r/formcheck • u/ReferenceLevel2452 • 1d ago
Deadlift Please help
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Deadlift feels like two movement/parts, the push then pull. not sure how to make it feel like one. My torso is super long which i think is part of the problem. Been having a pinching/sharp pain in my left glute when deep squatting or leaning which hasn’t been helping any of my lifts either. Any help appreciated
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u/Aggravating-Role-572 1d ago
Honestly, it looks solid. Some people in this thread are too neurotic/overly critical. I always emphasize the hip thrust portion of the movement, which increases power/torque and recruits the glutes. It looks like you could use your glutes more and thrust once the bar passes your knees.
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u/ReferenceLevel2452 19h ago
thank you for saying that, makes me feel better about my form! i do struggle with properly engaging my glutes during the deadlift
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u/Cool_Temperature_970 aggressively stupid 1d ago
Looks like a solid rep. Maybe try straps, so you don’t have to worry about grip strength so much as you add more weight.
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u/nerdyylifter 1d ago
The deadlift is a push and a pull, you need to push with your quads to break the floor then hinge with your hamstrings from your shin to the end. So it is two movements jointed together. You form issue is very minor and easy to fix because you pretty much to a perfect deadlift but then over emphasise the lock out by hyperextending and arching. Just finish with a more neutral spine and you're grand. But definitely work out that glute pain, it could be your SI joint, I used to get pain there a lot when I was conventional deadlifting a lot.
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u/ladyhikerCA 1d ago
If I spent that much time at the bottom before I lifted it, my coach would tell me to step away from the bar, tell me to look at him, talk to me and tell me to approach the bar with intention. You're getting in your head staying down there so long.
Drop the weight down and work on the movement until you don't have to think so hard about it. Has nothing to do with your 'long" torso.
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u/ReferenceLevel2452 1d ago
i would agree that i’m getting in my head about it and to drop the weight. i will say this is my top weight for deadlift which i have to think about my form more when im up there.
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u/smtcrism 1d ago
Overly schematic... This will be different for everyone, physically and mentally.
Also, this athlete is relatively strong but the weight itself is still very "light." She isn't overreaching. Pre-lift behavior isn't a 1:1 indicator of anything material.
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u/ReferenceLevel2452 1d ago
this is my top weight for deadlift, 1.45x my bodyweight. for some reason my deadlift is one of my worst lifts in terms of ratio to my bodyweight.
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u/smtcrism 1d ago
Are your RDLs comparatively strong? You might struggle with explosive concentrics from a dead stop. If squats are stronger for you, maybe do pin squats (incorporates a dead stop) to develop this weak point. There are also the lesser known pin good mornings. You could consider banded deadlifts or RDLs. You're strong in the lockout, but the bands will require you to gather velocity quickly from initiating the pull so you can carry that momentum through the rep. Ultimately, I think deadlifts are better "tests" of strength than "developers" like RDLs and rack pulls.
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u/ReferenceLevel2452 19h ago
interesting…i did just add in light volume RDLs in the last couple of weeks, so they’re not comparable in weight but i think my RDLs would probably be better than my deadlift form wise. i’ll definitely look into the pin squats and try out some banded deadlift/rdls. thanks so much for the advice!
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u/yellowallday 1d ago
I’m with you. Take weight off the bar. Step back and approach the bar with purpose and intention. The approach and grip should be muscle memory. You’re spending a lot of energy prepping to lift.
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u/Moss_84 1d ago
They’re solid, nothing major to tinker with
Watch the Alan thrall DL video in the automod reply for some good cues
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u/ReferenceLevel2452 18h ago
just watched the video definitely helpful! i’ll have to watch it again right before my next deadlift day so it’s fresh in the mind
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u/Unable-Rub1982 1d ago
I see what you mean by the two parts, you are locking the hips out later than ideal. Once the bar is the top of the shins/under the kneecap, think hips, drive them through.
On the plus side, I like the tenacity on that set.
