switched up my deadlift routine - any tips/pointers/critiques?

[Oderus Urungus]

After reading that tremendous deadlift article that Deacon posted, I went in yesterday and watched my form a lot more than normal, as well as changed my sets/reps.

Before I was doing 3 sets of 5, no reset, I'd just get through a 5 rep set, wait a few minutes, do another set. Yesterday I switched to 5 sets of 3. I was giving about 15 seconds between reps, enough time to stand up, line my feet up again, go back down into position, check starting position, then go again.

The result - I was still pulling 15 reps for deads, that didn't change at all. When I was doing 3 sets of 5, by the 4th rep of every set I felt pretty tired out but I could still finish the set. By the 3rd set, I'm plain worn out, but I get through it. By switching to 5 sets of 3, I didn't feel really worn out until about the 2nd rep on the 5th set. My pulls seemed a lot stronger and easier. Nice improvement, especially since I was doing reps 10lbs heavier than last week (and will keep adding 10lbs/wk until I can't anymore, then I'll start adding 5lbs/wk, I do this with every exercise if I can).

Critiques on my own form - When lining up, in order to get my hips close to the bar, my knees are waaaaaaayyy over the bar, but my shoulders are still behind the bar. I have short arms, hell, I'm short to begin with (only 5'6"). My hips are low to the ground, but due to my short reach, I don't have much of a choice. I know this can be a big mistake, as it would seem I'm trying to move the weight forward and up instead of backwards and up, however, that isn't what happens. I don't have to go around my knees, because as soon as I'm starting the lift, my ass comes up first, then I pull up and backwards and my knees are never in the way. My back is always arched at the beginning and at the most it straightens out during the lift. If I've ever felt my back start to round during a deadlift, I've set it down immediately and repositioned.

Air in the belly during the lift is one thing I noticed I was commonly forgetting. I noticed that after the first pull and made sure the air was going to the right place at the start of every lift. It helped a lot.

The low hips and knees over the bar are 2 things I'm not sure how to avoid. If I try to straighten my legs up some more when getting into position, I'm already pulling before I start the movement. I don't keep my feet too wide, they're usually shoulder width and my hands are slightly outside of that. At the start of the lift, the first thing to come up is my ass, and I continue up with that until I feel my arms fully tighten, then I pull through. I guess at first it looks like I'm in a bad position to pull, but I have no one around that really knows how to deadlift and can point out mistakes. This is the downside of a college gym - you either know what you're doing or you end up alternating bench/curls 5 days a week.

Based on my verbal analysis, is there anything anyone could add? I might be able to take the video camera into the gym sometime soon and get someone to video my deads for a better critique. That's to be determined though, as I'm skeptical of taking my expensive electronic toys in there.

[SublimeZM]

that doesnt sound to good bro...

ass up first, then back takes all the load? its supposed to be a smooth motion, like looking ahead, and just standing up with the weight, all muscle groups at once, not one then the other..

id suggest lowering the weight a bit to regetused to it, but whe i used to have the problem your describing, and used to tear the crap out of my shins, i used to always look down.

i also used to overanalyze the squating it up thing, and now i have the bar start about an inch away from my shins, look straight ahead and dont stop looking straight a head, and really flex my glutes and pull my hips forward and under me as my legs and back are straitening.

i pretty much view it as just standing up. but remember dont lookd own or up, look right ahead and you will feel your body shift under your head (thats the best way to describe it.) once u gt the smooth motion, it should almost feel comfortable and youl know when you get it.

----thats just mmy 2cents though, since noone else was giving u a response...,
lets see what the more experienced lifters have to say

[Lacy]

i have heard it analyzed at diving through the ceiling
Also to break the all back dl try doing some off of platforms.I too go ass up first But my deadlift is nothing to be scoffed at.
I have short arms and am only 5'4 3/4(yes i gotta have that 3/4).But my point bieng I will do platform deads tommorow and let ya know how it goes

[Opi]

im lurking

[SublimeZM]

Originally Posted by Lacy

i have heard it analyzed at diving through the ceiling
Also to break the all back dl try doing some off of platforms.I too go ass up first But my deadlift is nothing to be scoffed at.
I have short arms and am only 5'4 3/4(yes i gotta have that 3/4).But my point bieng I will do platform deads tommorow and let ya know how it goes

for me its more of a backward dive, like, if u were to turn ur back to the water, and u sort of squat down a little bit and lean forward (grabbing the weight) and then u propell ur legs straight and ur back backward while following the arch, and if u didnt have the weight, ud follow ur head backbehind u into the water :lol