Thread: Deadlifting

You might be better off doing rack pulls. It would be alot more safe.

That or use a lower weight and get strict on the form and work your way back up keeping the strict form.

Deadlifting is an athletic event, much like the squat and the clean and jerk. There are excellent websites out there where you can witness the lift performed correctly. Mostly, it takes practice. Take some weight off the bar and focus on your form. Don't develop bad habits straight out of the gate. Deadlifting is hard. It is also arguably the most beneficial exercise for overall strength. But it takes time and effort to get it right.

Originally Posted by MDR

Deadlifting is an athletic event, much like the squat and the clean and jerk. There are excellent websites out there where you can witness the lift performed correctly. Mostly, it takes practice. Take some weight off the bar and focus on your form. Don't develop bad habits straight out of the gate. Deadlifting is hard. It is also arguably the most beneficial exercise for overall strength. But it takes time and effort to get it right.

Spot on, not much left to say

what back promelms can occure from bad form, tbh the only thing i know and seems to constamtly come up is a slipped disk, but other then that what other back problems can develop

check out this guy
#!

Actually, you're idea isn't that bad. Continue to try and do part of the movement and work on your flexibility or movement issues until you can do the full movement.

I think what you are talking about is a deficit deadlift. You are probably better off learning proper form first. Check out Mark Rippetoe's books and videos.

Originally Posted by sickemRex

I think what you are talking about is a deficit deadlift. You are probably better off learning proper form first. Check out Mark Rippetoe's books and videos.

Nah, it's practically the opposite. Instead of standing on a platform he wants to lift the weight from a platform to take out the bottom portion of the lift.

How long have you been deadlifting? What are your body's proportions like (relative leg/torso/arm lengths)? Have you ever considered using a sumo stance?

Originally Posted by gtbmed

Nah, it's practically the opposite. Instead of standing on a platform he wants to lift the weight from a platform to take out the bottom portion of the lift.

How long have you been deadlifting? What are your body's proportions like (relative leg/torso/arm lengths)? Have you ever considered using a sumo stance?

You are right, I misread the OP. Still, I recommend finding a good instructional video to learn proper technique. I used to drop my hips down too low when beginning my pulls and frequently would injure my lower back, I fixed my technique and no more problems.

Stay away from that variation of a deadlift. Use rack pulls when going really heavy. For rack pulls set the weight just below the knee. Use lower weight but complete full motion deadlifts and work on technique first.

Rack pulls and yea don't forget about dumbbells.

been deadlifting for a year or so it does not always happen but occasionally i might not get the form bang on especially when it comes to the lower reps

well im 5 ft 11 i suppose my arms and legs are porportional to the rest of my height and body, but i have always had felxibility issues i had the probelm with squatting, i couldnt seem to get low enough without loosing balence but i have nailed that bang on now after lots of practice, i guess i just need to keep on practicing and really focus on form.

I did think of a sumo stance but have heard that takes away from deadlifts in terms of its effectivenes.

I think balance issues are coming from a weakened core. Once you strengthen your core, you should have better stability on the lower end of squat and deadlift exercises. I had the same issue, and I don't wobble at all now.

i know this is asking "how long is a piece of string" but i have become reaaly consious about any damage to my back i want to last in this sport for a long time lol...

so is it highly unlikely that i would of caused any long term issues from just a year of not perfect deadlifting i dont always have a bad back it aches or be a bit sore and might hurt a little on the side of my back near my hip sometimes if i deadlift wrong but nothing that hinders anything else i do. But i do stretch my back alot and pull my shoulder blades together always to almost get a nice feeling of relief.

Doesnt sound like anything abnomral does it?

It sounds fine. As your back gets stronger, the instances of pain will discontinue.

It all depends on if you are trying to do stiff legged deadlifts or regular deadlifts!!! There is a big difference,,, If you are getting alot of glute pain then you are doing more of a stiff leg. Those are fine it just working different muscles then a regular deadlift. When we train for competitions we do all kinds of deadlift work, we do pins, we go all the way from floor, 1,2,3,4 pin (depending on you physical hight) pin work hits different areas of the lift. As power lifters we look for were we are weak and work that area,, I.e. strong off the floor but weak from mid shin to above knee, we would concintrate on that pin work area. You can do regular and stiff legs while standing on 1 or 2 plates, this will give you that extra stretch and lowers your "power band" with were you are strong or weak.

If you have weak glutes, reverse hypers are great, as well as knealing squats. Do you dead with or without straps? That makes a huge difference as well, you should try and get used to not using straps. Form is very important with deads, if you have the chance to video yourself and take a look at your form. One advise I can give you, is when you pull, make sure your in a position so your arms take the weight immediatly as you stand. Alot of new deadlifters will start the lift with their arms bent at the elbow and when they stand they have stood up 2-3 inches before their arms take the weight. As soon as you start to stand the weight should start moving.

Hope this helps!!!

Originally Posted by Flathead

Spot on, not much left to say

Stretching. Legs and back. Sounds like there is a bit of a flexibility issue as well.

Originally Posted by nutta

i know this is asking "how long is a piece of string" but i have become reaaly consious about any damage to my back i want to last in this sport for a long time lol...

so is it highly unlikely that i would of caused any long term issues from just a year of not perfect deadlifting i dont always have a bad back it aches or be a bit sore and might hurt a little on the side of my back near my hip sometimes if i deadlift wrong but nothing that hinders anything else i do. But i do stretch my back alot and pull my shoulder blades together always to almost get a nice feeling of relief.

Doesnt sound like anything abnomral does it?

