How to Fix the Round-Back Deadlift (It Starts in Step2!)

Rounding of the back is often not due to a failure to set the back, but of a failure to KEEP setting the back. Today we're going to fix with a simple cue.
In the Starting Strength approach to the deadlift, which we use for The Barbell Prescription, we set the back in set 4 when we take a breath and raise the chest, pointing the nipples forward. This is absolutely essential and works well to establish spinal extension for a safe, efficient, heavy deadlift. And the deadlift is in turn essential for a strong back, and to stay fit after fifty.
The problem we usually run into is not that the athlete forgets or fails to set the back for the deadlift. It's often rather two other problems: the "set it and forget it" deadlift, in which the back setup is not maintained into the pull, and the failure to realize that the back setup--and the deadlift itself--actually BEGIN IN STEP 2, at the moment you establish the grip.
Here, Sully explains how taking the grip and beginning the lift in step 2, and making your back set up an "integration" of many constant back setups will help most lifters improve and correct their back setup for the deadlift, making it stronger, safer, and more productive.
WRITTEN AND PRODUCED by Jonathon Sullivan MD, PhD, SSC, PBC
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Content is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Consult your physician for questions about your health, diet and exercise..

[@johnveroutsos]

Fantastic content, thank you so much. I'm 52 and you really have me motivated. Your content has helped all but cure my knee pain. As for the back, my mental cue is this: The engine of the movement are the hips and the spine is the transmission which just like in a motor vehicle, transmits the power from the engine to the wheels - in this case, to the barbell. Thank you so much for this! Amazing work!!

[@GreySteel]

Exactly. We use this analogy all the time. Spot-on. Thanks for watching and the kind words.

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

same here have the book and starting strength as well. Found awesome local power lifting gym. No squat racks in a gym means not good gym.

[@arttimm9153]

“Never stop never stopping”. But seriously, the concept that the rep starts in step 2 is genius.

[@GreySteel]

Dunno about that, but it seems to help!

[@josephtrovato3344]

Thank you for these keys: simple & effective.. at 61 is never too late to relearn an exercise that I have been doing wrong, on & off, for over 25 years..

[@jeffreyabelson7171]

I'm always concerned if my back is rounding and I hope that my lack of back injury or pain (and how my back feels BETTER) after deadlift day is an indication that I'm doing it right. Thanks for this video!

[@JoelP1961]

I use the cue of mentally leg pressing the weight off the floor. Everything is locked in position and I “leg press “ the bar up to knee level as the back starts to become upright. It all finishes at the same time at lockout. Thanks for posting these videos!👊

[@GreySteel]

Thank YOU. Yes, thinking of leg pressing off the floor is a great cue.

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

Great book and prorgram. I can leg press 800lbs easy but only deadlift 200lbs. Much tougher workout doing barbell program!

[@johnkennett9798]

You Sir are a genuine commonsense GURU! Since 1968 I have off and on lifted weights at home, in a North or Central American typical pay by the month gym. BUT 100% self taught by watching others, adopt an Arnold Press, Delu leg day, Mr Glass Six pack. But Dead lifts and Squats however I have avoided and feared due to past serious back injuries. But your advice keeping my spine "set up" as a 100% Focus in my remote Philippine Beach bedroom gym is working out as 100% pain free experience.

[@GreySteel]

Excellent! Glad we could help. Keep us posted!

[@WileyJordan]

Great content as always Sully

[@GreySteel]

Thank you Jordan!

[@thefox1703]

Thanks for your outstanding analysis! The video was very helpful.

[@RudyMettia]

Perfect explanation

[@lorini11]

Thank you so much Sully

[@GreySteel]

Thanks for watching!

[@brucehutchinson9527]

Excellent description how to become stronger and do the deadlift in a safer more efficient manner.

[@williamdennis1537]

My donation of sand was a fair and equitable exchange for this information, thanks! And of course, in the vernacular of nonce, golden Dude.

[@GreySteel]

Much appreciated!

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

Awesome! I am doing these and a trainer helped me get it right safely. Such a power workout.

