Deadlift form Question

So I was at the gym today and performing Romanian Deadlifts for reps. Now I'm not very flexible, and my back was rounding at the bottom a little. I figured this was okay (I'm a noob what can I say), as long as my back stayed straight for most of the lift.

A trainer comes to me and tells me not to round my lower back as much, by not going as deep. I told him I thought I was supposed to lift the bar all the way up from the floor, and he replied not if you round your back.

So my question for the S&P community is what do I do? Do I continue going all the way down even if my back rounds a bit? Do I only go half way down to keep my back straight?

Also, what stretches are good to make me for flexible so that I could go all the way down on the deadlift without rounding my back?

Thank you.

 

If you are doing RDLs, your back should not round. Ignoring potential injury issues, the lower back remains flat/arched in RDLs at all times as a matter of form.

With SLDLs some people let their lower back round.

In general I would take it easy with the weights so that your lower back does not round for the first couple of months of your training. After that you might get a feeling for what works and what not.

That being said, if you look at strongman comps, it is pretty evident that rounding your back once in a while will not immediately cripple you for life.

 

Romanian deadlifts should not be done from the floor. Generally the bar only goes down to an inch or two from knee level.

 

Thanks for the advice, although it is not so much an issue of weight as it is with flexibility. I tried it with a skinny ten pound bar and my back was still rounding at the bottom.

 

If you are doing RDL you don't have to go deep. Keeping the tight arch and sitting back is the key to the RDL. If you are doing this right the weight shouldn't be touching the floor.

 

Thanks for the replys guys. All the demos/videos I have seen on the RDL have shown the bar going all the way down. Would someone please be able to show me a link to a video of someone doing an RDL with proper technique. Thank you.

 

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But you can also go deep and do them like this

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Thanks guys! I'll keep all this in mind next time I hit the gym!

 

Going down far is just fine, shit, guys do them off platforms so they can get crazy ROM and not touch the floor. But the guy in the second video made two mistakes IMO:

1. Starting from the floor
2. His legs were far too straight. That was actually a Keystone Deadlift. Still a great lift, but not the same as an RDL.

 

I have been struggling with my RDL's, so this is great info.

 

Once your form is proper, RDL's are one of those exercises that should pretty much have a permanent place in a persons routine. Obviously everything gets cycled out now and again, but you know what I mean.

 

static stretches

 

I have been struggling with keeping my back arched.

Does any one have other video clips of RDL's?

 

Make sure you're pushing your hips back and not just bending over.

 

Thank you.

(Does this apply to the squats as well?)

 

Yes, your hips move back in the squat, if that's what you're asking.

 

I never go to the floor. I usually start in the power rack with the pins set low, and then don't put the bar down.

 

Are you just really inflexible? I go all the way pretty much. No problem.

 

This is the big part. Your bottom position on your RDL should be the same place from which you'd hang clean the bar up. So you don't want the bar 6" in front of you looking at your feet with your chest parallel to the floor. Chin up, chest high, don't lower the weight by bending, but instead push your butt back and let it slide down your legs. When done correctly you'll feel a very strong stretch in your hamstrings (anytime Dan John describes it, he calls it the x's on the back of your legs). When you feel this stretch, return to standing.

 

The squat, the DL, the goodmorning, the rdl and a plethora of other exercises are all ASS BACK/HIPS FORWARD! The rest of the movement takes care of itself.