For some reason my brother cant deadlift right. He cant keep his lower back straight at all. Hes been stretching everyday for the last month. And even started the third world squat this week. Nothing really seems to help. Could there be a medical explanation, or just that hes a begginer and cant physically pull off a proper deadlift?
Perhaps the weight is just too heavy. Even if its 135 lbs, that can be too heavy for someone untrained. Try starting him off with something like 65 or 95 lbs, pulling from the pins just below the knee. If you don’t have a rack, use blocks.
Can he execute a proper deadlift with just the 45 lb barbell? How about a 1 lb wooden broomstick?
Alright, well Im going to the gym now. Ill just have him do rack pulls for now…
[quote]njrusmc wrote:
Perhaps the weight is just too heavy. Even if its 135 lbs, that can be too heavy for someone untrained. Try starting him off with something like 65 or 95 lbs, pulling from the pins just below the knee. If you don’t have a rack, use blocks.
Can he execute a proper deadlift with just the 45 lb barbell? How about a 1 lb wooden broomstick?[/quote]
Well, hes a pretty strong kid, hes 15 and can squat 315. Hes pulled 285 before. hes capable of lifting a good amount of weight. But no, he cant. I think if he has something to hold onto he can get into a somewhat decent position, but not with just the bar or broomstick.
What is his size (weight/height) and how much is he deadlifting?
What is his size (height/weight) and how much is he deadlifting?
[quote]Sharp4850 wrote:
What is his size (height/weight) and how much is he deadlifting?[/quote]
Hes just an inch shorter than me,(6’1") weighs 185, and has pulled 285, but even on light weights he has a rounded lower back.
Have him do stiff legged DLs with really light weight. Start with just the bar if you have to, theres no shame in that. If he can do those with good form have him do these for a good solid 4 weeks. You can also throw in some back extensions and prone hip-thigh extensions in there on DL days or off days depending on him. If he cant do really lightweight, then have him go to a doctor and get checked out.
Just because he can squat 315 doesnt mean he can DL 400. He might just have a weak lower back…
[quote]Evolv wrote:
Have him do stiff legged DLs with really light weight. Start with just the bar if you have to, theres no shame in that. If he can do those with good form have him do these for a good solid 4 weeks. You can also throw in some back extensions and prone hip-thigh extensions in there on DL days or off days depending on him. If he cant do really lightweight, then have him go to a doctor and get checked out.
Just because he can squat 315 doesnt mean he can DL 400. He might just have a weak lower back…[/quote]
He is kina fat, do you think because of this it might look like his back is more rounded then it really is? Another thing, I can get into position just fine, but I see guys at meets that throw up their arms and get into position quickly and lift, I think he could get his back a little flatter that way.
so does andy bolton 
Rack pulls and feet over a platform, then remove the platform, then deadlift from floor.
I’ve used this approach with a friend of mine who couldn’t deadlift…
I think I found something on youtube that could help him.
The part where he talks about lying prone and raising your torso and legs to help with the arch.
My brother is really skinny by nature. He is taller than my by one inch, (he is 5’6) but he weighs a lot less. He has a narrow build, Lanky, wirey. I tried on 4 seperate occasions to teach him conventional. I was getting nowhere, Then, i tried rack pulls, I was getting nowhere. So Then i taught him sumo. He pulls fantastically.
[quote]bignate wrote:
so does andy bolton :)[/quote]
he doesn’t really round his back, do you think someone pulling 1,000lbs could round their back and not suffer serious injury?
[quote]shizen wrote:
bignate wrote:
so does andy bolton
he doesn’t really round his back, do you think someone pulling 1,000lbs could round their back and not suffer serious injury? [/quote]
It’s an old agument that still persists for some reason…
“Andy B’s back rounds slighty on max attempts, Konsti rounds his upper back when he pulls too, so it’s ok for me to use shit form because I wanna lift like the big boys”
Of course when someone says that they’re just making excuses for their own shit form and if the best in the world can get away with it on max attempts, then it’s ok for them to train and do all their lifting that way!!
I didn’t think rounding the upper back was a problem at all as long as the lower back is straight?
[quote]molnes wrote:
I didn’t think rounding the upper back was a problem at all as long as the lower back is straight? [/quote]
It’s not, but how many rank beginners can do that?
I think many people confuse having your shoulders rolled forward with having a “rounded lower back”
Anyway, keep your back straight till you can pull 4 times your bodyweight…then try whatever you want.
[quote]Iron-Head10 wrote:
My brother is really skinny by nature. He is taller than my by one inch, (he is 5’6) but he weighs a lot less. He has a narrow build, Lanky, wirey. I tried on 4 seperate occasions to teach him conventional. I was getting nowhere, Then, i tried rack pulls, I was getting nowhere. So Then i taught him sumo. He pulls fantastically. [/quote]
He can pull sumo with good form, but I feel that to get a big deadlift you need to train both styles. So I want him to learn conventional.
[quote]TheBig3 wrote:
Iron-Head10 wrote:
My brother is really skinny by nature. He is taller than my by one inch, (he is 5’6) but he weighs a lot less. He has a narrow build, Lanky, wirey. I tried on 4 seperate occasions to teach him conventional. I was getting nowhere, Then, i tried rack pulls, I was getting nowhere. So Then i taught him sumo. He pulls fantastically.
He can pull sumo with good form, but I feel that to get a big deadlift you need to train both styles. So I want him to learn conventional.[/quote]
I agree 100 percent. To pull a competitive DL you need to use both in your training. But what does he use as his primary? Sumo or Conventional?