Can you guys critique my deadlift form? My lower back is screaming at me after I do sets, and I get stuck at a pitiful weight. I think I'm using too much back and not enough hamstring activation. On reps 4 and 5 I look like one of those drinking birds.
A couple of notes:
- I did 5x5 with a reduced load here (volume day), this is the fifth set. Weight was 108 kg.
- My gym doesn't have Olympic style bars and plates so I had to stack some plates to get more or less to standard height (it's actually slightly above).
- Yes I know I'm dyel even after a year of lifting. How should I train to stimulate more hypertrophy, using the same barbell exercises of SS?
- You can see my back bending slightly on reps 4 and 5.
>>35957364
Here's a bigger version, maybe it's clearer.
>>35957364
>more than a year of SS
???
Make sure your arm with the hand facing outwards in mixed grip is completely straight all through the pull. It looks like it's a little flexed at the beginning of the pull -> that results in a torn bicep at heavier weights.
The main issue is that there's a LOT of slack in your body (arms, back angle, legs) when you actually start the pull. When you start the lift, that slack works itself out which is why your back angle changes at the beginning of the pull. Considering that this deadlift is above standard height, it's probably worse when it's at the right height.
In terms of back rounding you're doing fine, a small amount at the end of whatever is tough for you is OK.
Overall your deadlift is pretty solid. 5x5 is a lot of reps for deadlift. What program are you doing? Most volume days I know of don't have that amount of deadlift.
>>35957461
Started last March and went through 3 resets, also squeezed out as much of the advanced novice routine as I could. Each reset I hit more or less the same wall though.
>>35957493
>What program are you doing?
Texas method structured like this:
Mon
Bench 1x5
OHP 5x5 @ 90% of 5RM
Tue
Squat 1x5
Deadlift 5x5 @ 90% of 5RM (should be some volume pull but I chose deadlifts)
Thur
OHP 1x5
Bench 5x5 @ 90% of 5RM
Fri
Deadlift 1x5
Squat 5x5 @ 90% of 5RM
I've been doing it more or less since the start of the year.
I'm gonna upload a few of the other sets.
-The bar should be close to your body when you begin to pull. Your shins are a bit inclined forwards, when they should be straight. Place the bar on the middle of your foot. Watch Rippetoes tutorial for setup.
-Your arm looks a bit flexed, check that you are squeezing with your lats hard, bending the bar so your arms are straight.
-Take bigger breaths and really squeeze your abs.
>>35957493
Watching it some more, you should look into the difference of hyperextension vs normal straight back vs rounding. You even hyperextend in the beginning before you start, but that flattens itself to normal when you start pulling.
You should feel like you're pushing against the floor HARD with everything in your hamstrings while keeping your lower back and glutes FIXED and tight as possible. That should prevent your back angle from changing until it should, which is when the bar clears the knees.
Also, on the last rep, don't lean back after hitting the top. Stand up normally.
Here's my first set, before I checked my own form on the phone. Side note, I start with overhand grip and change it just when I can't support it anymore.
>>35957591
I think that you'll eventually be demolishing yourself with that deadlift volume at 90%. TM specifically doesn't recommend deadlift other than on deadlift day. For volume day it's recommended to do something like RDLs, SLDLs, or something similar. Keeping another day of power clean or some other pull also works wonders.
Furthermore, you should be resetting your volume days back down to between 70 - 75 % when you hit 90 ish %. If you keep them at 90%, you'll stop making progress on intensity days due to residual fatigue. It may be ok now if you're at babbyweights, but when you start having really heavy days it'll fall apart.
Second set, after seeing myself on the phone. Didn't change much but tried to involve legs more. I did 6 reps here by mistake.
>>35957598
>-The bar should be close to your body when you begin to pull. Your shins are a bit inclined forwards, when they should be straight. Place the bar on the middle of your foot. Watch Rippetoes tutorial for setup.
I actually try to do this every time, getting the bar under midfoot. I might have fucked up here though, rushing since someone was filming me. Thanks, I'll try to stay closer to the bar. I guess I should also have my shoulders over further?
>-Your arm looks a bit flexed, check that you are squeezing with your lats hard, bending the bar so your arms are straight.
>-Take bigger breaths and really squeeze your abs.
Will do. By squeezing your abs do you mean like in a valsalva? Is that like sucking them in like in a vacuum? I'm not 100% sure what it's supposed to look and feel like.
