deadlift with arched back ok or not ok?

[steakboy]

So i'm deadlifting the other day and some guy comes up and offers his assistance... now.. i'm by no means a tiny guy and i think i move significant weight for my size, but here he comes and says basically i'm doing my deadlifts all wrong.

granted, my back is rolled but i'm pulling up about 350 at this point with a pretty common stance. he offers me an alternative stance that keeps my back straight, but i can't move anywhere CLOSE to the same weight and it gave me severe butt cramps. :booty:

i've been doing deadlifts only for a year (prior abdominal tear made it painful) so i agree my form probably sucks, but... am i setting myself up for a back injury later in the game, or... is a rolled back fine for deadlifts? i've heard both sides of the fence.

 

[Rodja]

Not ok.

 

[lonewolf0420]

Not ok.

At all.

 

[SouthernCharm]

Not ok.

x2.

you are more prone to injury rolling your back, if you can straighten it, you are fully utilizing all of your lower back, hip, thigh and forearm muscles that go into this compound. So what if you can't do as much.. Build from a solid foundation bro, better safe then sorry.

 

[urbanski]

thank the guy for saving you from a disaster. quit DLs or get your form down.

 

[lonewolf0420]

Was the stance he offered, wider?

Maybe going with a sumo style will help you keep your back straight.

 

[Resolve]

C'mon now guys, he has to move less weight if he does it with proper form, we don't want his ego to take that hit, now do we?

Just kiddin' op, but consider yourself fortunate you don't have an injury already from that.

 

[steakboy]

haha word. yeah my ego hurts...

yeah the stance was much wider and my grip goes in between my legs instead of outside them.

well i guess its back to the beginning then... they say if you stop doing the same ****ed up things those same things will un**** themselves.

 

[CopyCat]

haha word. yeah my ego hurts...

yeah the stance was much wider and my grip goes in between my legs instead of outside them.

well i guess its back to the beginning then... they say if you stop doing the same ****ed up things those same things will un**** themselves.

Sounds like he showed you how to do a sumo deadlift. It is dif than a reg DL and has it's place, but is not the same. However, you still should not be rounding your back when doing DLs.

 

[RedneckDB]

haha word. yeah my ego hurts...

yeah the stance was much wider and my grip goes in between my legs instead of outside them.

well i guess its back to the beginning then... they say if you stop doing the same ****ed up things those same things will un**** themselves.

just stick to the normal deadlifts you were doing but drop the weight down and use the mirrors to watch your form then once your happy with it start upping the weight again i guess.

 

[youngandfree]

I don't like sumo style much personally. But even standard style, your back should not be rolled or rounded over. To practice getting a good arch I show people how to do a back hyperextension and have them hold the contraction. That way they feel the burn and tightness in lower back. Then when they set up the deadlift, they can feel the tightness and contraction when they tighten up correctly. Some people can't arch their back and feel the muscle tightening which translates to sloppy deadlift and squat form.

 

[Type O Hero]

Not ok.

^ This

Some people must think the whole point of the exercise is to simply pick the bar up off of the floor by any means necessary. at:

There are plenty of videos on the internet showing how to properly execute a deadlift. If done properly, deadlifts can be a very beneficial exercise. If done improperly, you could seriously injure yourself. There's not much middle ground here.

If you know how to do them and you see someone in your gym doing them wrong, take some time to teach them. If they don't take your advice, there's not a whole lot else you can do. Make a difference... Teach!

Peace, brothas