Deadlift Technique Help

[GrassMaine89]

A little background information...in the last six months I have injured myself twice deadlifting, the last time I had to call out of work and had a hard time getting off of the couch...I am now getting back into deadlifting because when I do them I have total body strength gains, and I can't resist results...I'm just looking for technique help, the following video is a sumo pull, but I primary pull conventional, so I will post a video later in the week in this forum of a near max conventional pull. Thank you for any and all technique suggestions.

[Juha Harju]

Strong pull mate. You use too much back at your deadlift. At start position ass must be down and your back more straight up. Do you do 90 digrees or deeper box squat or good mornings with camber bar?

[Buccos1]

Juha gives some great advice. Another couple of things I noticed: Get in something that will enable you to baby powder your inner-legs. This will make a huge difference, and really help with the ascent. Getting hung up on clothing sucks and could turn an otherwise good lift into a fail. Wear short-shorts, singlet, underwear, … whatever works. And, definitely try to load/engage the hips at the start of the pull. It needs to be a seamless transition. To really master this, you need to pull at less weight … maybe nothing over 85% until your form gets dialed in, and then start testing at 95%+. I wouldn't do any all-out maxes for awhile, until the technique becomes automatic, especially with prior injuries/back issues. But I know how hard it is to avoid max lifts!

[GrassMaine89]

Strong pull mate. You use too much back at your deadlift. At start position ass must be down and your back more straight up. Do you do 90 digrees or deeper box squat or good mornings with camber bar?

I do parallel squats, but not box squats...is there an advantage to box squats?I lift at my house and have limited equipment (no camber bar)...thanks for the technique.advice, I had read on some other site to keep the hips up so as to not squat the deadlift...my next set I will work on keeping my ass down...

Juha gives some great advice. Another couple of things I noticed: Get in something that will enable you to baby powder your inner-legs. This will make a huge difference, and really help with the ascent. Getting hung up on clothing sucks and could turn an otherwise good lift into a fail. Wear short-shorts, singlet, underwear, … whatever works. And, definitely try to load/engage the hips at the start of the pull. It needs to be a seamless transition. To really master this, you need to pull at less weight … maybe nothing over 85% until your form gets dialed in, and then start testing at 95%+. I wouldn't do any all-out maxes for awhile, until the technique becomes automatic, especially with prior injuries/back issues. But I know how hard it is to avoid max lifts!

Thanks for the reply...would have never have thought about clothing, simple fix, thanks...my next videos I will use the lighter weight like you suggest, and yes for some reason I am hard wired to dispise lighter weight, if I can do it for over 5 I don't want to mess it, so having that advice is appreciated (explains why I can't stop injuring myself)

[Jörg Keilbach]

As Juha mentioned your starting position could be much better. Your hip flexebility is probably not good. Watch day 1 + 2 of the 14-Day Mobility Challange on you tube and do those mobilisations. It will help you a lot.

[GrassMaine89]

As Juha mentioned your starting position could be much better. Your hip flexebility is probably not good. Watch day 1 + 2 of the 14-Day Mobility Challange on you tube and do those mobilisations. It will help you a lot.

I will check that out...thanks for the tips

[Lucasraymond]

Coan Phillipi program...starts with lighter weight and lots of volume along with accessory work. I was able to go from 455 to 525 over about 3 months...more due to good technique and proper muscle firing.

[beef_supreme]

Was hard to see from that angle but it looked like the bar travelled forward a bit too much.

Also, what other said about your butt being too high up. One of the cues for sumo when getting set up is to squat into position while driving your butt back with your hands getting down to the bar due to squatting movement vs. bending over. This will get you into an advantageous position biomechanically and will also help build tension in your hips, quads and hamstrings - this would ensure they get activated when you pull.

You can also experiment with your foot placement, one of the ways to prevent the bar from traveling too far forward is to angle your toes out more (this is a balancing act quite literally though cuz you can lose stability if you overdo this).

[Lucasraymond]

Watch an Ed Coan video on youtube about how to deadlift. I use Chris Duffin's warmup that he does with Mark Bell and Mike

[GrassMaine89]

Coan Phillipi program...starts with lighter weight and lots of volume along with accessory work. I was able to go from 455 to 525 over about 3 months...more due to good technique and proper muscle firing.

Watch an Ed Coan video on youtube about how to deadlift. I use Chris Duffin's warmup that he does with Mark Bell and Mike

I will check this out, thanks for the suggestion.

Was hard to see from that angle but it looked like the bar travelled forward a bit too much.

I'm going to be doing another video with a conventional pull, what angle would be better?