Also, >>35957493 commented that I look loose, usually I give it my all to get as tight as possible, I start to feel tired already in the setup. Fuck, deadlifts are punishing.
>>35957364
Looks fine. You just need to get stronger.
>>35957591
Ask trappy to help you with the routine >>35940086
She's usually around at night.
>>35957788
>she
>>35957608
>Watching it some more, you should look into the difference of hyperextension vs normal straight back vs rounding. You even hyperextend in the beginning before you start, but that flattens itself to normal when you start pulling.
I think this is a result of Rippetoe's cue to "lift the chest" to get the back in position and prevent rounding, but it's easier for me to put the lower back in hyperextension so sometimes I end up doing that. Will be more cognizant of it.
>You should feel like you're pushing against the floor HARD with everything in your hamstrings while keeping your lower back and glutes FIXED and tight as possible. That should prevent your back angle from changing until it should, which is when the bar clears the knees.
Thanks a lot, I'll try this.
>Also, on the last rep, don't lean back after hitting the top. Stand up normally.
Probably a result of trying to "finish the pull", sometimes I accidentally force a shrug as well.
>>35957788
He*
>>35957461
Also, instead of this >>35957591, what would you have suggested that I have done?
>>35957364
Widen your stance
>>35957671
>I think that you'll eventually be demolishing yourself with that deadlift volume at 90%. TM specifically doesn't recommend deadlift other than on deadlift day. For volume day it's recommended to do something like RDLs, SLDLs, or something similar. Keeping another day of power clean or some other pull also works wonders.
I'll be replacing them with either power cleans or RDLs, and interspersing the occasional deadlift. Thanks.
>Furthermore, you should be resetting your volume days back down to between 70 - 75 % when you hit 90 ish %. If you keep them at 90%, you'll stop making progress on intensity days due to residual fatigue. It may be ok now if you're at babbyweights, but when you start having really heavy days it'll fall apart.
Wasn't aware of that, this saves me a lot of headache after failing some of my volume sets on OHP. Must have skipped that part of Practical Programming.
>>35957807
>>35957823
>being this new
>>35957598
>>35957608
>>35957671
>>35957788
Also, what do you guys think of this guy's advice?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEy_czb3RKA
Basically boils down to:
1) Do RDLs to get used to activating hamstrings during the deadlift
2) When getting in position for the deadlift, do so by performing an RDL (leaving the bar on the floor). A bit different than Rippetoe's method, which has you bend over, bring shins to bar, left the chest/set the back, and pull.
Also, what do you think of this? Why does my back have this kink in it (this is towards the end where I was rounding)? Why does the lower part of my back (from the pelvis to that kink) seem so hard and inflexible?
>>35957850
What's wrong with it? Rippletits said to use hip width, not wide like a squat stance. Maybe I am too narrow though.
>>35957884
Yeah, I think this particular video is good advice. That guy usually has good advice in his videos overall.
>>35957990
Do sumo
>>35957862
>Worshiping an ill minded twink
>>35957364
Do you fucking want to tear your biceps? And why do you mixed grip with 100 kg only? Fucking overhand grip this shit and if you do mixed then do it right.
Is nobody going to mention the egregious lumbar flexion going on here? Jesus Christ, I will never take advice from /fit/ again.
OP, just looking at the first video this looks like a hamstring mobility issue. I think this because before you start the pull you obviously make a conscious effort to extend your spine, as evidenced by the thoracic extension we see. However, what we don't see is your lumbar moving at all.
As soon as you start the pull and get off the ground, your lumbar follows and extends. That's why your back is screaming at you; its going from flexion to extension under load. Keep it up and you'll be on your way to snap city.
The long term fix is to improve hamstring/lower back flexibility, as well as improve the mind-mental connection with your lower back as a distinct muscle group from the upper back.
The short term fix is to widen and lower your stance. Get your butt lower and don't let your back angle get shallower until the bar gets past your knees.
tl;dr your back is rounding, fix it
>>35957788
>Looks fine
No, that shit does not look fine. Look at his fucking lumbar, this dude is going to snap his shit up if he doesn't fix his lower back rounding.
>>35958341
It was my fifth set and grip was giving out after the third. I did 2 minute rests. Like I said my deadlift's not strong. Nobody showed me how to properly do a mixed grip so I'll be more mindful of that. Is the supinated arm supposed to be straighter?
