T Nation

My Friend Can't Deadlift

Beginners
#1

So I have agreed to “teach” one of my male friends how to train to the best of my ability. Half hour into our first session we realize he cannot deadlift for shit. I have always had pretty decent mobility, even before I began training.

I wanted to get some input on what you guys think he should do? Or more specifically, what I should do in order to help him? When I mean he can’t deadlift, I mean, he can’t keep his knees bent and back arched simontaneously after he passes around 160 degrees.

I am going to try to be specific, and possibly fuck it up, but I believe his thoracic spine is normally in severe flexion, and it kind of like, overpowered his lumbar curve.

Basically I’d like input on how to gain mobility in areas which are needed in the deadlift.

Thanks.

#2

Maybe try to start with rack pulls.

Tell him not to be afraid of sticking his ass out and to pull with his hips.

#3

Get someone little to get on his back

force his body to learn the movement, start with a 45lb with rubber 10lbs

his back might be weak? wear a belt?
extremely poor balance?

#4

Honestly if he can’t even put forth the effort it takes to google how to deadlift and research on his own, why would you even bother? Waste of your time…

#5

I had this problem myself. I just pushed myself into it and it eventually clicked.

What might be helpful, though is to get him working on a smith machine to do the pulls. He might be having a hard time not falling over forward, and having the bar fixed will allow him to settle back onto his hips without sacrificing stability.

Disclaimer, though. I wouldn’t use the tool for very long, as he shouldn’t develop a need for the support.

#6
#7

Maybe severe lack of flexibility?

#8

work on getting low, pulling the hips through, and focusing on ‘spreading the floor’ with your feet to activate your hip flexors/glutes.

practice practice practice

#9

Have him do some “mad cat” and “camel” exercises to warm up the spine. Might also try DL from a kneeling position. Ass out in back, head and chest up in front. Standing in front of him, you should be able to read what’s on the front of his t-shirt.

TNT

#10

i was reminded of the third world squat article too

#11

[quote]LetMeFly wrote:
So I have agreed to “teach” one of my male friends how to train to the best of my ability. Half hour into our first session we realize he cannot deadlift for shit. I have always had pretty decent mobility, even before I began training.

I wanted to get some input on what you guys think he should do? Or more specifically, what I should do in order to help him? When I mean he can’t deadlift, I mean, he can’t keep his knees bent and back arched simontaneously after he passes around 160 degrees.

I am going to try to be specific, and possibly fuck it up, but I believe his thoracic spine is normally in severe flexion, and it kind of like, overpowered his lumbar curve.

Basically I’d like input on how to gain mobility in areas which are needed in the deadlift.

Thanks. [/quote]

Buy “Magnificent Mobility” and have him perform the exercises.

#12

^Seconded. Well worth the money.

#13

Watch this video by Dan John (trust me, it might be an hour but it’s 100% worth it ):

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-6529481301858251744

#14

tell him to make love to the bar, bang it hard with the hips on the push through…

also, tell him to visualize lifting with his chest (ie, chest out and lifting his chest to the rafters)

Those two tips along with just doing it over and over again finally got my lifting buddy to improve his form…

-Ratchet-

#15

[quote]pachell wrote:
http://www.T-Nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1856085 [/quote]

That was my first thought. My second thought was to get a new friend - one that can deadlift. It might be easier.

#16

Tight hamstrings and it takes some strength in your trunk to keep your spine nuetral when pulling weight. Mag. Mob. is one place to start.

#17

Ooh, yay lots of posts.

Okay so I see everyone seems to like magnificent mobility. I have been thinking of purchasing it for myself, and mostly because of the third world squat article.

On a side note, I am so jealous of people who can third world squat. My boyfriend is from Georgia (like, the country, not GA) and he actually utilizes this position for random things such as smoking, or something. Asshole. Anyways.

And haha at the person who said get friends who can deadlift. If only there was a market for such a thing.

Recently we’ve been just doing rack pulls and basic mobility work. He has a weak posterior chain, so we’re trying to strengthen that too. This is the first time the kids ever been in a gym, so mind you we have a lot of work to do.

It didn’t cross my mind to use a smith machine until someone mentioned it. I used a smith machine to deadlift when I first started. It was all I had available to me at the time, and I wonder now if it allowed me to learn.

I’ve never thought of deadlifting from the knees, but that seems like a productive knelt position idea, and I think we’ll try that too.

Thanks for the idea, guys!

#18

Try a trap bar.

TNT

#19

Yea, some ppl just can’t get the concept of deadlifts. But this doesnt mean they cant learn, this is the video that helped me greatly…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqxim0YXr90&eurl=http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=108563961

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZX6OaLctfI&eurl=http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=108563961

#20

what about working on goodmornings and the pull through…might help build up the hamstrings and get the “thrust” concept across to him.