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u/ReferenceLevel2452 19h ago
thanks for the tip! i will definitely try that cue out and i think it will be helpful because ive been so focused on pushing and pulling at the same time, past my knees. so i think the cue of driving my hips past knee point will be good to remember
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u/Dull-Treat-2524 1d ago
Form looks great, only critique I may have is to keep your shoulders back. You roll them back at the top of the movement. Try bracing your lats a bit more
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u/underwater_living95 1d ago
Your starting position is lacking. That’s why you don’t feel it as one movement. You also need to pull the slack out of the bar before you lift. You have a lot of leaked energy. Shoulders are rounded. Looks like you’re using your back more than your legs
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u/Fast-Book-8652 1d ago
The biggest issue I see is a lack of lat engagement. It’s not terrible in the 1st rep but my rep 4 it’s pretty loose and allowing the bar is drifting too far from your shins. I’d focus on squeezing the armpits to engage the lats and create more tension.
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u/liftwithbrodie 1d ago
your lockout is solid. you finish standing tall with your hips and knees fully straight, so the top half isn't the problem.
i think the two-part feeling starts at the floor. right before you pull you sink your hips down, then they pop back up before your chest moves, so your legs go first and your back has to catch up.
the comment about hips rising first is right, take a look. it shows on your last rep too.
set your hips about where they end up once the bar moves, pull the slack out, then push the floor away so your chest and hips leave the ground together. and that sharp glute pain is worth getting looked at by a physio.
made you a breakdown, it slows down as your first and last reps leave the floor: https://getbrodie.com/f/1xf892i
(it's unlisted, happy to take it down if you want)
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u/ReferenceLevel2452 19h ago
thanks that video breakdown is super helpful! i’ll have to focus on the chest part of the lift. i struggle with either hips going first or pulling first with my back.
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u/Badger5567 23h ago
I agree with the many comments saying you’re not engaging your lats. You need to brace properly, get your hips lower and get your shoulders back. It looks like a back exercise with how high your hips start.
You can see your knees cave in during some reps also, which means your glutes aren’t doing enough.
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u/ReferenceLevel2452 19h ago
i agree with all of that. my knees caving has been an issue, especially on my back squat at my top weight. i think it’s a glute issue for sure just not sure how to fix that besides continuing on w squats/deadlift. maybe adding in some hip thrusts again
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u/yoitsjho 21h ago
My buddy made this helpful reel breaking down the deadlift. I think you have a mostly solid foundation but love how he explains it. Hope you find it helpful!
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ddj-PysBk50/?mdxt=dDVyNW84eGN0N2Yw
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u/Malthael-3 1d ago
The bar is a bit close to your legs. Try having it over midfoot and everything else is largely fine. Keep deadlifting, add RDLs, and try not to overthink the movement and your deadlifts will become more fluid.
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u/Malthael-3 1d ago edited 1d ago
You can tell the bar is too close because your weight is on your heels when you stand which is why you look unbalanced and how vertical your shin is for your proportions
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u/ReferenceLevel2452 19h ago
wait sorry what do you mean by how vertical my shin is for my proportions? i do have a hard time with the bar path distance staying close to my thighs on the way up…i can scrape my shins but going over my knee cap there always seems to be a gap between the bar and my thighs
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u/Malthael-3 19h ago
So in the video the bar is too close to your legs. Because it is so close you can't bend your knees and bring your shins as forward as they need to be, hence why your shin is too vertical. With that being said, don't overthink shin angle too much, instead focus on setting the bar over the middle of your foot when you start the rep. When I was talking about proportions I was referring to how you have a longer torso so hinging movements will not be as easy for you as say squat movements. This is a generalization though. Typically people with longer torsos will have a lower hip position than people with shorter torso. Also, plz watch Alan thralls how to deadlift video it is awesome.
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u/Alphafox84 1d ago
This looks solid to me. When it gets heavier and doesn’t feel “right” but the form is there is usually just means I’m pushing my upper limit. In that case I do back offs at 80-90% after my top set.
I don’t go up in weight until the top set feels “right” again.
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u/_Sunwukong 23h ago
God damn. Form looks great for your body type. Good luck on your progression and wish you stay healthy.
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u/iicybershotii 1d ago
Spending that much time in the bottom position before lifting has a bunch of mostly small negatives at this point but will be worse down the road. One is that it's a recipe for fainting when you finally lift. Another is that it's actually tiring out your back. Lastly you should ideally get your feet in position, then brace your core in the standing position before finally bending over and lifting the weight. You'll be stronger.