>>35958444
I agree that he may get some lumbar flexion because he might be using the cue for spinal extension. The amount of flexion looks fine at this weight, but might be holding him back from getting the heavy weight. Looks like at a heavy weight, his lumbar would be the first to go.
OP might benefit from consciously creating tightness throughout the entire core rather than just using spinal extension. The thoracic spine should take care of itself if you keep lats tight and scapula steady.
Also OP, on that first vid, cueing to flex your triceps a little might help you keep that underhand arm straighter. It also looks like you could be shrugging a tiny bit at the top. Keeping stiffer in the lats and relaxing the arms more may help.
>>35958513
The supinated arm should be straight as straight can be. If you start pulling with the bicep under such a heavy load, you introduce a bunch of slack and more importantly put your bicep tendon under a load it's not designed to be under, occasionally tearing it off the bone.
Look up a video of a curlbro tearing his bicep tendon, it's pretty fucking gruesome.
>>35957990
Get better at hinging from the hips. It often seems like a coordination issue even more so than flexibility. I have hammies that are tighter than all hell and I have a flatter back.
Practicing hinging from the hips with bent knees. First brace the core (neutral, not an extended/arched back). Then try to aim those sit-bones toward the sky. You don't necessarily need to reach your arms and shoulders downward, you can put them on a chair or something for support. Practice this hinging motion with a braced core while bending into the deadlift position.
>>35957884
The RDLs like this help you hinge from the hips rather than the low back by making you feel the hammies and glutes contract/extend.
>>35957990
the small funny bulge is your erectors, likely.
>>35958526
>The amount of flexion looks fine at this weight,
Have to disagree, especially considering the volume he's doing. ie, 5x5 (for whatever reason)
And the fact that he's complaining about his lower back "screaming at him"
It's definitely a hamstring flexibility issue. Look at his lower back when he's setting up. He bounces around, but his lower back hits that angle that it can go to and just stays there.
>Looks like at a heavy weight, his lumbar would be the first to go.
Which is exactly why for safety and progress he should fix his lower back rounding asap.
Dude you're gonna tear a bicep.
There are other issues, but that is by far the most egregious one. Your supinated arm should be hanging with the weight, the only parts involved in holding the bar should be the forearm (keeping your fingers squeezed) and the traps (kinda of happens by itself whenever you're hanging something on your hands so don't worry about it). Every muscle in between should be completely inactive. Your bicep isn't and a deadlift is way too much weight for the bicep. You'll snap your shit up. Go back to the drawing board and fix it.
>>35958593
"No."
>>35958607
Yeah, you're right now that I think about it again. Might as well fix it as soon as possible if he has low back soreness.
Your plates are too small, bar is too low, you effectively doing deficit DL.
Either put the bar on elevated ground or pack on one standard 45.
>>35958626
yes. dyel?
his back is slightly rounded but the small bulge in his lower mid back is his erectors
>>35958654
As long as you can concede that his lower back is rounded, I will admit that there is a possibility that OP has spinal erectors in his back and that they may be visible.
>>35958444
>>35958526
Awesome, this is the kind of advice I'm looking for. I'm literally the only person at my gym that does deadlifts, or even lifts this much.
Seems I've got the same problem in the other sets: >>35957660 >>35957690
How do I extend the lumbar? It always looks stiff and is a problem right from getting into position. I'll try those drills in SS where you lie on your stomach and try to lift up the legs. I'll also follow this guy's >>35957884 advice on doing RDLs to involve the hamstrings. My natural instinct would be to lower the hips but Rippetoe says not to do that and lift the chest instead.
>>35958580
If I understood the exercise correctly, you mean to get in position like for a DL, with bent knees, supporting myself by a chair, brace the core, and point my ass to the sky (like an anterior tilt of the pelvis)?
>>35958526
> Looks like at a heavy weight, his lumbar would be the first to go.
You're probably right. I should film myself failing a heavy set, when I can't even get the bar off the ground.
>>35958696
>there is a possibility that OP has spinal erectors
maybe he just doesn't have any at all
>>35958652
Like I said my gym doesn't have standard Olympic size plates (which I think have a 22.5 cm radius). I compensate for that by creating platforms by stacking a few plates to roughly the same height.
>>35958720
>If I understood the exercise correctly, you mean to get in position like for a DL, with bent knees, supporting myself by a chair, brace the core, and point my ass to the sky (like an anterior tilt of the pelvis)?
