Lately I have shared a bunch of deep thoughts on different subjects relating to CrossFit, and if you want get philosofical about it, life in general! So today I have decide to go the the other side of the house and get into some observations on the deadlift! If you are a monster deadlifter and you have some thoughts you feel like you would like to share with the world- please do share them also!
For those of you who do not know yet, I have a love affair with the deadlift, and most offspring from the deadlift! This also means that I have had a tendency to really geek out and dig into all the different schools of thought on how to execute the deadlift! Lately however I have come to a realization that I would like to share!
A deadlift is basically just the process of bending down and picking something of the ground. However, in order to be able to do so more than once and with a slightly heavy load there are some considerations to be made! If you decide to neglect these completely there are pretty fair odds that you will get into a world of trouble with your back, and the only one you will benefit will be your osteopath, chiropracter, napapat etc. who will have a field day trying to reassemble the debris that was once your spine!
These considerations are:
- Weight on your heels!
- Lumbar curve maintained!
- Shoulders above or slightly in front of the bar!
- Symetrical grip just outside of shoulder width!
- Arms straight!
- Bar in contact with you shins!
You all know these and I am sure that you have heard them all a million times before, at least if you have had the "pleassure" of having me around when you do your deadlifts!
So far so good, this is the part that most can agree on?? But what happens when you begin to move? This is where the differences begin to show. Or is it?
What I have found to be fantastic points of performance is to stay on your heels, raise your butt to where your lumbar curve is picture perfect, and you begin to feel tension building in your hamstrings. You tighten your grip and secure your midline, and lift! You raise your hips and shoulders in the same speed until the bar passes your knees, after that you open your hip completely, and voilà you are in the top position of the deadlift!
The actual lifting of the bar is less controversial, but the starting point is where tempers begin to flare! All I intend to do with the athletes I coach, is to try to build up tention in their hamstrings, glutes and erectors before they even attempt to lift the bar, thus ensuring that the midline is never compromised! This approach also has the advantage that every inch of movement produced by their hamstrings, glutes and erectors translates into movement on the bar! Aha! That is exactly what I want since these are the primal movers in this lift. So where would the point be in letting them move without getting any elevation on the bar?
So where the starting point will be will differ from athlete to athlete depending on their levers and flexibility? Yes sir! The basics need to be in place, but where that leaves the individual is different from athlete to athlete! Beautiful is it not? we are all built differently, which means that there are basic universal rules for safety, but where that leaves the individual is..... that is right- different from person to person!
So now.. please do share what do you think is a good deadlift? What needs to be taken into consideration? How do you teach it? How were you taught? Did it work?
Much love
5 comments:
Well since i was thought by you, i have only you to blame : ).
But i do find rippetoe approach on approaching the bar quite good.
You address the bar where your shines are about 3 inches away from the bar. You make sure that the bar is over the middle of the foot, if you have shoes it's easier to see it due to the shoe laces. Then bend over and grab the bar, grip width as you specified. Open up your chest and when you do so make sure the shines touch the bar. In that way for me i feel that i'm in a good position, the lifting of the chest makes me arch my lower back. All other points are as you wrote, engage the hamstings, glutes etc.
En Q jag tycker fungerar bra är att när man har taightat till hela kroppen och är klar så föreställer man sig att man sitter i en "leg-press-machine och helt sonika trycker bort marken från kroppen. Funkar bra för att maximera kraften från låren. I orginal så är den Q'n designad för att man ska tänka sig att det är en "leg-extension-machine" man sitter i (strength villain)men jag missförstod det i början och "leg-press" har funkat bra för mig. En annan grej jag slet med länge var att jag sänkte rumpan för lågt ner innan draget så det började med att rumpan stack iväg.
Having been taught the same way as you have Mads I have little to add. I have a que specific to those having a hard time "locking" their upper back tight and that therefore tend to round their shoulders, wich often leads to loss of lumbar curvature.
Once you are all set in your setup position you turn the bend of your arms forward (no matter what grip you are using). This creates a contraction in your rohmboids and lower traps locking your shoulderblades i place! E voila! Super straight back!!
Great article and Mads are you reading my blog ? You seem to be totally spot on about what I lack :)
Starting a 9+9 week cycle to finally get a grip about DLs. Sure I recently did 215 with more in the tank but purely with my back. I tell you NO hamstrings used at all! This is no good and cannot continue. Really need to get back to the basics.
Gonna follow Mr Robert Klarquists program (which took him to 235kg @ 67,5kg) and Nordic champion. After the program he claimed that he never ever had a problem with curved back.
Starting it on wednesday and believe it or not but I am not aiming for a PR :)
Gonna do all lifts with feet 2-3 inches elevated to really hammer those hams and glutes. I mean once the bar gets over the knees the issue is no more.
Rackempackem: Yes I have started to do something which seems similar to what you describe, feels promising.
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