Deadlift form check please! I have been trying to fix it for a while now!

[All Pain No Gain]

Hello everyone,

Can I please get some feedback on my latest deadlift form {no. 3 below}

I am a beginner and started going to the gym consistently since Aug 1st. I had a terrible deadlift from, which I found out after watching Alan Thrall's videos (which then led me to Dr. Austin Baraki's video on deadlift mistakes).

I started watching Alan's and then Mark Rippetoe's videos to correct my form. I am following the 5 steps of deadlift from SS. Two main problems: (1) The bar keeps moving because the platform has too many broken areas under the rubber mat; the mat is dented too. (2) I have difficulty keeping my lower back flat/straight. I am trying to replicate Alan's form but failing miserably.

Here is a video before I knew what a correct form looks like.

1. First week: 125 lbs (3 sets x 7 reps) -

Observation: Hips too low, form not consistent

Here is a video of me trying to learn the five steps of SS. My speed is a little slow because I am just trying to learn the technique.

2. Third week: 125 lbs (4 sets x 7 reps) -

Observation: Lower back not flat

Here is the current state after a few workout sessions. Please provide feedback on this at least.

3. Fourth week: 165 lbs (3 sets x 6 reps) -

Observation: Learnt cue: Push belly between thighs to get a flat lower back; still doesn't look accurate, hips may be a bit low

[A. Nason]

Hi there,

First off, good job making the commitment to going to the gym consistently. That's great, and I hope you continue. As for your deadlift form, I watched all 3 of your videos. Your hips were a little low in the first one, but your form looks fine in the second two. You might not ever look identical to another lifter because your proportions are not exactly the same. If your back, femur, or shins are different lengths than someone else at the same height, your technique will look different, and that is ok. If you look at the plates on the bar in your later videos, they pretty much move up and down in a straight line and it doesn't roll around at the bottom, which shows you are picking it up and setting it down efficiently. Not every single rep was perfect, but you have only done the lift a few times. At this point, it just comes down to practice with the movement. Doing the lift and maybe a variation or two each week, keeping your RPE in check, and putting in the time are the things you can do to get better at deadlift now. You will naturally get better at it as you continue, and doing it slightly 'wrong' sometimes won't hurt you. Hope this helps, and good luck!

-Alex

[All Pain No Gain]

Hello A. Nason,

Thanks very much for the feedback and for looking at my videos. I appreciate the help, and yes, I guess more sessions will eventually get me there ... Thank you!!

[Pat Hughes]

Hello everyone,

Can I please get some feedback on my latest deadlift form {no. 3 below}

I am a beginner and started going to the gym consistently since Aug 1st. I had a terrible deadlift from, which I found out after watching Alan Thrall's videos (which then led me to Dr. Austin Baraki's video on deadlift mistakes).

I started watching Alan's and then Mark Rippetoe's videos to correct my form. I am following the 5 steps of deadlift from SS. Two main problems: (1) The bar keeps moving because the platform has too many broken areas under the rubber mat; the mat is dented too. (2) I have difficulty keeping my lower back flat/straight. I am trying to replicate Alan's form but failing miserably.

Here is a video before I knew what a correct form looks like.

1. First week: 125 lbs (3 sets x 7 reps) -

Observation: Hips too low, form not consistent

Here is a video of me trying to learn the five steps of SS. My speed is a little slow because I am just trying to learn the technique.

2. Third week: 125 lbs (4 sets x 7 reps) -

Observation: Lower back not flat

Here is the current state after a few workout sessions. Please provide feedback on this at least.

3. Fourth week: 165 lbs (3 sets x 6 reps) -

Observation: Learnt cue: Push belly between thighs to get a flat lower back; still doesn't look accurate, hips may be a bit low

I think you're over analysing - your form looks great, and seems like you could handle a lot more weight too. Well done

[All Pain No Gain]

Hello Pat, thanks very much for looking. Now I can focus on putting in more weight ...

[Naturegirl]

I can definitely see air between your legs and the bar on the first video. Not as sure on the others due to camera angle. It helps me to get down to the bar, engage my lats (I use a cue of protecting your armpits as if someone is trying to tickle you; in the videos below the cue is to lift the chest) . This is done while pulling the slack out of the bar (ie it's not coming off the floor, but if you pulled even a bit more it would). Then drag the bar up your shins. If I focus on dragging it up my shins, my lats stay locked. Are those running shoes? Deadlifting tends to work better with barefeet, socks, or a flat sole like chucks.
Have you seen these two videos?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYREQkVtvEc


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYN3UGCYisk&t=1s

[All Pain No Gain]

Naturegirl, thanks for taking a lot at the videos. And the air/space between the bar and my legs have definitely shortened, but it is still there. When I really focus on keeping the bar in contact with my legs, it does stay in contact; but most of the time I keep forgetting this. There are too many things on my mind that I am trying to focus on: Keep lower back straight, head neutral, feel tight in hamstrings, down let hips come down too low, point chest up or out, tight upper body, etc. So most of the time I forget that the bar is supposed to be touching my legs all the way up (no issues on the way down, it always touches leg when going down). And yes I have seen those two videos. Actually, I come home watch my videos (which I record every session) and then watch those videos again to see if I am making improvement or not ...