Focus more on NEUTRAL spine. Stand up tall, squeeze the glutes first to notice what a neutral spine feels like, then squeeze your core around them. Your glutes and hamstrings will relax/extend as you go down, and they tighten up as you come up.
Even though you will naturally see a curve in your lumbar spine, you don't consciously "arch" it. The curve is there because that's what your spine is shaped like. You just want to constrict your muscle around it.
The tricky part is that people have a tough time extending their hamstrings and glutes without also losing tightness in the lumbar. If you already have an arch in your back rather than neutral spine, you are already losing slack to extend with in your glutes, and you are only bracing with a portion of your core rather than the whole thing.
You won't be able to deadlift with a super arched back like these ultra flexible females on instagram. It's not even as strong anyway.
>>35958720
>I'll try those drills in SS where you lie on your stomach and try to lift up the legs.
Yes, do this.
>Rippetoe says not to do that and lift the chest instead.
This is normally good advice, but in your situation I think it's just making it harder for you to think about your lower back, which is where your focus should be.
Lower hips/wider stance will help you get into a safe back position.
AND DON'T FORGET TO WORK ON HAMMY MOBILITY
I haven't read other replies, but listen to me when I say this OP:
You are activating your bicep during the lift - this is one of the most common deadlift injuries (other than snapping your back). If you keep increasing weight, the bicep will eventually not be able to hold and straight up tear.
Your arms are supposed to hang down like noodles.
Also, why are you shrugging at the top?
Back looks fine; you don't necessarily have to overarch your back as long as you can maintain a neutral spine throughout.
>>35958818
By arched you mean extended?
I'm not sure I understand the drill, because earlier you said to get in position and aim my ass bones to the sky - doesn't that also put my lower back into extension, which you said I shouldn't do? Do you have a video or a name for the drill?
When I do the first exercise you mentioned, as I lower myself into position I feel an activation in the hamstrings. Tilting the pelvis down (to get the ass up) tightens them.
Tried doing the glute thing. Squeezing the glutes moves my hips forward. Contracting core sequeezes in my gut and kind of pulls my shoulders towards the navel, like a slight flexion of the spine.
>>35957364
What you are doing is fine. You lower back is screaming because it is most likely the weakest link. IMO your arms should be straight as to not activate the biceps. The whole thing about the bar being to close to the floor is B.S plus I can see you have it elevated on plates. I would also add rack pulls to you routine maybe on a separate day from your floor pulls. With rack pulls set the bar so it is a couple of inches below your knees this will make it so you can lift heaver and strengthen that lower back.
If you are doing SS it is literally impossible to have a 108kg deadlift after 12 months.
If you do, you arent progressing and you aren't doing the program.
>>35957364
Ofcourse your back is screaming, your deadlift is fucking shit.
Instead of furiously contracting only your spinal erectors, keep your core tight.
If you can't do that, you desperately need to strengthen your core.
R8 my form?
i tried to improve it as much as i could.
>>35960017
>keep your core tight.
What does that mean?
>>35960104
What did you use to edit this? What kind of lifting shoes do you have and where did you get them?
>>35960458
1. Windows Move Maker
2. My friend snapped his shit up a month ago and lent me his Adipowers, so those are the shoes in using.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tzX4JC3qBo
Need advice on ALL THREE lifts
>>35960556
legitimately the most awful squats I've ever seen.
arms shaking and flailing around on bench press.
deadlifts are catbacked as fuck.
how this guy has a functioning spine is beyond me.
>>35960556
jesus those squats senpai.....
>>35960556
i laughed out loud at the first squat attempt, nice one anon
>>35957591
Isn't anybody else seeing this?
You should NOT be doing those 5x5 deadlifts
Where the fuck did you get this?
>>35957364
straighten your right arm, you're gonna pop a bicep tendon otherwise
>>35960556
how do you weigh so little
and lift so much
with such shit form
>>35960556
Shit music, also unreadable retarded text. Miring poundages though, how a skinny faggot like you manages to move that weight around with such shit form I have no idea.
I'm a noob but:
Why do you drop in your squats like a cannonball? Bar is uneven, they look like goodmornings at some pint, your wrists are also bent. Knees aren't out, in fact you put them together at some point.
Bench, back seems way too arched, grip too wide (not sure if this is ok in powerlifting).