One of the cues for sumo when getting set up is to squat into position while driving your butt back with your hands getting down to the bar due to squatting movement vs. bending over. This will get you into an advantageous position biomechanically and will also help build tension in your hips, quads and hamstrings - this would ensure they get activated when you pull.

Is this the same for conventional? I prefer conventional but my video was awful so I haven't posted one for critique yet. When I set up for conventional I do the same I did with sumo, I bend over and then drop my hips. I imagine that I use actually more back than I did with the sumo, but I haven't seen it on video yet.

Thanks to everybody for all the feedback, I truly appreciate it. I hope to fix this so I can really work on building a strong foundation.

[Cannon]

Just another resource to consider.

http://cannonpowerworks.com/collections/media/products/off-the-floor-deadlift-dellanave

[GrassMaine89]

Just another resource to consider.

http://cannonpowerworks.com/collections/media/products/off-the-floor-deadlift-dellanave

I will have to put this on my wishlist

[king crusher]

I don't pull sumo but when you post a conventional vid I may be of some help.

Here's a 500x5 from me conventional. I've dialed my form in pretty good over the years. The last rep was for sure all out though. Before this set I did 575x1 and missed 600.

I don't do any tng work anymore. So I re set my hips after each pull. Also I make sure to pull the slack out of the bar before initial pull. And make sure to stay tight before the pull. Think to be loose on your toes before you pull. Driving the heels down.

[GrassMaine89]

I don't pull sumo but when you post a conventional vid I may be of some help.

Here's a 500x5 from me conventional. I've dialed my form in pretty good over the years. The last rep was for sure all out though. Before this set I did 575x1 and missed 600.

I don't do any tng work anymore. So I re set my hips after each pull. Also I make sure to pull the slack out of the bar before initial pull. And make sure to stay tight before the pull. Think to be loose on your toes before you pull. Driving the heels down.

I'll post a conventional video early next week...nice pulls in the video...I can tell by looking at your video I need to lower my hips a little more on the conventional dl, also I think the bar is traveling away from me, which would make the back strain make sense

[king crusher]

Yeah I've had issues on max pulls of not leaning back on my heels enough and bar comes forward some and that's not going to translate into a pull on a Max attempt.

[patrickmeniru]

Having read the advice above I have nothing to add on the technique front, hell - I'm still working on my own! But as a general point, it's hard to dial in a new technique with low rep training, just because your body takes an awful lot of reps to learn a new technique, and even more reps to 'unlearn' a bad one. If you've suffered a lot of injuries I would repeat what an earlier poster mentioned about doing higher reps - nothing less than 5 in my opinion - until you start to feel comfortable with the technique. Or if you are going to do fewer reps, just use less weight on the bar.

It's probably an obvious point but you'll find higher reps an awful lot easier if you can improve cardiovascular fitness and lose weight, which may also help you get a better starting position. But hey, that's just my 2 cents, good luck with your training whatever course of action you pursue!

[GrassMaine89]

Having read the advice above I have nothing to add on the technique front, hell - I'm still working on my own! But as a general point, it's hard to dial in a new technique with low rep training, just because your body takes an awful lot of reps to learn a new technique, and even more reps to 'unlearn' a bad one. If you've suffered a lot of injuries I would repeat what an earlier poster mentioned about doing higher reps - nothing less than 5 in my opinion - until you start to feel comfortable with the technique. Or if you are going to do fewer reps, just use less weight on the bar.

It's probably an obvious point but you'll find higher reps an awful lot easier if you can improve cardiovascular fitness and lose weight, which may also help you get a better starting position. But hey, that's just my 2 cents, good luck with your training whatever course of action you pursue!

Thanks for the reply...as much as I hate it I do I need to do stick to light weight high volume to build the muscle memory. One of my goals is to lose weight, so hearing how that may help technique in my power lifting (making it easier to get into position) is helpful input. I've started to lower the weight and increase reps and sets on the bench to try and burn more calories per workout. Even with the heavy sets I have lost weight recently, but I suspect I would lose more if I could get in the higher volume mindset. Thanks for the tips.

[Jörg Keilbach]

A big belly improves your squat ( more stability in the bottom position ) but weakens your deadlift starting position, especialy when you pull conventional. But the mobility movements will improve your positions. By the way i would not do high rep sets. Do multiple singles. It is better to learn good technique. For loosing weight reduce your carbs.

