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

[@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.

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

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

[@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.

[@matthewstrauts5427]

I am guessing one of Sully's biggest challenges in life has been taking the brlilliance of what goes on in his mind and conveying at a level anyone can understand. It's one thing to know it. It's another to convey it. But he does an excellent job for someone that you can tell is highly, highly intelligent.

[@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!

[@samuelnoriega8113]

😂😂😂😂 nice reference 👌

[@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!

[@ghaering]

Thanks! That is increadibly useful!

[@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!

[@brucehutchinson9527]

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

[@WileyJordan]

Great content as always Sully

[@GreySteel]

Thank you Jordan!

[@ricklewis686]

Thanks!

[@thefox1703]

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

[@frankpickell4311]

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

[@GreySteel]

Welcome aboard!

[@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

[@farmerwayne1404]

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

[@skidaddler6293]

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

[@RudyMettia]

Perfect explanation

[@K4R3N]

Good one

[@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.

[@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!

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@7774-o9w]

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

[@GreySteel]

Keep it up

[@lorini11]

Thank you so much Sully

[@GreySteel]

Thanks for watching!

[@gregorymccoy6797]

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

[@GreySteel]

Good choice!

[@allanlowe3430]

More great content!

[@otiskeithwatkins1679]

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

[@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!

[@chrischandler3041]

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

[@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.

[@andywang4062]

Good 👍

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@Houdini_Bob]

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.

[@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.

[@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. 🧐

[@666ofdoom]

Make perfectly sense

[@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.

[@rdmckeever7645]

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

[@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

[@snorlaxcom]

My shoulders rise before my hips. Deadlift thrashes my back. I hyperextend my lumbar, but if I don't I raise my hips first until my low back lifts it. Leg pressing the start has helped, but still I raise my shoulders first.😢

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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

[@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

[@tcb5141]

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

[@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

[@ghaering]

Thanks!