Deadlifts, I have no idea how you managed to move that weight.
>>35960883
>Where the fuck did you get this?
It was my idea, I needed something for volume pull and knew I needed to work on my deadlift, so why not.
>You should NOT be doing those 5x5 deadlifts
5x5 deadlifts are in Elliott Hulse's 5x5 program, so I don't see why not. They're not too bad senpai. Are you saying deadlifts should never be done for more than 1 grueling set of 5?
>>35960556
miring Wilks. But work on the squat descent. The rest is fine considering it was a meet.
>>35960913
>"i have never seen a powerlifting meet in my life"
>>35960852
This
I almost thought it was a joke until I started wondering how he got everybody else to go along with it
>>35960956
>"i have never seen a powerlifting meet in my life"
You're right, I haven't, because I'm not a faggot
>>35960978
>giving advice
>when you freely admit you know nothimg about the subject matter
shiggy diggy
>>35957690
>I did 6 reps here by mistake.
>basically doing cardio
enjoy your nogains.
>>35960104
i see 90kg not 120, what kind of plates are those?
>>35961011
>>35961006
I read SS cover to cover, should be enough to know shit form when I see it
>>35960556
holy fuck. Mirin' that weight moved but I have no idea how you aren't in a wheelchair. I weigh 70 lbs more than you but the only thing I can beat you in is the bench press
>>35961084
its a 25, a 15, and a 10 on each side.
>>35961779
this has to be a joke
>>35960104
>improving form
>still doing sumo
choose one
>>35962194
There is literally nothing wrong with pulling sumo. It just works better for some peopl's proportions.
>>35957364
You don't look dyel to me.
If you want to get bigger then do a bro split, drop SS.
>>35962334
Kill yourself.
>>35957364
I can't tell if its just your lats engaging, but it looks like you're flexing to straighten your back. You want it straight, but make sure it's relaxed.
So, since we are in the deadlift subject can you guys take a look?
Last week I was told to work on my upper back. so I'm planning to buy a foam roller but besides that, Is there anything terrible wrong?
This is my warmup set, 1.5pl8s
>>35962762
and this is my working set, little bit above 3pl8s.
I reckon I ran out of gas by the four rep.
>>35962791
Pull your chest up before the lift
>>35957364
No fucking way you did SS correctly for a year and deadlift like that, delusional DYEL faggot.
>>35962824
this. Your low back looks fine (as long as you aren't feeling too sore there), but you could definitely lift the chest and tighten the lats and upper back. Thoracic flexion is not as huge a danger but you should at least be able to keep it tight on your lighter sets
>>35962791
keep your upper back tighter
>>35962824
>>35962844
>>35962847
thanks, I'm going to keep that in mind.
>>35962334
Suggestions for one? And has it worked for you?
>>35963130
Do Reg Parks 5x5, works your entire body and is not a brosplit.
>>35963164
Is that the one with wrist work and calf raises?
>>35962880
you look like you have your own office and a nice car
good job brah
>>35962842
Tell me what's wrong then, cupcake.
>>35963169
That one
>>35962791
What did you use to encode those webms? They're big and still high quality.
>>35963183
So I should get off a beginner routine that has me squatting heavy three times a week to another beginner routine that has me squatting heavy three times a week?
>5x5
>volume
>enough to gain mass
>>35963191
I use Master of WebM
https://github.com/MasterOfWebM/WebM-Converter
You need to download FFmpeg
http://www.ffmpeg.org/download.html
Extract both and then put the MasterofWebM contents inside the "bin" folder of the FFmpeg contents.
Then just select the start time and how many seconds is going to last, the software calculates the best output that fits 3 mb, removes the sounds and do the rest.
Is like 2 years old but works pretty well.
>>35963272
With Reg Parks the first two sets are warmups, also is what got Arnold going, do you think you know better that him?
>>35963364
Thanks, I used webm.sh for mine but yours came out much better.
>Windows only
Bleh.
>is what got Arnold going, do you think you know better that him
Well in his encyclopedia Arnold said bodybuilding evolved and people moved away from doing only fullbody routines. Arnold also recommends stuff like heavy upright rows, which according to some are an injurious exercise. And most of Arnold's advice is disregarded here. I've never seen him endorse 3x5 or 5x5 programs (although he probably did them), but in his official statements he recommends something like 4-5 sets of 8-12 reps.
