Rounded back deadlift, recipe for disaster or good way to lift a bit more?

chrisjenkins said:
You will be able to knock inches off your ROM using a rounded back but it does depend on your body type and it can possibly lead to back problems, a straight back will protect your back and keep it healthy but you will have a longer distance to travel. That being said, if you look at old videos of Mark Cleg pulling his back is very flat and he has deadlifted 370kg, he's from a weightlifting background. If you look at any videos of Jouko Ahola, he has a slightly rounded back, his long arms aid in this type of pulling. If your going to round your back, try and add some hip mobility exercises and a good one I use is the prone press up. I do it after every deadlift session. It looks like your humping the floor but will help your posture.

AKBC said:
First thing I'd do is look at your set up, when you actually pull it the bar is too far away from you which won't help. Good lift though, I'm jealous.

fctilidie said:Your arms seem to be slightly bent still as you start to pull.

chrisjenkins said:
You will be able to knock inches off your ROM using a rounded back but it does depend on your body type and it can possibly lead to back problems, a straight back will protect your back and keep it healthy but you will have a longer distance to travel. That being said, if you look at old videos of Mark Cleg pulling his back is very flat and he has deadlifted 370kg, he's from a weightlifting background. If you look at any videos of Jouko Ahola, he has a slightly rounded back, his long arms aid in this type of pulling. If your going to round your back, try and add some hip mobility exercises and a good one I use is the prone press up. I do it after every deadlift session. It looks like your humping the floor but will help your posture.

Rico said:Something that has helped me recently is tensing the lats as hard as possible before the pull. Think of it as a reverse shrug and at the same time trying to crush tennis balls in your armpits.

Great effort though regardless!

AKBC said: The problems are more likely if the rounding increases during the lift, is severe or is a distinct kink across a few vertebrae

Harry said:From what I have seen and in the few instances that I have used it, mixed grip makes it more problematic.

I do double overhand, no problems so far except this feeling on my left shoulder where flesh feels like its tearing whenever I go to my max.

herman said:
Ive seen some horrific examples of this.

ianakajohn said:

Yeah its a great gym, even better only 10 mins from my house

Fazc said:One thing I thought of looking at that video, start the pull looking down. You're bending your spine into all kinds of shapes, it'll be more natural with a round back to look down then look up as you straighten out.