terrible deadlift form

[David Gessen]

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=nItqAHVcevA
WFS



this is very strange, never happened before.

My lower back seems to be rounded ever when the bar is on the floor... why?
and also the bar is somehow slipping off of my grip, I'm gripping the bar as needed but it "runs away"...
please help

[Bob Guere]

I can't really tell from the video, but what grip are you using? Try the alternating grip, one hand over hand, one underhand. That prevents the bar from 'rolling' out of your hands. If your grip is not quite strong enough for the weight, it may still open your fingers. Are your hands sweaty? Chalk fixes that.

As for the rounded back, I've learned that sometimes bad form creeps in when I increase my weight too soon. In the excitement of increased gains, I forget to watch my form. Drop the weight down for a couple workouts and really concentrate on straightening up your core. It looks like you're getting a good deep breath, just make sure you hold it and use it to help stiffen your core.

And.... I know this was mentioned already to you, stop worrying about passers-by. The fact that your head snaps quickly when someone walks by means you're not 100% into your lift mentally, which could also be part of your slipping form.

I'm not skilled enough yet to get into any more details about your form, I'll leave that to the more knowledgeable folks here. However, I will say you're not keeping your back at a consistent angle relative to the floor during the leg portion. Your legs are getting straight while your shoulders are staying down. Keep that back angle consistent as the legs straighten, then after your clear your knees, bring the back into it. You're losing any assistance your legs would provide by letting them straighten on their own. This too could be causing your back to round.

*EDIT
On your youtube page, the auto-links have a Mark Rippetoe Deadlift video... check it out and listen up! BTW, it's a CF video reposted on Youtube, so you can see at the CF main site. Activate your traps more and see how your back does...

Just my .02.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht363HslwnM&NR=1 (WFS)

[Júlíus Magnússon]

I have one critique; there's 54 seconds of you fondling the bar before you pull. Just grab the bar and pull.

[Joey Powell]

It appears your feet are to wide, which is leaving your arms bent at the beginning of the lift, because they are "around" your knees.

I think because of that, you are popping the bar off the floor. You must "pinch" the bar off the floor, then accelerate as you extend the hip.

Remember, the Deadlift does not start with an Eccentric movement like the squat does. This means your muscles, ligaments, and tendons have not gotten a chance to create tension. On a squat as you lower for the eccentric portion of the lift, the tension increases (should) in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. This creates a "stretch reflex" or "spring tension".

The concentric start of the DL, requires that you create tension out of whole cloth. this takes a split second for it to build. If you don't allow the tension to build first, you are at risk of injuring the weak links in the connective tissue. (back injury)

Also, it did not look like you breathed correctly. Take in 3/4 lung full of air and push it down hard into gut and flex your abdomen against it to stabilize your spine against shear stress, which will also help you from rounding. This creates a pnuematic brace. It should look like you are going to blow your eyes out or shard your pants to relieve the pressure. Hold this breath all the way up and all the way back down. Then reset.

Summary:

1. Feet closer
2. Arms straight at start, not bent to go around the knees
3. Fix your pnuematic brace.
4. "Pinch " the weight off the floor, THEN accelerate after the tension is built.

[Jay Cohen]

Originally Posted by Joey Powell

It appears your feet are to wide, which is leaving your arms bent at the beginning of the lift, because they are "around" your knees.

I think because of that, you are popping the bar off the floor. You must "pinch" the bar off the floor, then accelerate as you extend the hip.

Remember, the Deadlift does not start with an Eccentric movement like the squat does. This means your muscles, ligaments, and tendons have not gotten a chance to create tension. On a squat as you lower for the eccentric portion of the lift, the tension increases (should) in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. This creates a "stretch reflex" or "spring tension".

The concentric start of the DL, requires that you create tension out of whole cloth. this takes a split second for it to build. If you don't allow the tension to build first, you are at risk of injuring the weak links in the connective tissue. (back injury)

Also, it did not look like you breathed correctly. Take in 3/4 lung full of air and push it down hard into gut and flex your abdomen against it to stabilize your spine against shear stress, which will also help you from rounding. This creates a pnuematic brace. It should look like you are going to blow your eyes out or shard your pants to relieve the pressure. Hold this breath all the way up and all the way back down. Then reset.

Summary:

1. Feet closer
2. Arms straight at start, not bent to go around the knees
3. Fix your pnuematic brace.
4. "Pinch " the weight off the floor, THEN accelerate after the tension is built.

Joey;
Very well stated.
If I lived closer, I'd train with you guys ever day.

[Joey Powell]

Geez, Jay... You made me blush....

You are wecome down for a "sabatical" anytime and will stay at the house.

Let me know.

[Brandon Oto]

It's also worth noting that you should not hang out forever in the bottom position, or you'll lose the aforementioned stretch reflex.

This is probably not what you need to be thinking about at this stage, though.

[Dominic Beardwell]

This is a great video from Rippetoe and it keeps it simple, which the deadlift should be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZX6OaLctfI