Never use a Rounded back?

[antant]

So far my reasons for even asking: rounded backs used by Strongmen when picking up giagantor stone balls, and Ross' video of shouldering a sandbag both have rounded backs in use.

They're not doing DL by any means, but they're still using a rounded back for a decent heavy lift. Just curious what people think of this.


Also....Knees past toes....the conclusion I got was Knees past toes is it's fine and in fact natural. However if you are gonna squat very very very heavy, you best get good form and keep those knees perpendicular. (Did the old strongmen squat by sitting back or sitting down...I'm confused seeing those pictures of ass to grass squats.....)

(as a side note, I'm not looking to start a war here, just genuinely want to know what people's opinions based on facts and real world usage are, since obviously certain "taboo" forms are being used.)

 

[HULKAMANIA]

Here's my stab at those questions:

1) Lifting with a rounded back won't injure you. Lifting with a straight or arched back won't injure you either. You'll injure yourself when the weight, intensity, or ROM of the lift you're performing causes you to switch from one position to the other. In other words, your back must remain in one state throughout the entire exercise.

For example, if you're doing arched-back GM's, and suddenly you can't take it anymore so you relax and round your back, you're likely to hurt something. If you start off a deadlift with a rounded back, you'll be more likely to injure yourself because you have to straighten out your spine to lockout the lift. However, if you're hefting a stone, by the time you need to get under it you can pin it up against that column so that you don't have put your back through a compromising transition while bearing the full brunt of the weight.

2) As far as I have been able to conclude, the knees past toes guideline is a myth. You're right about that. You're also right about keeping your shins upright to transfer the weight to your posterior chain and help you make huge lifts. But as far as the squat form of the old time greats, I can't tell you a whole lot.

I can tell you, though, that I believe they probably had "worse" form than the powerlifters today. I believe that PLers pursue perfecting in their form with a zeal that few people have. And I assume the rise of the internet (which allows for a freer exchange of ideas and media), nationwide PL competitions, and big PL organizations like WSB and MM probably have had a lot of effect as far as standardizing and improving the accepted forms of the big three are concerned. I'm not saying that these dudes are infallible or that the old time greats were sucky, I just remember reading some dude talking about Kaz's big squat saying, "that was back in the day when they kept an upright posture throughout the squat unlike lifters today."

 

[Sean S]

Here's my stab at those questions:


2) As far as I have been able to conclude, the knees past toes guideline is a myth.

Actually it's not. There's a thread in this forum somewhere that this is discussed at some length. Going past the toes does in fact do more damage then not. (If the sources sited in that thread were correct) Some lifts you can't help it, but for the ones you can, you should keep the knees behind.

 

[carped33z]

..."shearing force"...

 

[whodafookisdatgoiy]

Generally, lifting with a rounded back is fine, in my opinion. The mechanics of some strongman events like stones and tire flip require it. In fact, I'm much better at roundback lifting. Strict DLing causes sciatica to flare up for me. Of course, roundback lifting may do that for someone else. I don't think there's inherently anything wrong with either style as long as your abs are flexed throughout the lift. A roundback lift still maintains a relatively flat low back that way.

BC.

 

[Duncon76]

Nothing wrong with it. It all depends on "why' you need to do it? I do both types of lifts. Certain people have different aspects on what they need to do in their training.

 

[cockysprinter]

Actually it's not. There's a thread in this forum somewhere that this is discussed at some length. Going past the toes does in fact do more damage then not. (If the sources sited in that thread were correct) Some lifts you can't help it, but for the ones you can, you should keep the knees behind.

kind of. its the knees beyond the toes combined with your knees buckling in, or squatting forward instead of back. if you sit back, with knees wide and your knees still go past your toes, it generally isnt a problem. also the width of your stance will change how perpindicular your knees are. the angle between your foot and shin will generally tell how at risk you are.