First, a little background. In the past I've had very bad posture with regards to my neck position. This was due to studying, lab work, sitting at a computer, etc, plus being a tall guy with short friends. So while my shoulders were retracted and sitting back, and my chest was at a good position, and my abs and gluts were definitely fixed after I began working out, my neck still jetted out, so to speak.
Anyways, I always thought I had really great form on the deadlift, with one exception, which was that I would have a somewhat rounded upper back somewhere in the middle of the lift. It's truly nothing unusual if you look at powerlifters lifting at around 90% in their videos (so when I say it's not serious, I mean nothing that would cause injury in the short term). Normally when I deadlift, I will set up, and then when I pull I look up, and, well you know most of the rest of the story.
So yesterday, I was warming up and got to 455, and at that weight my upper back was rounding during the middle of the movement. It was at this point I was thinking "hmm, I wonder what it would be like if I not only looked up as I pulled first, but if I more than that set my head up and back like on a squat." What I mean by that is, not just pull my neck more backwards (so it's straighter), but also almost try to touch the back of my head on my traps (actually it would be touching my traps). I did that, and it was at this point I felt my spine truly straighten, almost arch actually. When I went to deadlift the 495 I hit a triple with absolutely no problem AND no rounding whatsoever until the third rep (was a grinder, not proud of doing that but proud of hitting a triple =p).
Just thought I'd share this story in case any of you see yourselves doing the same thing incorrectly with the deadlift and could use the form correction advice.
Anyways, I always thought I had really great form on the deadlift, with one exception, which was that I would have a somewhat rounded upper back somewhere in the middle of the lift. It's truly nothing unusual if you look at powerlifters lifting at around 90% in their videos (so when I say it's not serious, I mean nothing that would cause injury in the short term). Normally when I deadlift, I will set up, and then when I pull I look up, and, well you know most of the rest of the story.
So yesterday, I was warming up and got to 455, and at that weight my upper back was rounding during the middle of the movement. It was at this point I was thinking "hmm, I wonder what it would be like if I not only looked up as I pulled first, but if I more than that set my head up and back like on a squat." What I mean by that is, not just pull my neck more backwards (so it's straighter), but also almost try to touch the back of my head on my traps (actually it would be touching my traps). I did that, and it was at this point I felt my spine truly straighten, almost arch actually. When I went to deadlift the 495 I hit a triple with absolutely no problem AND no rounding whatsoever until the third rep (was a grinder, not proud of doing that but proud of hitting a triple =p).
Just thought I'd share this story in case any of you see yourselves doing the same thing incorrectly with the deadlift and could use the form correction advice.