Deadlifts

Hey guys,

I've been lifting weights for a few weeks and am having trouble with deadlifts. I've watched a good few videos on form but I'm still having a bit of lower back pain when lifting the barbell off the floor. Luckily, it doesn't really persist after, but I'm still a bit worried about it and think I'd better sort it out before I go any heavier. I'm at about 95kg in total right now but should probably go back to 92.5 or 90 as that was less of a struggle.

Here are the steps I'm taking:
1. Feet about shoulder width apart, midfoot directly under the barbell
2. I grip the bar just outside my legs, without moving the bar
3. I bring my shins to the bar
4. I try spread out my chest (this is probably the step I'm least confident about)
5. I try lift with my legs first

Am I going wrong somewhere, or would it be best to get a trainer or someone to watch and give me some advice before I do damage?

Thanks

you might have long femurs/short arms, in which case you'd be better off doing block pulls or sumo deads.

>le leverages maymay

Shoulder width is too wide. 8-12 inches apart is ideal. When you bring your shins to the bar, make sure you aren't out over your toes too much. You may have to rock back off the toes and keep your balance over the mid foot. This will have your shoulders slightly in front of the bar. When squeezing the chest up, make sure you don't allow your hips to drop. The hips can not go lower once the shins touch the bar. Allowing them to go lower will pull you out of position.

Protip: videotape your deadlifts so you can see how your lower back looks like. I tape every deadlift session to keep check on my form

I have pretty short legs for my height, would that have anything to do with it?

Thanks for that, will keep that in mind

provide a video

Something that helped my deadlift and also every other lift as well. Learn total body tension and white knuckle the fuck out of the bar. As long as you squeeze hard on your lats and push through with your ass, you will be hard pressed to round the lower back

>I have pretty short legs for my height
that could actually help you
>muh "no excuses" maymay
limb/segment length is literally everything. accept that redpill and move on. I know I'll never be a good deadlifter, no matter how much I enjoy it, so I just focus on overhead work and pullups/chins.

Most likely the pain is because you're not keeping your lower back straight.

Don't forget:

Take a great big belly breath and hold it in, while squeezing your abs together. This helps to keep your back flat under load.

Pic Related.

Great advice, cheers guys. Haven't really been paying attention to breathing during, so that might help.

I need to try this, I guess I'm scared of gripping too hard since everyone stressed "don't pull with your arms, just let it hang in your fingers" but it makes sense that that would brace you better

This. The single best thing you can do to correct/perfect your form on any lift is to record yourself (preferably from the side).

don't wear cushiony shoes. go barefoot or hard/flat sole shoes

since you're a beginner I would recommend not progressing too fast especially if you're already feeling something in your lower back. stay at a lower weight for more reps so that your general supporting structure can grow and adapt. Just because you can get it up doesn't mean you should.

Your best bet is to find a trainer in your gym or ask one of the meatheads to help with form. This is one the few lifts you need to swallow your pride and just ask. Fucking up your back could mean the end of you Veeky Forums career.

Most instructors are cool enough to show you as long as you aren’t taking up too much their time and most meatheads love the opportunity to teach a noob something.

Seriously, you need to have someone who knows physically with you so they can show you and critique you.

Try shifting your weight onto your heels and rolling back your shoulders, it helps bring your chest up and prevents your lower back from caving.

Another reason could be a weak core causing your abs not being able to handle the weight

Have you been sitting down a lot, or resting on one foot significantly more then the other when standing?
Do something looks off if you look straight down on your toes and put them straight forward, and then you look in the mirror and it looks like something's not right?
If one side hurts and not the other, that is.

How do you film yourself lifting. Do you bring a tripod?

When you set up, imagine you're preparing to lift a barbell off the ground. Then lift the barbell as if you were lifting it off the ground.

Good idea

I haven't done that yet, but I should

Ok interesting point, I normally wear cushioned sole trainers

Good advice, unfortunately the gym I'm in doesn't really have anyone who does compound exercises, and I only see the trainers showing people the machines. I don't necessarily trust them. I'd rather pay for a session or two with someone that really knows their stuff, if I could find them. But you're right, I'm just not sure there are as many smart gymbros here as there are in the US or other countries.

Stance width is dependent on you
you're not spreading your chest up, you're squeezing it up to extend your upper back and set your hip angle
before you lift the bar you brace your core via valsalva