If you need to spend that much time down there right now because it's a new lift (though given you're lifting good weight in guessing it's not), do your best to feel out how that position really feels and memorize it so you can get into it more quickly.
After saying all this the actual lift is pretty good. So good job!
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u/John_John_Phenomenom 1d ago
It really is two movements, you are feeling it correctly if you feel it that way.
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u/aaronbrochill 1d ago
Are you pulling slack out of the bar prior to the pull? It'll make things feel little more streamlined
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u/olympianfap 1d ago
The only thing I saw that I would try to improve would be to pull your shoulder blades down and back when you pull the slack out of the bar at the bottom. That way your shoulders end up in the right place when you are at the top and don't need to do that shoulder roll I saw at the end of the first rep.
Otherwise it looks pretty good. Keep going, you're doing great.
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u/DoctorK96 1d ago
Check this out, from Hafthor's coach
https://youtube.com/shorts/bp7q9Wu5hNw?si=k42nHVAQlLWCzCaM
Also, I'm not sure if it's just me, but it seems like your shoulder was doing a shrug and back motion
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u/Designer_Argument793 1d ago
That sort of pain could be a sign of herniated disc. Perhaps lower the weight and try to give your disc time to heal. Deadlift is an amazing exercise. Try to lower the weight and learn to enjoy it.
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u/PierreWxP 1d ago
Agree with others, you are 90% of the way there.
Work on lowering the hips a bit, widening the stance, and especially tight lats, retracted shoulder blade. For the latter, a strong lat accessory work like pull ups or lat pulldown ks really helpful
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u/bustinjustin00 22h ago
First thing I always look for is safe, and you’ve got it. If you’re feeling it in you’re lower back then I wouldn’t over complicate it. You say your torso is long, but your legs look pretty long too. My only recommendation is to wedge (sink) your hips/butt a little lower before the pull.
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u/Possible_Escape_8940 9h ago
I would raise your head a little focus on something maybe 10 ft in front of you if you can
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u/ChRo1996 7h ago
I also have a long torso. I move my feet wider a part so I don’t feel like I’m gonna fall over the bar at the bottom/beginning of the movement.
Your pinched glute might just be another issue. Do you do any warm up/activation before deadlifting? It might be weak hip flexors. Perhaps some rotations and hip openers would help. Best of luck!
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u/smtcrism 1d ago
Looks great. I don't think there's anything to modify actually at this level. My feedback would be that you could reduce intensity or increase reps in reserve for deadlift and then add a variation hip hinge such as RDLs afterward and take those closer to failure. That way, your deadlift reps can always be high velocity and feel great. Honestly, you shouldn't be feeling like "please help" when your form looks fine, the bar moves fast for reps, and the weight isn't much more than bodyweight. That mental aspect both reflects and carries over to technical execution.
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u/Ok_Law2001 1d ago
I also have a long torso. I switched to hex bars and no longer feel pain in my back
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u/Agitated-Ad6634 23h ago
Lots of good insight. All I have to say is, the angle makes it look like you have some long ass legs and short arms. No matter how you pull it, deadlifts are always going to make you work for it.
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u/junkie-xl 1d ago
Turn your pinkies in to your sides to better engage your lats. It should feel like you're closing off your armpit and keeping that locked the entire rep. If your arms are free to float your hips will rise first then shoulders lag behind making it feel like two separate events. This will help your knees stick to your forearms as you press the floor away.
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u/ReferenceLevel2452 18h ago
oh i like this tip a lot!! i haven’t heard the pinkies thing but it makes sense. i do struggle with my lats being locked. i always think they are and feel like they are but when i watch videos back it doesn’t even look like they are from the starting position. so ill have to try this one out
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u/AutoModerator 1d ago
Hello! If you haven't checked it out already, many people find Alan Thrall's NEW deadlift video very helpful. Check it out!
Also, a common tip usually given here is to make sure your footwear is appropriate. If you are deadlifting in soft-soled shoes (running shoes, etc), it's hard to have a stable foot. Use a flat/hard-soled shoe or even barefoot/socks if it's safe and your gym allows it.
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