Deadlift Form Check

[PC]

I'm beginning a training phase that will hit the Big 3 pretty hard, so I'd like to dial in my form. I've been looking myself deadlift for a while now, so maybe I'm getting complacent with my analysis. What do fresh eyes see, where can I improve?

[mgil]

How tall are you?

I ask because I think the heels make the pull longer than necessary for someone that already has a fairly long pull.

Otherwise there isn’t something that says “bad form” in either video.

[PC]

How tall are you?

I ask because I think the heels make the pull longer than necessary for someone that already has a fairly long pull.

Otherwise there isn’t something that says “bad form” in either video.

6' 2"

And these shoes are Reebok's Nano 6's; a cross-trainer with only a 4mm drop and a stack height <1/2" (to guess). Not the best lifters, but they cover all of the bases. And the sole is pretty compressed after ~3 years of use. Point taken, though, and measures could be taken to shorten the ROM (barefoot/slippers).

[mgil]

Oh okay! The sole design made it look kinda like a WL shoe. I’ve used Nano 8s for lifting before, they are decent, imo.

You’re simply lanky enough to have hips that are darn high on the start position. But everything looks to be in excellent order form-wise.

Depending on goals, you might want to mix in some 4” block pulls or similar into your training. Mainly to move some of the fatigue concentration from the lower back to the hip hinge and posterior chain where it belongs.

[ChasingCurls69]

Agreed with Mgil, and my only addition is the lockout looks a little "soft", so stand up tall and flex your quads at the top.

[Testiclaw]

I would try to drop the hips maybe an inch or so, depending. Your build means super high hips, like mgil said, but it's a little too high for my tastes.

The correction doesn't have to be big.

I would also recommend keeping the arms long (second video makes this more clear).

[PC]

Agreed with Mgil, and my only addition is the lockout looks a little "soft", so stand up tall and flex your quads at the top.

Thanks, I noticed my lockout looked funny - soft knees, leaned back. I've been working on this, trying the quad flex, I need more practice I guess. Will follow up after next deadlift session.

I would try to drop the hips maybe an inch or so, depending. Your build means super high hips, like mgil said, but it's a little too high for my tastes.

The correction doesn't have to be big.

I would also recommend keeping the arms long (second video makes this more clear).

I've thought my horizontal back position was disadvantageous. I'll try dropping the hips a bit.

I never noticed my arms look bent. Thanks for pointing this out, I it in my most recent video too. I'll see to straightening them out.

[Wilhelm]

I never noticed my arms look bent. Thanks for pointing this out, I it in my most recent video too. I'll see to straightening them out.

Think of it along with "taking the slack out of the bar."
They can look straight, and still have slack that gets taken up once you start the pull.
Shoulders included in this.

The way i think of it, is there is a pull before the pull.
I pull my arms long, then lift.

At least i try to lol.
Mostly succeed.

[PC]

@ChasingCurls69, the lockout was the biggest thing I noticed when I watched my video, and it's the main thing I've been trying to fix. I find that when I'm fatigued, or not focused, I can fall back to old habits. I think it's getting better.

@Testiclaw, I've been thinking about keeping the hips a bit lower when I start the pull, but I default to the position that I feel has the most tension. My arms do look a little bent, and a strong conscious effort can straighten them out, but it doesn't feel good/right. Do you think there's a risk of injury (bicep related), or just a slightly longer pull? I feel like the arm/forearm tension from gripping the shit out of the bar keeps my elbows slightly bent.

@Wilhelm, thanks for the feedback. I've made an effort to FIRST pull the slack out of the bar, where before it all happened at the time of the pull.



More feedback is appreciated, and I will continue to refine. Thanks!

[gtl]

Agreed with Mgil, and my only addition is the lockout looks a little "soft", so stand up tall and flex your quads at the top.

Thanks, I noticed my lockout looked funny - soft knees, leaned back. I've been working on this, trying the quad flex, I need more practice I guess. Will follow up after next deadlift session.

Was going to comment on IG, but came here. Echoing the lockout. "Stand tall" is a good queue. For me, it's not about flexing my quads at top, but rather squeezing my glutes.