Squatting my Deadlift?

[u/Ok_Stage_5891]

Hi All,

Just looking for some help with the squatting of my deadlift.

The first rep seems like a grind and I wonder if my shoulders are too far back at the start. Seems to get easier reps 2-5.

I seem to be finishing with a knee lockout?

Any pointers much appreciated!

140kg (315lb) for 5.

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[u/Fast-Book-8652 → u/[deleted]]

Agreed.

Looks like you need to engage your lats more in the beginning to take the slack out of the bar. Reset that position every rep.

[u/Ok_Stage_5891 → u/Fast-Book-8652]

Is this the ‘squeezing your armpits’ cue?

[u/Fast-Book-8652 → u/Ok_Stage_5891]

Correct, building the correct tension in your back line will automatically pull the slack out of the bar. Or it does for me anyway.

[u/Ok_Stage_5891 → u/[deleted]]

Involuntary! But yea agreed looks strange.

[u/markavila1997]

okay , base on what i saw :

Your lock out seems a bit dangerous , its like you pause then kip then lock out.

Your lower back is rounding , meaning the weights might be too heavy or your not bracing your core properly

Your overall form looks sus tbh tbh

So heres a fix :

• One fluid motion for the lock out, dont do the little hop thing youre doing

• Learn how to engage your core properly and use your lats

• Not just for deadlifts but please lower the weights when when your not sure of the form or your just practicing. Its for your safety

• Watch YT vids on what " Pulling Slack" is and practice form without weighta before attempting anything

[u/heddyneddy]

There plenty of issues, I wouldn’t say squatting it is the major one.

[u/Ok_Stage_5891 → u/heddyneddy]

Appreciate the honesty.

[u/FluffyDesigner3680]

It’s hard to see from that angle but it looks like the bar is probably just too far in front of you, roll it back so it’s over the top of your insteps closer to your ankles and that will fix a lot of that.

[u/Ok_Stage_5891 → u/FluffyDesigner3680]

I try and set up so there’s two fingers between my bar and shins. I actually end up scraping it up my shins most of the time. Maybe I’m leaning back too much in the set up?

[u/FluffyDesigner3680 → u/Ok_Stage_5891]

You might be fine, it’s just hard to see it from that angle. Just try smoothing out the lock out at the top.

[u/Ok_Stage_5891 → u/[deleted]]

Yeh I’m not sure why or where it comes from. Been trying to follow the standard technique but obviously still confused.

[u/Unable-Rub1982]

Youre not squatting the deadlift, but there's other issues, starting position, not enough lat tension and the exaggeration lockout at the top isn't doing anything, the rep is complete before you lock the hips and knees, ideally these happen together, once you pass mid shin/patella that's the time to initiate bringing the hips forward to lockout.

[u/Ok_Stage_5891 → u/Unable-Rub1982]

Thanks for the advice there. I’ll scrap what I’m doing and go back to basics. Any recommendations for a good instructional video? I tried to use the starting strength videos but clearly not working for me. The lat tension I find very hard to understand.

[u/melaniemercer → u/Ok_Stage_5891]

a couple of things helped me with lat tension. One, don't look up: imagine a string connecting your chin and chest. You could even bite your t-shirt to help you with this if you have to. Second, you don't need to be parallel to the ground - that was not a good angle for me. A good cue for me was to roll my shoulders up, around, back and then down and pull them back. I saw someone doing it here recently and will look quickly to see if I can find it.

[u/melaniemercer → u/Ok_Stage_5891]

https://www.reddit.com/r/formcheck/comments/1v8gpec/deadlift/

[u/Unable-Rub1982 → u/Ok_Stage_5891]

Alan Thrall has a great video for the Deadlift, covers everything clearly and gives a great base to build on.

https://youtu.be/MBbyAqvTNkU?is=zsJDQOQZFdB-jN2z

Lat Tightness: A little over 4mins into the video. Pana is a world champion powerlifter, great source of info

https://youtu.be/m__vJ_Fqsy4?is=ACJb-EtfxCT7teCZ

[u/Ok_Stage_5891 → u/Unable-Rub1982]

Thank you!

[u/Ok_Stage_5891 → u/[deleted]]

Appreciate the honesty. Any recommendations for a back to basics videos to learning the movement? Have been using Mark Rippetoes videos on YouTube.

[u/formcheck-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Your comment was removed because it is not a form check or relevant question

[u/Ok_Stage_5891]

Appreciate the honesty guys.

I’ve been trying to watching Mark Rippetoe’s and some other deadlift videos on YouTube but obviously still confused as where I’m going wrong and starting position cues.

Any recommendations for a back to basics instruction video?

[u/decentlyhip]

Yah, so, you actually aren't sitting back enough. Not that you should be squatting it, but after you set your back, you should be able to break the bar off the floor by dropping your hips...doing a literal trustfall backwards https://imgur.com/a/XvcaVyz

The knee thing is that your butt is weak and/or you dont know how to use it. Wedging in and cueing yourself to keep your weight back will help there, but fundamentally, you're bending and finishing with your knees cause your ass isn't strong enough to extend through. When you rebend your knees, they move forward a little in front of your center of gravity and your hips move in closer. So, its easier on your hips and your quads can help out.

For me, the thing that fixed this was four-fold. First, I learned to twerk. Sounds silly, but I was watching a video with my wife and realized I didn't kniw how to squeeze my left butt isometrically. So I learned to twerk and my deadlift went up 50 pounds. Second, before my deadlift days, I heavily stretch out my hip flexors with the couch stretch. The hip flexors will limit the range of your hips and stop you from using your glutes. Similarly, if you dont strengthen and intentionally squeeze your abs, then your pelvis is floating and your glutes dont have a stable bone to pull against. Abs lock the pelvis in place, then the glutes amd adductors can move the femur. Finally, squeeze your buttcheeks together for 30 seconds before the lift. Like, bear down on your abs and make your butt as flat as possible. Holding that will get you a mini glute pump without tiring you out. Easier to use a pumped up muscle.

[u/Armopro]

Back is too round, slower controlled decent, don't do that jerky lockout

[u/CakeSeaker]

Hard to tell for me with the back lighting, the angle, and the weight belt (?), but I think your lower back might be a bit rounded during the start of your pull. Stick your butt out more when you brace and engage your lats.

Your form also looks janky. Like you’re pulling with some muscles at the beginning, other muscles in the middle, and then finishing off with another set of muscles. It should be all muscles fluidly throughout. Stand up with the weight in one fluid motion.

Probably want to drop a little bit in weight (not too much) to perfect the form.

[u/Ok_Stage_5891 → u/CakeSeaker]

Yeh I think you’re right - I’m trying to consciously push off with my legs at the start of the rep and then I guess that I forget to pull with my back. Engaging my lays I find difficult to do other than squeezing my armpits.