Should I quit deadlifting?

[wannalift]

Exhibit A: http://www.youtube.com/user/steelhmr#p/a/u/0/r7fxF3hbQLs

Here is me doing 415x3. I swore if I ever looked that bad pulling that I would quit. I pulled last week and my back (muscles) hurt for days afterward. Feeling like I may be looking at a repeat tomorrow.

[baldy]

As a fellow rounded back deadlifter, I would say you should defiantly not stop deadlifts.
Your muscles are sore the next day and your back is rounding. This means your back is the weakest link and you need to make its stronger.

I would say focus more on your deadlifts, maybe not heavy singles if you are worried about hurting your back.
- Focus does not necessarily mean do more, but try do them better.
- From your setup I think you have the same tight hamstrings and flexible upper back as I have. I dont know how to fix this
- In your setup you never really get a nice flat back.
- Is that 190kg? its not a light deadlift.
- I would pull up your socks so you look more pro like when deadlfting and take off your shoes if you can.

[JP]

nice pulling mate!

hardly any rounding man - back doesnt look like a piece of 2x4 anyway from the side anyway, the muscles will bulge and stuff.

others can give tips on what to do to fix it. I would just say dont let it round

[wannalift]

Thanks guys, but it's really hard to take either of you seriously when YOU DIDN'T EVEN CAST AN OFFICIAL VOTE!!!

My form is okay up to maybe 365, but after that I just can't keep my back straight. I'll try and get my back stronger, but I've been doing good mornings every week and I guess those just aren't taking.

[fredrikw]

yes. you should take up track cycling instead.

[JP]

Thanks guys, but it's really hard to take either of you seriously when YOU DIDN'T EVEN CAST AN OFFICIAL VOTE!!!

aye thats probably because the voting system doesnt currently work (lazy bastard hasnt fixed it)

My form is okay up to maybe 365, but after that I just can't keep my back straight. I'll try and get my back stronger, but I've been doing good mornings every week and I guess those just aren't taking.

is that honestly such a bad form? I mean i am a form nazi but that didnt look bad mate.

And it could be that its not a strength issue, more about just different focus when pulling, BIG CHEST, LOOK UP etc bullshit.

of some upper back strength.

lower back looks fine in that anyway, no?

[baldy]

I think its a common issue. Nice co-ordinated clothing and reps

Another point if you compare how flexible your back is when you setup and when you are lifting. Then you can see that you do have some tension in your back, ie your back is not bent over as far as it could be. I am no expert but I would take this as meaning the load is not all on your spine in the bad way?
Like I said I am no expert and I am just poking at this. Would love to know the answer and the secret.

I suspect the secret lies in the setup, but I have not found it yet.

[wannalift]

My form is okay up to maybe 365, but after that I just can't keep my back straight. I'll try and get my back stronger, but I've been doing good mornings every week and I guess those just aren't taking.

is that honestly such a bad form? I mean i am a form nazi but that didnt look bad mate.

You say that coming from the world of Strongman competitions where ANYTHING GOES and backs were made to be broken

[wannalift]

I think its a common issue. Nice co-ordinated clothing and reps

Another point if you compare how flexible your back is when you setup and when you are lifting. Then you can see that you do have some tension in your back, ie your back is not bent over as far as it could be. I am no expert but I would take this as meaning the load is not all on your spine in the bad way?
Like I said I am no expert and I am just poking at this. Would love to know the answer and the secret.

I suspect the secret lies in the setup, but I have not found it yet.

Yeah, I just need to keep my back tighter. My body has a bad habit though of trying to take the path of least resistance even though it ends ups destroying myself. Back isn't hurting as bad as it did last week though so maybe that is some form of progress? I'm just trying for one last go at pulling 500.

