Form check

[Mister]

Please check my deadlift.

Sorry for the bad camera work, nobody to film me.

Please don't wish death upon me.

This ain't my max this is only like 70%, I'm training on form my lower back rounds horribly on my deadlift.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... ao00OoYdxg

I have no idea how to fix this my flexibility is at its limit I understand that I have to get my ass out more but I can't.

Thoughts?

[KenDowns]

For the camera, if it has to be either too close or too far I find it easier to examine when it is farther away. This way we can see your feet and your head through the entire ROM, making it easier to spot things.

The rounding lower back is very obvious especially on the return to the floor. Since you are aware of it I would think the real question is what to do about the mobility? Force of will doesn't work so you need to loosen up the lower back.

The almost universal answer in today's world, due to the prevalence of sedentary occupations, is weak glutes and some kind of hip mobility issues, but really I don't know and shouldn't be talking. I want to hear what the more experienced guys have to offer.

[tostig]

I noticed that on your down motion, your ass is a lot higher than when you start the up motion. That's causing you to round your back. Your down motion should be opposite of your up motion. So make sure you bend your knees, stick out for butt and arch your back and stick out your chest as you ease the weight down to the floor in a controlled manner. Instead, I see you are simply bending and dropping your weights with fairly straight legs. It's obvious to see between your reps.

[JasonJones]

It's hard to tell from this angle but it looks like you're letting your thoracic cage collapse on the down motion. The biggest change between your up phase and down phase is that on the way up you've lifted your chest well to engage your thoracic extensors, but it looks like after lockout you're relaxing your upper body and just dropping the weight. Your body follows the head, and as soon as you reach lockout you drop your gaze and your head and everything below the neck just becomes disorganized.

Try learning to pack your neck (I think KPj had a thread about that) to help organize your cervical and thoracic spine, and maintain the tightness of your trunk musculature by squeezing your grip harder and engaging your lats. I can't tell from the video but you may also want to adopt a different foot position with your toes turned out a bit more (if they're not already) so you can shove your knees out and maintain external rotation for hip torque.

[Mister]

Wait a minute.

You guys mean my back is straight on the way up?

Sure I can fix the way down by RDLing the weight back on the floor that's easy, I just drop the bar to save energy.

My back on the way up is straight? I don't need to put my ass out more?

[tostig]

Wait a minute.

You guys mean my back is straight on the way up?

Sure I can fix the way down by RDLing the weight back on the floor that's easy, I just drop the bar to save energy.

My back on the way up is straight? I don't need to put my ass out more?

Your up motion is fine. On your down motion, duplicate what you did going up but in reverse order. You need total control throughout the entire exercise, not just the first half.

[Mister]

You sure?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wANz3O2Y5-Q" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Compared to this guy my back ain't straight? There's a curve down at the end of my lumbar spine.

Or do I have like A BIG ASS or some $h1t?

What a surprise... My back is straight?

I thought I was fv(k up.

[hoosegow]

Granted DL isn't my best lift, but you don't look bad going up. Your back is rounded when you start, but when you "get under the bar" you correct it. Here are four things I would suggest you work on:

You appear to have a double overhand grip - reverse one hand.
You take in air at the right time, but take a huge breath.
At times your upper back looks like it caves - keep the upper back tight.
Less reps, more weight.

[Dub]

I think there is a slight lumbar flexion on the bottom position even in the start. You should push your hips back more. If that's a problem, check your posterior chain mobility and for example, do very CONTROLLED rack-pulls or other limited ROM exercise where you can control your spine (check what Jason said about the thoracic spine). Don't just drop the weigth with curv spine.

[Oscar_Actuary]

sometimes clothes can cover up or distort; so to me it's not clear.
I too thought your back was tucked under a bit at the tail bone - but then again, you clearly have a nice arch right before the pull - so maybe one does not preclude the other, but I have presumed it did (or you have a snake for a spine than can bend at the tip)

[Mister]

I have Spondylolisthesis in my lumbar spine.

Basically, my L4 vertebra is sitting next to (not on top of) my L5 vertebra, so they don't move. I don't know if that's relevant.

Maybe this is a better video?



My mate's a retard and stopped before last rep.

[Jungledoc]

I really don't like the use of the word "retard" as a term of derision.

[Mister]

He's been my friend for 15 years most of my life surely I don't mean it.

While I don't agree with your over-sensitivity, I apologise if my choice of words hurt you.

It was supposed to be funny.

[Stephen Johnson]

@Mister:

You're doing an OK regular deadlift going up, and a stiff legged deadlift going down.

Too much lower back movement going down, and not enough hips.

[Jungledoc]

He's been my friend for 15 years most of my life surely I don't mean it.

While I don't agree with your over-sensitivity, I apologise if my choice of words hurt you.

It was supposed to be funny.

If I called you out for using words like "nigger" or "fag" you wouldn't be saying I was over sensitive. Mental retardation isn't funny, and using references to it as a term of derision, however light-hearted you try to make it sound. Your choice of words didn't hurt me, it offended me. And it is not funny.