quote Throw your Chin up to the sky. I know Rippetoe says
different about head position but I find that when you’re
keeping your chin high, your body won’t let your round your
back. [/quote]
thats one thing i realized right after my last workout… which ended up with me trying to deadlift 180kg again except my back rounded, i had no idea why since i thought i set up right, then i remembered that both during the 177.5kg and 180kg that i had made PRs on before i was having my chin up. i dont think the chin actually helps much, some people have it way way too up.
i think it has to do with shoulders kind of. the next time ill try dealifting(tomorrow) im gonna try this… get down, butt should be around where it should be inbetween where it is on a parrallel squat and the legs forming 90 degrees with the upper body(what newbs think is a parrallel squat).
Then before you pull get your chin up, and when you actually are thinking of keeping your back straight, isntead think that you are trying to push the uppermost part of your shoulders up and backwards, (you wont actually do this cause thats a barbell shrug and willl kill you with a deadlift’s weight)
the reason i say this is cause the shoulders are above the upper back, if you try to “move them” first(i know it doesnt make much sense) then the upper back/lower back will come second, so if the shoulders go up first your back wont round
you’ll actually be pushing with your feet… at least thats what works for me. if i try pulling it with my back, pushing with my hips and pushing with my legs it just turns into a stiff legged deadlift and sometimes the weight goes forward(no shit)
also try doing olympic lifts with a good coach or someone that knows, they help you learn the right position… which is basically the same for a clean as for a deadlift except the grip is different…
heck you can try what i said right now. sit down like you would for a deadlift at about the right height, hang one of your hands down and with your other hand check to see if your upper back is straight or rounded. then try getting your chin up. if you were actually holding a bar, your arm would lock out hence getting your upper back mroe straight.