Deadlift form questions

[Who is Mike Jones?]

I have seriously jacked up my deadlifts. I think I am overthinking this and have been watching too many instructional deadlift vids.

1. Are you actually pulling up with your arms and shoulders as you bring the weight up or are your arms simply holding onto the bar?

2. Your weight is balanced on your heels?

3. If I have injured my back, is it smarter to wear a belt?

 

[estray]

No, youre not really pulling with your arms. The first part of the movement should be mostly legs then the back takes over. Weight should be on heels, i like to curl my toes up this ensures the bar stays close to your shins. If your doing it right i wouldnt worry about a belt. I have degenerative discs and i never belt up for deadlifts. Deadlifting has actually improved the condition of my back.

 

[DADAWG]

head up , bar close to the shins , its not really pulling up with shoulders or arms but some use pulling back[ not up ] with the bar to help keep the weight on the heels and also to help keep the back from rounding into a dangerous position.

 

[phluxx]

You want to drive your heals through the floor. Don't try to pull on it with your arms. Get down low with your chest high to keep your spine neutral. Drive your heals through the floor and stand up with it. You want to make the pull as far as you can with your legs, and then use your lower back to finish the pull and lockout. To get the best leverage, you should be practically scraping the skin off of your shins.

As far as the belt thing goes, I think that it depends on the situation. If you're going for a super heavy single, I think you should use a belt. If you're doing a weight that is say 80% or lower than your max, I don't think it's necessary. However, if you're doing high volume, I think you may want to consider. Let's say you're doing a 5x5, and on you're on your 5th set, and 4th rep. You're going to be tired as fuck, and your form might start to go. I caught that happening to me a couple of weeks ago, and I'm glad I was wearing my belt.

 

[Rucker]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnBREGM7pE0

 

[CaptainAwesome]

i think i may not be bending my legs enough. i only slightly bend them and try to do as much with my lower back as possible. some jenkins came up to me and said i could hurt myself like that. it feels great the way i do it but im not interested in hurting my back.

 

[phluxx]

If you want to move a lot of weight, you need to lift smart. Your legs are much more powerful than your lower back. That's why you should try to clear it as far off the floor as possible using your legs before you try to lockout with your back.

 

[phluxx]

Dude, that link is for Romanian, not Conventional deadlifting.

 

[sodium]

is it bad to stop and go w/ deadlift's? takes me a little time messing w/ feet between each rep

 

[Knucklesamich]

Not to hijack, but what is better, Sumo or Conventional? After a few sets of conventional my shins a raw! ...also my forearms rub on my knees/legs and rub them raw.

??

 

[Who is Mike Jones?]

Not to hijack, but what is better, Sumo or Conventional? After a few sets of conventional my shins a raw! ...also my forearms rub on my knees/legs and rub them raw.

??

I used to lift sumo because I have a longer torso and shorter legs. Found that I felt it more in my legs lifting sumo