Shouldn’t my shoulders be only slightly in front of the bar and not so far? Also tome my spine looks pretty rounded.
I don’t see anything seriously wrong there. You aren’t catbacking it and your shoulders are going to end up in front of the bar unless you try to squat the deadlift off the floor, which will cause you more problems than you want.
Rounding really isn’t the worse thing in the world. You don’t want to transition from rounded to flexed while under a load, but if you brace hard, start rounded and stay rounded, it’s not bad.
You may simply have unrealistic expectations of yourself/the deadlift. Like @MarkKO said; it doesn’t feel good.
I went through something VERY similar with squats a while back. Whenever I got to a 500lb squat, I’d always fail, and whenever I’d unrack it I’d think about how it didn’t feel right. It felt too heavy and I felt weak under it. After years of trying to figure out what I was doing wrong, I eventually realized that it was NEVER going to feel good, and that was just kinda the point. That was also when I finally got the squat.
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Your shoulders look in good position in relation to the bar. The bar looks like it may be a tad forward of your body.
I reckon that roll is killing you man. Set 6 looks like the bar is at your toes when you break the ground - you’re always going to be fighting being pulled forward from that position.
As a variation, pausing shortly after breaking the ground might help you feel your way into a good starting position.
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Some lifts are Builders. You do them, and they make you stronger and better. Some lifts are Testers. You survive them. They may even beat you up a little, but you don’t get better, or stronger by doing them. But if you get Stronger with Builders, the Testers go up.
If you can do Sumo without issues, and get stronger by doing it, it should drag your conventional along with it. I copied this approach from Vinny. Also Westside Barbell. So it’s “tested.” Believe it! If you can get your glutes stronger, and get used to “spreading the floor” to engage them more at the start of the lift during sumo, you should be better able to figure out how to use them in conventional. This should take some pressure off your back.
Respectfully;
You need more glutes and hamstrings! All this time spent agonising over deadlift is not helping your back/hips/glutes/hamstrings. Looking back in your log I see back raises unweighted or with 10kgs. Respectfully, this is not enough! These muscles must be stronger! Otherwise, the lower back will try to take over in the deadlift. Don’t make the assistance work an afterthought. Get after it and build that backside up! Look at young Bambi vs grown up Bambi.
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Thanks man, maybe I am really overthinking this all.
I guess this hits on the money after everything you guys have told me. I think I am trying to emulate guys like Johnnie Candito (beautiful deadlift form) while the truth is that my deadlift is never going to look like that.
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I will absolutely get rid of it.
Good idea!
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Looks like a solid approach for sure!
I will definitely put more effort into my assistance work, thanks man!
Thanks to all of you for contributing. It helps me a lot and I appreciate it greatly!
I will keep everything that you have told me in mind and I will try to implement it.
The deadlift is my biggest weak point and it is holding me back the most from reaching my long term goal in strongman. It is also what I hate most in training… so I need to address it the most!
I thought I might start pulling two times a week from now on.
The first day will be a max effort style day with 1-5 reps of rotating deadlifts (sumo, block pull,trap bar and the like) and following back down sets. That way I will be able to incorporate different deadlift variations like I have been told and I will be able to work on getting as strong as possible.
The second day will be paused deadlifts after my squat work to work on technique and positioning and also greasing the groove with regular deadlifts.
Any thoughts?
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I like that plan. Steady progress on heavy day, and whatever you think may help on light day. Pauses, partials, isos, greasing the groove. Even wearing straps to see if it feels like a smoother pull. Get stronger while you get better. Heavy Day is how you evaluate if what you’re doing on Light Day works.
Mentally, it’s fun to come in and hit new records. Making progress is an attitude adjustment. The heavy lifts are still uncomfortable, but if you are only adding a small amount to the weight you did last time, you feel confident. And light days feel less like a waste of time.
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Actually I always wear straps when deadlifting. In strongman, the deadlift is very rarely a test of grip strength.
Thanks for reviewing. I feel pretty confident in my plan. I will however first finish up my current training cycle.
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27.10.
Been on a rather harsh sleep deficit lately. Hopefully that will clear up on the weekend. I trained after work today and was pretty tired.
1 incline bench press
6 x 2 @ 90 kg - PR (for everything… total volume and even one double with 90 kg would have been a PR)
2 slingshot bench press
3 x 5 @ 100 kg
3 chest supported row
45 kg x 10, 10, 8, 8, 7
4 seated cable row
3 x 12
5 push ups
15
6 db floor press
25 kg x 15
7 face pulls
4 x 20
Notes:
- pretty happy with the incline benching today. Wasn’t sure if 90 kg would be doable but it went pretty good. As I have never seriously done incline bench pressing I don’t know how to interpret this in the grand scheme of things.
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You got stronger. That’s never a bad thing. Now you can figure out where that strength will transfer.
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Thanks for the tag man. Wish I could be more helpful, but I’m probably the last person to ask about deads - I’ve hurt myself so many times with them it’s silly.
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27.10.
Couldn’t get my mind in it today. Been pretty stressed and under time presure. Barely warmed up.
1 SSB squat
112 kg x 2, 2, 1 (failed 2nd)
2 squat
110 kg x 2
120 kg x 2
122,5 kg x 2
100 kg x 4
60 kg x 12
3 Leg Press
2 x 10
4 ab wheel roll out
3 x 10
Notes:
- this was obviously shit but I know why and won’t get worked up about it.
- my best SSB squat ist 132 kg x 3. Definitely lost strength nur it is what ist is
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Just returned from a giant and delicious Bavarian brunch. It was epic and even as a vegetarian the food selection was enormous.
I probably ate as much calories as an average sized family does in one day.
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30.10.
I also trained yesterday btw.
1 Log lift
80 kg x 1
85 kg x 1
80 kg x 1, 1, 1, 1
2 Push Press
90 kg x 3, 3, 4
3 Latzug
50 kg x 10
55 kg x 10
60 kg x 8
65 kg x 6
70 kg x 5
75 kg x 4
40 kg x 15
KH press
15 kg x 20, 18, 15
Rev flys
32 kg x 15
36 kg x 12
41 kg x 8
41 kg x 8
27 kg x 15
18 kg x 12
9 kg x 12
Notes:
- strength was okay but I lacked power with the log. May have had something to so with being super sluggish after my feast
- Log was okay otherwise. I think practicing weights around 90% is important to ne efficient with the log.
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31.10.
1 Deadlift.
140 kg x 1
150 kg x 1
160 kg x 1, 1, 1, 0
140 kg x 5, 5
120 kg x 8
2 Sl Leg curls
35 x 10
40 x 8
45 x 6
3 horizontal back extension
20 x 20, 15,
4 frog pump
2 x 25
5 ab wheel roll outs
10, 10, 10
6 suitcase carry
2 40-45 m @ 45 kg per arm
Notes:
- got rid of the roll and kept my hips higher. Tried all sorts of things. In one attempt I tried to ripp it off the ground which was stupid. On the fourth attempt
I tried to sit back and bend the bar around my shins but I Just can’t pull like that. - the back off sets were okay.
- I am looking forward to using different variations now because I am constantly beating myself up over numbers and how my conventional looks… I think this will be good for me.
- Videos to follows later
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Here is the deadlift video:
and a squat video from a few days ago:
Last one for today, I promise. :
Log and push press