Deadlifts

[swooosh]

Hi all,

I'm relatively new to lifting, since February but only the past week have I done barbells and plates. I'm really struggling with deadlifts. My gym instructor says I arch my back too much and need to Focus on pushing my bum out more. I can't help arching my back. I'm pretty top heavy and feel I'm getting pulled in that sort of direction. I've been doing it on a 20kg bar with 10kg total plates. I feel like it should be heavier to get a better understanding? Any tips greatly appreciated! They are heavily featured in my program.

Hi there. I love deadlifts and will try to help. First, are you talking about bent leg deadlifts (rather than straight leg ones?) If so, a few thoughts: I would strongly resist any urge to up your weight until you have your form right. Deads are one of the best lifts out there but, done wrong, they are also one of the most dangerous in terms of their ability to injure you. So I'd recommend dropping weight until you have the movement right.

Then it really helped me to visualize the bar being on a track, so the bar itself goes up and down but doesn't move forward or back at all. It should pretty much scrape your legs. You do have to push your bum out. At the end of the move, pulling your shoulders back is really important.

An alternative, and one I used when I first started with bent-leg deads, is to use a trap bar. I highly recommend this as a way to get used to lifting weight but with good form. Because you stand in the bar, it's much easier to get a sense of what the movement should be. Once you have cracked this, move onto a straight bar.

Not sure if this is any help. Happy to try and be more specific if this isn't enough.

I spent months with my coach just strengthening my back . Before it was deemed safe to do either a deadlift or a barbell squat. A good coach will spend time making sure that you are strong enough back wise to perform exercise correctly and safety without incidentally injury.

Agree - don't increase your weight until you've got your technique right. I'm a bit that your gym instructor can't be more helpful though.

How good is your core? Do you do any core work to strengthen those muscles? That might help with your back.

By strengthening your back it engages and also strengthens the core at the same time another thing with deads are you using the nice big weights ( not found in many gyms) to get it to a good height so you don't over bend before you start. If no larger weights available to you raise the bar using steps either side? Hopefully my description is clear in what I'm trying to ask here

Good point little pumpkin: swoosh ask your coach about bumper plates plates which are made of rubber and not metal and which sit higher off the ground so you start with a smaller range of motion.

Thanks all for the help! Yes bent leg deadlifts and bumper plates. I'll be trying again tomorrow. He says my chest is a lot stronger than my back so that's why I am overcompensating. I struggle to keep my shoulders back, they keep pulling forward if you see what I mean? Thanks again, I shall persevere! My core is pretty weak to be honest, I'm working on it. I did leg raises today and can't stop swinging back and forth so it's a real problem!

Pumpkin he said my barbell squats were perfect. I have a lot of strength in my legs so didn't find these a problem and my back was good with these.

Sorry but for you to come on here expressing what you're PT is telling you to do and to me he's not got a clue how to correct your form. Please don't be offended in me telling you this because all to often they are quick to take your money and pt are ten a penny for qualifications these days sad but true. I spent wasted money on a few PT with not much results. I continued my search and now I have an amazing coach worth the extremely high fees. I am taught correctly not allowed to have new stuff in program until he's happy with perfect form. Diet ect is looked at weekly no stones go unturned. You really do get what you pay for

The upper back is pretty important in a lot of the lifts ( or at least deadlift, squat and bench). Learning how to keep it tight should help keep your chest up. Same with squat.

Try and imagine pinching a pen/ finger between your shoulder blades.

Agree absolutely with Littlepumpkin.

Is this guy your PT, or just a member of gym staff 'overseeing' you?

He is a PT but not my PT. He oversaw me at my induction and we went through barbell squats and deadlifts as I hadn't used a barbell before. He's been in the job many years and comes highly reputable.

Do you think I should book with a PT (not him?) to work on them more?

Thanks Mide that's really helpful.

Swoosh let me help you find a good coach I've got some pretty good connections. Where are you based? I'm pretty sure I can locate you a more than able coach to teach and help you.

your deadlifting 30kg incorrectly. WTAF?! Please find another instructor, this isn't your fault.

Drop the weight off now before you break your back.

You need to sit in to your heels engage your hamstrings and push that bottom out behind you.

the bar in deadlift should move in a vertical line upwards, basically imagine it scraping up your shin.

try pulling your shoulders back till you feel a pinch between your shoulder blades as you lift and you must keep your back straight.

what is your grip like? too wide too narrow?

please get a better PT he's really not helping you .

swooosh I see my PT twice a week. One session is a general, 'whole body' and cardio work out, and one focuses on specific muscle groups. So I'm not always doing deadlifts. But every time I do deadlifts, he watches me and comments on/corrects my technique if necessary. And I've been working out with him for almost two years! It's hard to always know if you're doing it properly, especially if you're increasing your weight, so that's why it's important that you've got someone looking out for you to make sure you're doing it properly, so that you don't injure yourself.

I'd definitely look for another PT - and if Littlepumpkin can help you, that would be perfect!

I have a tendency to curl my shoulders round. This is partly bad posture and we've worked on it in the mirrors. When they're saying straight back I'm feeling my bum sticking right out. I've noticed the same thing when doing a straight arm plank - feels like I'm as straight as a rod but the mirror shows my shoulders curling over.

Viv stand up straight as you can and pull your shoulders back till you feel a pinch in the middle of your back , that is what you need to do when preparing for the lift, shoulders back chest out and feel the pinch.

I tried again today and it felt much better. Pumpkin I have PM'd you.

Thanks again all for the help and suggestions. I really want to get this right as I feel it's such an important move to master.

Swooosh I'm about to do my 2nd leg session for today I'll get the laptop out later and reply after my power nap ok

Thanks pumpkin...2 leg sessions in a day? What dreams are made of! I bloody love legs

Something I found on the web easy to remember which helped me get the correct back angle and avoid lifting it with my back was the following set up which is easy to replicate every time;
Walk up to the bar, put the shoelaces part of your feet under the bar, then with straight legs reach down and grasp the bar with your hands, then bend your legs at the knee until your shin touches the bar. You are now in the right position do take up the slack in the bar, chest up and lift .. I'm not an expert but found my lifts were much more comfortable and consistent after learning this method x

Hey ladies

Just an update: I've been working with a different PT and she's bloody fantastic! My deadlifts are now perfect form and I'm at 50kg including the bar at 66kg bodyweight. I'm building it up though, I can manage this weight easily at 4x6 reps so will be increasing again. I found slightly turning my elbows outwards really opens my chest up and keeps my shoulders back. Thanks again for all your advice!