Conventional Deadlift form question

K

kaos

New Member
I wish I could get a vid so I can have it critiqued.

Basically the problem I'm running into is that my upper back seems to round a little. My lower back is still fine, at least from what I can tell. I have the starting strenght book and I've read it over a few times.

I first noticed it when I was doing 215 so the next workout I lowered the weight to 205. Same thing so I went back to 135 and tried working up again. At 135-155 I don't see any rounding, but then it doesn't feel like I'm doing any work. If I lift a weight that feels what might be right, around 175 then my upper back starts to round a little at rep 4-5.

I just can't tell if a little rounding is okay. I mean the weight is pulling you down some right?

Here are some examples of what it kinda looks like.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tOxtGCrx4s

It doesn't get as round as this guy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK4UIxKIxtc

Thanks.
 
A little rounding in the upper back region (kyphosis) is OK. Some lifters allow a fair bit of rounding there to enable them to increase their reach to the bar and thereby reduce the amount they have to crouch down (better mechanical advantage for taller folks like Konstantine Kostanov). This is a pretty advanced technique though. Just try to maintain a fixed back if possible. So don't allow much flexion during the lift. If you can keep your lower back tight the whole time that will make for a safe lifting with heavier loads.

If you can lift like Magnusson you have nothing to worry about.
 
Thanks. Why is that happening, is it because my upper back is not strong enough to keep the arch I start with? I try to pull my shoulder blades together and push out my chest at the start?

I believe my body type is much more comfortable with sumo. I don't have the same issues and it feels right, but I want to work on conv just so I can get my lower back strong. It's always felt weaker. My deads are still lower than squats and would like to change that. Except for sumo, I might be able to do more than squat, but I haven't tried.

I can tell you that when I'm done, the only thing I feel is a good burn in my lower back that goes away in 15 minutes or so. Luckily it's my last thing I do before RC work.
 
try to keep your chest 'up' throughout the lift. Not dramatically, just be conscious of your chest and that it is being help up slightly. This will automatically tighten your upper back muscles and help keep you more upright in the lift.
 
Will think of that for sure next time. I've been turning my head to look in the reflection on my form and I forget to concentrate on my form when doing this.
 
Turning your head while deadlifting is not a good idea at all. You could easily crick your neck doing so. Always try to keep your body well balanced and centred when doing any heavy lifting.
 
if you keep your head looking up "forward" its very difficult to arch your back.
 
Also you may want to check if you are going low enough with the initial knee bend , you may be - it's just a thought...Whenever I'm doing deads or heavy rows I mentally think of a Silverback Gorilla's posture and it helps me stick my butt and chest out to create the correct form.

Just want to echo the sentiment that looking around even a little can be dangerous as the loads advance . Regardless of where you set your gaze, you really want to NOT look to the sides when pulling. It's safer (albeit less convenient) to have someone else check out your form than to do any twisting of neck , lifting in FRONT of a mirror is as good as it gets in terms of self assessment while remaining safe.
 
I've been wondering if my back only rounds when looking to the side to see if in fact my form is good.
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i mean i've been looking to the side for almost the entire set sometimes.

I'll for sure stop that, I've been doing it for rows as well. I'll have my form checked out by somebody else this time.

hey faz, so is that correct? if so then i should be okay. i have no problem looking up when doing them,
 
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(kaos @ Apr. 13 2007,21:35)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I've been wondering if my back only rounds when looking to the side to see if in fact my form is good.
smile.gif
i mean i've been looking to the side for almost the entire set sometimes.

I'll for sure stop that, I've been doing it for rows as well. I'll have my form checked out by somebody else this time.

hey faz, so is that correct? if so then i should be okay. i have no problem looking up when doing them,</div>
try it look up and try and arch your back.
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damnit i forgot to focus on the looking up part my last workout. but i did focus on bringing my chest and not looking to the side.

so a funny thing happened, i lifted a little more weight and my back didn't feel as worked also and here's a biggie. the previous time, my right side of my lower back experienced a good burn, but not the left. i believe that proabably had to do with me looking to the side at my form.
 
damn well i have to say that today was much better. i went up in weight and i made sure to look up and everything felt so much better. i have to believe that my form was much better, because i still put on weight and i barely felt it my lower back like i normally do. in fact last week my lower back was on fire and today it felt just right. i could actually walk around and sit.

The only thing that i hate is my gym (24 hours fitness) uses those stupid hex shaped weights and it gets irritating setting the bar down after each rep for it to move away from me.
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Thanks for the tips guys. It really helped.
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(faz @ Apr. 13 2007,06:18)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">if you keep your head looking up &quot;forward&quot; its very difficult to arch your back.</div>
Just don't look down after setting your hands
 
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(faz @ Apr. 20 2007,10:25)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">maybe you should just touch down and come up &quot;more romanian style&quot;</div>
That's a good point, but in the starting strength book he says the weight should come to a stop and that I would be better off that way.

I have the same issue with pedlay rows. I think maybe just using a piece of tape on the plates to the bar so they don't rotate?
 
<div>
(colby2152 @ Apr. 20 2007,10:40)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"><div>
(faz @ Apr. 13 2007,06:18)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">if you keep your head looking up &quot;forward&quot; its very difficult to arch your back.</div>
Just don't look down after setting your hands</div>
roger that.
 
All

Here's an excellent link for deadlift form including some crappy ways of doing it or should I say...not doing it
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Mastering the Deadlift Part II

I'm glad to see my form is perfect, so my shaking legs at 130 Kg. are actually because of weak hams.
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One of their best articles. I needed the parts about lowering the weight, and I may add some rack pulls.
Looking at your original post, I'd like to add that I do Sumo style and my back strength has gone way up. It's not necessarily an &quot;either/or&quot; proposition IMO. If you're going over 400 with ANY style, your back is gonna get a workout.
Ya think?
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<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Ya think?</div>

Most definitelly, 400 is a serious weight IMO, I'm only on 288 so I can only look at that as a goal somehwre in the horizon!
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Sumo ain't my favourite but yeah it has its place, I see those boxes they use there for the rack pull are cool, gotaa build me some of those things.
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