a mobility issue thats a limiting factor in not being able to maintain that back posture with higher hips, or is that completely dependant on your leverages...

Kev M

I think it depends on the individual's structure. The big pullers all pretty much seem to do that too. Lower back arched, and upper goes where it wants really. Andy's not getting down to the bar without some rounding... Same with Benni, lower back is straight alright, but upper back just sort of hangs forward.

Also, having a big gut prevents caving forward. Something that could happen to a skinny dude once his back rounds.

d'Oracle

COH wrote: »

Do you need to reaaly retract your scap to pack your upper back though?

No suppose not.
Thinking about it, I probably don't retract my scaps when I pull either. I'm not sure. Dave could tell you, he has looked at me lifting more than I have.

Would I be wrong in saying VIS VIRES pulls like this? With his scapula un-retracted?

COH

d'Oracle wrote: »

No suppose not.
Thinking about it, I probably don't retract my scaps when I pull either. I'm not sure. Dave could tell you, he has looked at me lifting more than I have.

I doubt many people actively retract theyre scaps to any great degree, I assume most people use it as a que, the same as pulling your shoulders 'behind' the bar, which never really happens either.

Jimmy Bottlehead

I've heard about pulling the shoulders back previously, and I would probably try it on warm-up sets but honestly, when I'm pumped up for a big lift (for me!) I wouldn't pull the shoulders back. Feels too awkward.

d'Oracle

I guess that's the distinction then.

I know that if I didn't focus on arching right up and sticking my chest out, my lower back will round.

I mean you could cue someone this way and leave them alone.
Then come back to finding them doing an impression of Konstantinovs.

So it depends on the peoples.

Dathai

Was actually just going to mention Konstantinovs there. I remember reading the interview with him where he said he picked a focal point on his deadlift where he'd force himself to keep the curvature just so he'd pull more weight.

When I start pulling 3-4 times my body weight, I'll think about it :P

Hanley

How does it do anything to the range of motion....?

d-gal

100% agree with the technique, I find u have to concentrate a lot on contracting your abs and lats. I do find a lot of clients can lift more doing this way (correctly mind you)

Parsley

Hanley wrote: »

How does it do anything to the range of motion....?

it doesn't, but you have to bring your body closer to the bar, which gives the feeling of starting 'lower' or as if doing deficit lifts... i think that's the meaning behind that.

Mellor

Parsley wrote: »

it doesn't, but you have to bring your body closer to the bar, which gives the feeling of starting 'lower' or as if doing deficit lifts... i think that's the meaning behind that.

Yeah, I think thats what he meant, or rather that's what he is using to justify it.
The bar still moves through the same distance, the only difference is weather you pull your shoulders back before the lift, or during it

Kev M

If your shoulders are fully back then the range of motion (i.e distance the bar travels) will be greater.

If you're standing there holding the bar with your upper back slightly rounded and shoulders hanging forward, and then you retract everything.. the bar will move slightly higher up your quads... Maybe not much depending on the person, but it has to move up some!

d'Oracle

Kev M wrote: »

If your shoulders are fully back then the range of motion (i.e distance the bar travels) will be greater.

If you're standing there holding the bar with your upper back slightly rounded and shoulders hanging forward, and then you retract everything.. the bar will move slightly higher up your quads... Maybe not much depending on the person, but it has to move up some!

I think hanleys point is that the bar starts and finishes in the same place regardless.

Start: On the floor.
Finish: In the hands with hips fully extended.

Ergo ROM is constant in both techniques.
Note how Bolton says your shoulders retract at the top anyway.

Kev M

d'Oracle wrote: »

I think hanleys point is that the bar starts and finishes in the same place regardless.

Start: On the floor.
Finish: In the hands with hips fully extended.

Ergo ROM is constant in both techniques.
Note how Bolton says your shoulders retract at the top anyway.

But does the bar really finish in the same place regardless??

A lot of guys don't retract at the top, but their lifts are still given in meets. If they retracted at the top that would be extra distance for the bar to cover... (I know we're talking a tiny amount, but it all counts!)

d'Oracle

Kev M wrote: »

But does the bar really finish in the same place regardless??

A lot of guys don't retract at the top, but their lifts are still given in meets. If they retracted at the top that would be extra distance for the bar to cover... (I know we're talking a tiny amount, but it all counts!)

But we aren't talking about lots of guys. We are talking about the video.