[@chrisbuesnell3428]

Your deadlift looks nice and tight. Well explained. It does become automatic but a lot of work to get to that stage. Well done

[@robbielg]

After watching this I now believe all my deadlift back injuries were a result of not continually setting the back, especially on the way down. Looking forward to years of injury free deadlifting. Just tuned 64.

[@daxisperry7644]

Oh my god. This is SO helpful. I have a client that could nail a perfect set up but would start rounding their back during the pull and I couldnt figure out how to articulate what thet're doing. Thank you!

[@frankpickell4311]

I'm new to your channel - YOU are the BEST! - Quality, KNOWLEDGEABLE Information!

[@GreySteel]

Welcome aboard!

[@farmerwayne1404]

Ah-hum! Thats.. " A really Big Shew"... Great info Dr.! Your form looks 👍

[@ricklewis686]

Thanks!

[@skidaddler6293]

Thanks! I have a hard time keeping my back set when it gets heavy.

[@allanlowe3430]

More great content!

[@gregorymccoy6797]

Great video. Still deciding if the cat meow is my new ringtone....

[@GreySteel]

Good choice!

[@Venuslovefactor]

I'm 65 and lifting for the last year. I squat 3 sets of 12 and then do 3 sets of 12 deadlifts. My form is pretty good so it's time to increase the weight. Great videos my man. Maybe I should do less reps and higher weight now.

[@victormancini7774]

Nice video Doc, I constantly stay focused on MY BACK with a tight stomach.👌👍👍👍

[@GreySteel]

Keep it up

[@peterichardson2132]

Thanks. Great information. I plan to try powerlifting. I look for videos that help me learn to lift properly.

[@GreySteel]

Best of luck!

[@peterichardson2132]

@@GreySteel thanks

[@cloftis130]

I love this video at 5:47, absolute gem.

[@GreySteel]

Pretty sure that's not "good calculus," but hey, it's been 37 years since I took calc, and....well, your comment suggests you got the point! 😀 Thanks for watching.

[@larrydickman1094]

Excellent "cue," sir. The deadlift -- to me at least -- seems like an easy straightforward lift but only if you do it right every time (or at least try to). Thanks!

[@GreySteel]

Yes, exactly

[@fortitudetrainingsystems]

Great info Sully, loved the explanation here! What are your thoughts on some of the talk around the industry right now about form not being important because your body will eventually adapt around your flawed technique? I have serious reservations about this concept myself.

[@GreySteel]

We have to accommodate imperfect form in some lifters due to mobility issues, kyphosis, neurodegenerative disease, arthritis, etc. But that is NOT the same as form being unimportant. Color me skeptical. 🧐

[@danlauffer8540]

Excellent. I will get this right. I promise.

[@GreySteel]

You, in particular, have little choice, Carson. :)

[@damianlang1855]

😆

[@danlauffer8540]

@@damianlang1855 See how he picks on me. I'm almost old enough to be his father. "I get no respect" as the famous one used to say.

[@owggarage723]

Sully, great tutorial on proper deadlift technique! I find that concentration on chin up throughout the movement helps set the back. What do you think?

[@GreySteel]

Depends...if you mean extending the chin to a neutral ot very slightly extended neck, ok. But i do not favor a hyperextended neck. Thanks for your question!

[@otiskeithwatkins1679]

Seeing it like should really help me. Should. I hope I do better.

[@andywang4062]

Good 👍

[@darioinfini]

My understanding is the set back is "compressed" reducing the chance for a disk to slip/herniate. Being one of the older guy crowd, injuries are harder and longer to recover from and best to be avoided so I make sure I try to keep good form the entire way every time.

[@GreySteel]

Yep.

[@singhrustam]

Please make a video on a falling forward squat fix. The bar path is all wavy gravy and do I focus on my butt first or push through my feet?

[@GreySteel]

Short answer=it depends. But we will do a video. Thanks for watching.

[@bobc4d]

I believe Sisyphus would agree with you about moving a heavy object up an incline. good information. I noticed your hands are opposed one palm in other palm out.