[JP]

You say that coming from the world of Strongman competitions where ANYTHING GOES and backs were made to be broken

but i dont support that

my own form is irritatingly good (makes me lift less). "good" in this means textbook, not good as in what makes you lift the most weight, so it is not a compliment to me

i mean this is my last pb pull (they dont come often)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLyxzhSsf_M

and this comps starts with 240 for reps, even the "grinder" is way too strict

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa8F9WWlDUU

i simply dont know how to bend my back, have never done it even for one rep. So i dont think it is as often about a weak link as it is about the lfting style and mental cues as people think.

[baldy]

Am I the only one who knows how to use the youtube include thing? We need a button!

JP how flexible would you say your back is? This is my little pet theory, that my back is overly flexible to make up for my tight hammies.
No mention of poor levers?

[lentil power]

Exhibit A: http://www.youtube.com/user/steelhmr#p/a/u/0/r7fxF3hbQLs

Here is me doing 415x3. I swore if I ever looked that bad pulling that I would quit. I pulled last week and my back (muscles) hurt for days afterward. Feeling like I may be looking at a repeat tomorrow.

Disclaimer: I have only been lifting for two years so the following could all be bollocks

Anyway, looks like you are lifting the weight with your back, rather than the hips, and your lower back doesn't seem to be in lumbar extension.

Maybe deload 10% and focus on form, specifically, as JP has mentioned, on keeping a big chest throughout the rep/set.

Usually works for me when I get the same problem

[SpugFab]

I'm not sure about the back flexibility theory. The reason backs don't bend when deadlifting isn't because you are on the limits of your flexibility. Not being flexible enough at the hips/hamstrings is more likely and admittedly this might tend to go with a more flexible back, we have to do things like put socks on somehow after all.

It looks to me like the position you are trying to take during your setup is weak for you, for whatever reason. The first thing your body needs to do when you start to pull is move into a position that lets it move the weight. This involves rounding the back a bit.

Because this move from arched back to rounded back is involuntary, maybe you have less control over it? This could mean the back rounds more than it needs to.

You could try accepting that deadlifting with the arched back isn't viable and take a setup which involves a slightly bowed back. Get tons of air in, brace hard and see it you can maintain that position through the start of the pull.

I mention the breathing because it doesn't look very pronounced to me in the video and it's a crucial part of deadlifting. I want to see some breathing in the next video, something akin to JP's "dying goldfish" impression

[baldy]

"dying goldfish" impression

That is my new DL que.

Recently I also found that it feels better if I get my chest in front of the bar before I even start the lift. This way when I start the lift my momentum seems to be rolling backwards keeping my hips down.

If my chest is just over or behind the bar, then I roll forward allowing my hips to shoot up. (I have not filmed this so it might be exactly the same and just feels different.)

Could spend all day talking about deadlifts.

[wannalift]

I'm not sure about the back flexibility theory. The reason backs don't bend when deadlifting isn't because you are on the limits of your flexibility. Not being flexible enough at the hips/hamstrings is more likely and admittedly this might tend to go with a more flexible back, we have to do things like put socks on somehow after all.

Just for the record, my hamstrings are super flexible. I've done a forward bend almost every day for the last 10 years or so. I can pretty much touch my palms to the floor without bending my legs.

It looks to me like the position you are trying to take during your setup is weak for you, for whatever reason. The first thing your body needs to do when you start to pull is move into a position that lets it move the weight. This involves rounding the back a bit.

Because this move from arched back to rounded back is involuntary, maybe you have less control over it? This could mean the back rounds more than it needs to.

You could try accepting that deadlifting with the arched back isn't viable and take a setup which involves a slightly bowed back. Get tons of air in, brace hard and see it you can maintain that position through the start of the pull.

I mention the breathing because it doesn't look very pronounced to me in the video and it's a crucial part of deadlifting. I want to see some breathing in the next video, something akin to JP's "dying goldfish" impression

Great point. I really can't hold the arched back and all it does is make my back go soff once I initiate the pull. I'll try to start with a slightly rounded back that actually has some tension on it. My breathing was also lousy in that video. Add to that, I didn't have my belt and used one at the gym that could be worn with slacks.