It's not just long term affects of poor form you have to worry about. Any lift can reach up and bite you in an instant if you don't use strict form. The second worst injury I've had lifting was from not paying attention during a warm up set of deads. It was a STUPID low weight but, since I didn't pay enough attention to my form I threw my back out. I wasn't right again for almost two years.

(Some say I'm still not right but that's a different story. )

Originally Posted by ALBOB

It's not just long term affects of poor form you have to worry about. Any lift can reach up and bite you in an instant if you don't use strict form. The second worst injury I've had lifting was from not paying attention during a warm up set of deads. It was a STUPID low weight but, since I didn't pay enough attention to my form I threw my back out. I wasn't right again for almost two years.

(Some say I'm still not right but that's a different story. )

I could not agree more about injuries happening from not paying attention ot being careless. I blew out two discs in my lower back doing seated overhead d-bell presses. The weight in my left hand slipped, and on impulse I reached down slightly to catch it. While reaching down I twisted to the left slightly, and tweaked my back big time. Stupid. If I'd just let the weight fall to the ground, I would have been just fine. I just wasn't thinking. Very easy to get injured if you get careless.

find out your weak point and work from there.

Originally Posted by moarwhey123

find out your weak point and work from there.

This.

Your only as strong as your weakest link

If it's just a form issue, try doing stick deadlifts. Unfortunately 98% of the time it isn't just form.

One hips doing more work, one side of the core is weaker, etc.

That's why the FMS is so great, it takes all the guess work out.

www.functionalmovement.com

Balance at the bottom to me signals flexibility issues, probably tight hamstrings and hip flexors and a lack of ankle mobility. These are so common among lifters.

Originally Posted by nutta

what back promelms can occure from bad form, tbh the only thing i know and seems to constamtly come up is a slipped disk, but other then that what other back problems can develop

check out this guy
#!

First off, don't compare yourself in any way to Konstantin Konstantinovs. The guy is an absolute god when it comes to raw deadlifting and probably the best in the world.

Second, i'm adding a vote for taking some weight off the bar and focusing on form. Doing rack pulls is cool and all, but at the end of the day you're just dodging the issue. How is purposely reducing the ROM of the movement going to help improve your deadlifting from the floor? Work on the part of the lift you're worst at, even if you end up lifting next to nothing.

Thirdly, all manner of injuries can occur with deadlifts. The lower back and hip complex is an incredibly complicated area. Don't fuck with it. In fact, start stretching your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings on a regular basis.

Originally Posted by nutta

what back promelms can occure from bad form, tbh the only thing i know and seems to constamtly come up is a slipped disk, but other then that what other back problems can develop

check out this guy
#!

Okay are you fucking kidding me? How in the hell does that pass for a proper deadlift? I know that som of you have told me that upper rounding is "okay" and that many advocate it, but that looks so terrible, painful, and unhealthy. I've seen videos of deadlifts that members of our board have critisized as bad form when it wasn't pros, yet they were better than this.

I can't be the only person who think that's not right. Shit, if I deadlifted like that I could toss on 40 or 50 lbs to my 5 RM easily. I thought the idea was to maintain a relatively neutral spine. That looks terrible.

Originally Posted by Phineas

Okay are you fucking kidding me? How in the hell does that pass for a proper deadlift?

Because he successfully lifted the weight within the rules of the meet he was lifting in.

He doesn't compete to set an example to others on proper form. He isn't doing an exhibition of safe weight lifting. He is lifting to win in power lifting.

Lifting with that style is pretty advanced, and sure as shit doesn't work for most people, but he's definitely not an average man. In addition to what fufu said, though his back is fairly rounded in the middle, his lower back is solid and his back stays locked in the same position all the way through the lift.

Round back lifting happens a lot in strongman too, with the stones and things of that nature.

You'll never see me doing it, because i like my vertebrae not being catapulted across the gym, but it's his call. The grip and rip technique for deads is another one that works for some people and not for others, and again i'm not one of them either, haha.

It also might look a tad worse than it is, because the guy has a set of erectors that could hold up a building.

Originally Posted by Gazhole

Lifting with that style is pretty advanced, and sure as shit doesn't work for most people, but he's definitely not an average man. In addition to what fufu said, though his back is fairly rounded in the middle, his lower back is solid and his back stays locked in the same position all the way through the lift.

Round back lifting happens a lot in strongman too, with the stones and things of that nature.

You'll never see me doing it, because i like my vertebrae not being catapulted across the gym, but it's his call. The grip and rip technique for deads is another one that works for some people and not for others, and again i'm not one of them either, haha.

It also might look a tad worse than it is, because the guy has a set of erectors that could hold up a building.

I'm still confused. His lower back does look rounded, but how much can the lower back round anway? His back looks about as rounded as it can be.

I'm just shocked that it isn't destroying his spine.

Originally Posted by Phineas

Okay are you fucking kidding me? How in the hell does that pass for a proper deadlift? I know that som of you have told me that upper rounding is "okay" and that many advocate it, but that looks so terrible, painful, and unhealthy. I've seen videos of deadlifts that members of our board have critisized as bad form when it wasn't pros, yet they were better than this.

I can't be the only person who think that's not right. Shit, if I deadlifted like that I could toss on 40 or 50 lbs to my 5 RM easily. I thought the idea was to maintain a relatively neutral spine. That looks terrible.

Nah, his lower back is pretty neutral and really, really tight. That guy probably has some of the strongest erectors on the planet.

His back rounds above the lumbar region but everything below that looks really tight to me.

Remember that this guy is a lean 270+ lbs. and is a bit of a deadlifting specialist. Like I said, his erectors are amazingly strong and keep his lower back neutral. His upper back muscles are strong enough to support his style of deadlifting.

I've heard stories of him pulling 1100 lbs. from the rack and holding it for 8 seconds.