Form Critique: Sumo DLs and BO Rows.

[Cynic]

The last time I asked for a critique on my Sumos, someone suggested I posted another with a heavier load. I tried to remain conscious of glute activation toward the top of the lift by thrusting my hips forward more so than pulling my back back.

I did the same for BO rows, because I'm not sure if I'm moving too much.

I'm also using this opportunity to experiment and play with MS Movie Maker.

Sumo Deadlifts
Bent over Rows (pronated)

[Irishdazza]

Like the home gym.

I'd have the ass lower at the start of the sumos.

Definitely too much back movement in the BO rows.

[EdChap]

Sumo's look pretty good. Irish, why would you have the ass lower on them?

I think the BO Rows look pretty solid too, is there really a noticable amount of back movement?

[Irishdazza]

I'm no expert...just the way I do them...more leg less back.

The BO rows are using the lower back good morning fashion instead of isolating the upper back.

An opinion, for what it's worth.

[galya]

On sumos: I cannot see your foot position, so I can't comment on knee alignment. I hope all is well there.
Focus on getting up with your shoulders and butt at the same time. Right now you have two stages:you get up with your butt and your back completes the move. Since I don't have a video of me doing sumos, here is a side DL,but you can see how shoulders and butt move together. Hope this makes sense. http://spidersport.com/side-deadlift.php

[spankdat]

I agree with Irishdazza. Your form on both looks pretty good, but could be a touch better. Try looking at it this way once. Watch your SDL video and hit pause just as you apply tension to initiate the lift. Mentally draw the lever lines and fulcrums through your body and see if you don't think dropping the hip fulcrum just a bit wouldn't create a more efficient set of angles.

Your rows look fairly good too, aside from that first set, where there definitely is too much upper body movement. Personally, I don't think a slight sway is inherently bad, but it does look like you're using a little too much lower back to initiate the movement. Try this experiment. Drop the weight maybe 10-15 lbs. just for this so you can get a better feel for it first. Lock yourself into position, pinch your shoulder blades together, and try to pump out a set with a piston-like rhythm. I think you may find you can eliminate the sway like this, even at your heavier levels. Works for me anyway.

Nice home gym, love them PowerBlocks. Is that their bench too, can't quite tell.

[Cynic]

Thanks so far all.

I see what your saying Galya, I'll try to keep that in mind. I might drop 5-10lbs to focus more on that.

No Spank, that is a Body-Solid GFID-71.

This thing:


Fitness Factory has free shipping on a lot of B-S equipment, so when I got my tax refund, I splurged.

[Eric Cressey]

The DLs look decent, but you're definitely coming up on your toes a bit. Change to a flatter shoe or just pull barefoot and that'll resolve pretty quickly.

[Cynic]

Next paycheck I'll look into some Chuck Taylors.

[Eric Cressey]

Best $35 you'll ever spend.

[Irishdazza]

Can't find them over here and lifting in sweaty socks would be dodgy - lifting in bare feet frowned upon.

Ho hum...see I must be super to lift with such handicaps!!!

[Lisa~]

I think what Galya and Eric are seeing is part of the same thing. You're starting with the bar just a bit away from your shins. Then as you begin the pull, you're shifting your hips and your center of gravity forward just a bit, bringing you toward your toes. New shoes will definitely help. But so will a starting position with the bar against your shins. Sit your hips down a bit lower and begin the pull by coming back into your body. Then upward motion should be even for your head and hips.

Lisa

[Lisa~]

Both your lifts are really pretty solid.

On your bentover rows I see the exact same issue as your sumo deadlift, you're coming forward onto your toes. Just shift your center of gravity back slightly by pushing your hips back. Center yourself on your feet or err towards your heels. You'll have a more solid base to pull from, so more control and less movement (there isn't excessive movement really).

Lisa

[Lisa~]

Originally Posted by Cynic

I tried to remain conscious of glute activation toward the top of the lift by thrusting my hips forward more so than pulling my back back.

On your sumo's, the above is good advice, but focus on glute activation at the start of the move also, sitting back, pulling towards your shins, head goes up first. This little bit from Dave Tate's Top 10 Deadlifting Mistakes might help.

Mistake #5: Not pulling the bar back
The deadlift is all about leverage and positioning. Visualize a teeter totter. What happens when the weight on one end is coming down? The other end goes up. So if your body is falling backward, what happens to the bar? It goes up! If your weight is falling forward the bar will want to stay down. So if you weigh 250 pounds and you can get your bodyweight to work for you, it would be much like taking 250 pounds off the bar. For many natural deadlifters this is a very instinctive action. For others it has to be trained.

For some lifters, not being able to pull back can be a muscular thing. If you're like myself, I tend to end up with the weight on the front of my feet instead of my heels. This is a function of my quads trying to overpower the glutes and hamstrings, or the glutes and hamstrings not being able to finish the weight and shifting to the quads to complete the lift. What will happen many times is you'll begin shaking or miss the weight. To fix this problem you need to add in more glute ham raises, pull-throughs and reverse hypers.

I hope that helps.

Lisa

[Cynic]

Originally Posted by Lisa~

Sit your hips down a bit lower and begin the pull by coming back into your body. Then upward motion should be even for your head and hips.

Lisa

The one problem I have is my hip adductors seem kind of tight. As my legs spread out, trying to squat that low is difficult and somewhat painful.

[Cynic]

Originally Posted by Lisa~

To fix this problem you need to add in more glute ham raises, pull-throughs and reverse hypers.
Lisa

I don't have the equipment to do these. Would stiff leg DLs and/or good mornings suffice?

[Lisa~]

Ummmm, foam roll those adductors!

And for now, sit back and down as far as you can. Lots of big guys don't sit any lower than you do, but they don't put their hips up first. You can still pull back first and use your glutes hard.

Lisa

[OldGuy]

I picked up a pair of Chuck's and did DL"s today. You can really feel the difference. Like Lisa said I was able to sit back a little more and push through the heels for the whole lift. Definitely worth the investment. Plus, they're really stylin'.