Deadlifts Will Destroy Me

[WhenDanSaysJump]

No matter how much I drop the weight, I seem to have nasty hunched shoulders when deadlifting.

 

Am I missing some key element of form, or am I just defective? OR am I just sore because this was my first session after some time laid off with flu and I'm actually weak as a newborn kitten?

[VeganEssentials]

First session back after a layoff is ALWAYS brutal. I found that out this week - though I'm not supposed to lift for a while, I did a light leg day and I'm still walking bow-legged 3 days afterward.

 

Having your shoulders round forward on the lift isn't necessarily a terrible thing if that's how your body mechanics are. Here's a clip of one of the best deadlifters in the world, and despite pulling nearly 950 lbs., people still chime in that his "form is terrible" simply because they don't understand that he's found what works best for his mechanics.

 

 

Notice that the lower back is still properly arched, but he rounds his upper back foward and brings his shoulders forward as well as that's his most effective style for deadlifting. Everyone is different - some people have mechanics where they're at a great advantage for pulling (read: long arms, short legs and/or torso) who can have textbook technique because of how they're built. Others aren't as fortunate and have shorter arms and longer torso/legs which put them at a disadvantage, and that's where form starts to change as you find what works best for your body type.

 

If the soreness is a "good" soreness, then you likely don't have anything to worry about. If it feels like something is off and it's not the normal soreness you'd expect, then there might be a form issue that needs resolving. Always listen to your body, as it will be the first to let you know when something isn't right!

[Jeffrw]

While there may be some "rules" for deadlifting, the most important key to avoiding injury is not change form during the lift.

 

For example: a slight arch in your back...if you began with the arch and maintain it, you will probably not do any damage. However if you start with a straight back and then round halfway through...that's where the trouble begins!

 

Search on YouTube for videos of Brad Gillingham...I think he has the most perfect natural deadlifting form out there.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jhsr6hImWnA

[bronco]

While there may be some "rules" for deadlifting, the most important key to avoiding injury is not change form during the lift.

 

For example: a slight arch in your back...if you began with the arch and maintain it, you will probably not do any damage. However if you start with a straight back and then round halfway through...that's where the trouble begins!

Yeah, but I think if you start with a rounded back and keep it rounded through the lift there is a strongly increased risk for injury compared to a neutral back.

 

It seems to me though that most people with bad form start the lift with somewhat decent setup, but then as they are unable to get the bar off the ground with leg power round their backs. So for most people keeping the form from the setup would mean maintaining good form, just like you said.

[toby]

I would say refer to the book Starting Strength for "rules"

[Jeffrw]

While there may be some "rules" for deadlifting, the most important key to avoiding injury is not change form during the lift.

 

For example: a slight arch in your back...if you began with the arch and maintain it, you will probably not do any damage. However if you start with a straight back and then round halfway through...that's where the trouble begins!

Yeah, but I think if you start with a rounded back and keep it rounded through the lift there is a strongly increased risk for injury compared to a neutral back.

 

It seems to me though that most people with bad form start the lift with somewhat decent setup, but then as they are unable to get the bar off the ground with leg power round their backs. So for most people keeping the form from the setup would mean maintaining good form, just like you said.

 

Yeah as long as you don't change what you started with, you'll be fine more than likely

 

Most injuries to the deadlift are actually to the SPINE, not that actual back muscle...so as long as you keep your spine "stiff" or unmoved.

 

The other way people get injured is flexing their biceps...the try to curl and heave the weight up. Gotta keep that elbow straight. but it's another example of an unjury caused by moving or changing from your set up.

 

Toby above mentioned Starting Strength which is a great book. But for deadlifts, imo, the best book is "Pwer to the People" by Pavel.

[chrisjs]

Toby above mentioned Starting Strength which is a great book. But for deadlifts, imo, the best book is "Pwer to the People" by Pavel.

I wasn't too impressed with that Pavel book. It didn't read like Rippetoe and Kilgore's stuff, it was more like a really bad Muscle (Comics) and Fitness mag with way too many Soviet jokes.

 

I will say that it motivated me to resume deadlifting a few months back, which I'm grateful for, but I don't consider it a great reference.

[Jeffrw]

how so?

 

it is the opposite of anything that you would find in a weider mag or in any newstand magazine.

 

a simple Wave-loading and periodization program with Barbell Deadlifts and Side Press.

 

A big pull and big push. when has there ever been a program that simple in weider?

 

emaphasizing strength, not vanity muscles? don't see that weider much.

 

Anything that is associated with the eastern block or russian military will always get my attention.

 

You fan of Brooks kubick?

[chrisjs]

Well, comparing anything to a Weider publication is probably an insult regardless.

 

I just didn't feel the book was very useful, I'm not saying it was pure garbage but I didn't consider his long-winded explanation of things to be worth paying much attention to.

 

I haven't read any of Kubick's stuff.

[WhenDanSaysJump]

Deadlift form is now sorted out and happy and merry following extensive reading up via Rippetoe and Stronglifts. I shall post videos soon... many thanks to all you guys who have commented!

[toby]

it is the opposite of anything that you would find in a weider mag or in any newstand magazine.

a simple Wave-loading and periodization program with Barbell Deadlifts and Side Press.

A big pull and big push. when has there ever been a program that simple in weider?

 

The Deadlift part in PTTP is actually good.

 

I read PTTP and did the Bear routine (DL and SP around 10sets of 5 or until fail to do it in good form) for a while.

 

But I didn't have any gain. Maybe the load is too low (work up to around 70KG 10x5 for DL) and my Sidepress is pretty shite (It is not a popular lift so no one can actually teach me in person. Reading book and youtube clips are not enough to master a lift, IMHO). Maybe I didn't eat enough.