[@GreySteel]

At heavier loads--anything over 350 or so--I mix my grip, yes.

[@666ofdoom]

Make perfectly sense

[@lindasch8447]

What’s funny is 1and1/2 years ago I broke my back, now at 70 I can almost lift half my body weight.

[@LadyGreyAgeingDisGracefully]

That’s inspiring. It must feel fantastic to have command of your body instead of the other way round. Injuries can sometimes rule your life.

[@HAL-dm1eh]

I'm setting my back so much during the DL it spills out into all my other activities. It becomes second nature.

[@keithbott7978]

Yeah me too, even to get down and scratch my dog’s belly anymore. Bend at the knees, set the back and scratch his belly.

[@jordifalco5609]

Hello from spain. What do you think about pendlay row? I alway do: squats, deadlifts, overhead press and pendlay row. I never do bench press, i don't like. I'm 55 years old. Thanks you.

[@GreySteel]

Rows are fine.

[@dixielaite87]

thank you! I have scoliosis and compressed discs. Do you think it's still ok for me to pursue this? I'm a woman, 61, with very bad arthritic knees I want to do squats and deadlifts but my doctor always says no.

[@woodbyte]

I never stop setting my back. From the moment I wake up to the moment I fall asleep, my back is perfectly set*. * Applies only when not in the vicinity of a couch.

[@chrischandler3041]

Should I drop the weight at the knee or continue to hold all the way to the floor?

[@SLouiss]

I appreciate the percentage meter. I deadlift 615 lbs, but I have shrimpy hamstrings. Is there any way to bulk them up?

[@GreySteel]

Sure...but if you dead 615 I'd say your hams are probably in good shape. If you want to pump them up for bodybuilding, that's fine, but not my specialty. Thanks for watching.

[@LadyGreyAgeingDisGracefully]

Can’t wait for leg press. Ruptured Achilles means nor the now.

[@tcb5141]

A female friend of mine is 65 and breaking deadlift records..

[@tomfield2292]

I had my wife film my deadlifts. First 1 or 2 reps, flat back. Later reps curved back. Time to back down the weight and work on technique. Ps: 68 yo

[@darioinfini]

How much were you lifting by the way? Something like 500lbs? How long did it take you to get there? I just hit 300 and it feels like a ton.

[@GreySteel]

No, I'm not in the 500 club and prolly never will be. For b-roll I usually lift pretty light, because trying to show the bad technique is hard at top loading. The lifts in this video were 225, 345, 365, 405, I think. I did a few catback pulls at 55, because trying to round my back for an actual deadlift can just get me hurt or at least annoyed. :)

[@darioinfini]

@@GreySteel Nice. Something to shoot for.

[@chrisbuesnell3428]

@@GreySteel Those are good numbers

[@aphovasse]

my question is this: resting time between individual sets, one minute or two? any difference?

[@GreySteel]

Nope. Between heavy worksets of five, one minute and two minutes are equally worthless. 😄 kzbin.info/www/bejne/eaDdq6maeK-amqc

[@chrisbuesnell3428]

5 to 8 minutes

[@williamdennis1537]

Here’s one I haven’t seen asked, Sully….is there a problem with taking a high dose statin- or any statin for that matter, and participating in your strength program? I took a dive into the literature, and sure enough, it’s all over the map. Wouldn’t be surprised if research on the outcomes of drinking paint was any more definitive. Are you privy to any rational do’s or don’ts with statin users in the gym? Thanks

[@rdmckeever7645]

In the video clips, you drop the bar rather than control it to the floor. Why?

[@RIP5582]

...my deadlifts will be more beautiful... At last - a website that understands.

[@michaelgray8173]

I have a PhD in mathematics (Baylor '06) and I am okay with your calculus. Not so impressed with your graphics budget, though.

[@GreySteel]

Then perhaps you should sponsor us on patreon. I am sure you could use some advanced mathematics to figure out what would fit in your budget 😉

[@thoaivan7307]

thank u