[PeterSweden]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xS2wLZSdeDg

[ironman46]

I agree with Jorg, Just curious why you stopped conventional DL's. Sumo looks like it is going to be tough to master for you, it is not for everyone. Short back round of my credentials but different body types mean different pulls. I've done 600x5, 500x10, 670@181bw and still doing over 635 after 35+ years of DL conventional. You should still do both until you decide for sure which one you want to use. Your hips should be down just low enough to reach the bar as if you were going down with a DL from the top. This will allow more hips at the start and less back. The bar is too close to you, when you put the bar down from the top, stop at the bottom, don't move the bar and see where it ends up, that is your starting position. Also high reps are not what you need right now. You should work between 70 and 85% of 1rm. If you train too light it will not help you find your line. You have to learn to flex the entire body before you pull and squeeze the bar off not jerk it off which pulls you out of position. Everyone is giving you different advise so try one thing different from everyone at a time. When you start to find your line it will feel real light and short lift, good luck

[GrassMaine89]

A big belly improves your squat ( more stability in the bottom position ) but weakens your deadlift starting position, especialy when you pull conventional. But the mobility movements will improve your positions. By the way i would not do high rep sets. Do multiple singles. It is better to learn good technique. For loosing weight reduce your carbs.

Lol don't tell me that my belly helps with the squat, don't need a reason to keep it...I am going to start the mobility movements you pointed me to tonight...when you say do singles are you talking reset form and then pull again or a true single where I do a rep and completely walk away? Yea I've cut out a lot of my carbs at supper (first step, cut more out later)...at this point I don't know how much weight I've lost but my squat belt fits now and didn't before...small progress but I'll take it

Watched all 9, thanks man good resource

[GrassMaine89]

I agree with Jorg, Just curious why you stopped conventional DL's. Sumo looks like it is going to be tough to master for you, it is not for everyone. Short back round of my credentials but different body types mean different pulls. I've done 600x5, 500x10, 670@181bw and still doing over 635 after 35+ years of DL conventional. You should still do both until you decide for sure which one you want to use. Your hips should be down just low enough to reach the bar as if you were going down with a DL from the top. This will allow more hips at the start and less back. The bar is too close to you, when you put the bar down from the top, stop at the bottom, don't move the bar and see where it ends up, that is your starting position. Also high reps are not what you need right now. You should work between 70 and 85% of 1rm. If you train too light it will not help you find your line. You have to learn to flex the entire body before you pull and squeeze the bar off not jerk it off which pulls you out of position. Everyone is giving you different advise so try one thing different from everyone at a time. When you start to find your line it will feel real light and short lift, good luck

Sorry for the confusion, conventional is my primary pull, was using sumo as a supplementary lift...from the feedback I've gotten it sounds like starting the Coan Philipi program will keep me at the right percentages to focus on technique with the strain factor...flex the entire body is something I definitely don't do, I tend to be loose and explode into a sprint like effort, thanks for the tips they are appreciated

[Jörg Keilbach]

Do 1 rep - stand up - reset - da another rep. No more than 3 - 5 in a row.

[GrassMaine89]

Do 1 rep - stand up - reset - da another rep. No more than 3 - 5 in a row.

okay, thanks man

[beef_supreme]

Just another resource to consider.

http://cannonpowerworks.com/collections/media/products/off-the-floor-deadlift-dellanave

Coan Phillipi program...starts with lighter weight and lots of volume along with accessory work. I was able to go from 455 to 525 over about 3 months...more due to good technique and proper muscle firing.

Watch an Ed Coan video on youtube about how to deadlift. I use Chris Duffin's warmup that he does with Mark Bell and Mike

I will check this out, thanks for the suggestion.

Was hard to see from that angle but it looked like the bar travelled forward a bit too much.

I'm going to be doing another video with a conventional pull, what angle would be better?

One of the cues for sumo when getting set up is to squat into position while driving your butt back with your hands getting down to the bar due to squatting movement vs. bending over. This will get you into an advantageous position biomechanically and will also help build tension in your hips, quads and hamstrings - this would ensure they get activated when you pull.

Is this the same for conventional? I prefer conventional but my video was awful so I haven't posted one for critique yet. When I set up for conventional I do the same I did with sumo, I bend over and then drop my hips. I imagine that I use actually more back than I did with the sumo, but I haven't seen it on video yet.

Thanks to everybody for all the feedback, I truly appreciate it. I hope to fix this so I can really work on building a strong foundation.

for conventional it's slightly different (my personal opinion) - conventional is more of a hip hinge type movement, sumo is closer to a wide-stance squat. because of that with conventional your butt goes back on a different trajectory, especially if you're concentrating on keeping your shins straight so that your knees don't go over the bar.

as for the angle, it's easier to see what's happening as the bar is coming up if the actual bar is visible, your angle was great in terms of being able to see what your back was doing though.