Deadlift flexibility issue?

[Lawrence "Bo" Boland III]

I am posting for my workout partner. She has been having a hard time keeping her back from rounding on deadlifts.

I feel like I'm decently knowledgeable in the pitfalls of DL form... but for some reason I can't put my finger on what is happening here. Basically, she seems to not be able to lower her hips at the starting position enough to have her shins close to the bar AND to have her shoulders directly above the bar. She says that her muscles just push back and she can't flex down into that position. do you think that this is hurting her chances of holding her lumbar while Deadlifting?

I've tried to cue her with the following:
"Once you're in position, tighten all of your muscles and squeeze it off the ground. Don't yank it off the ground"
"Tighten up the slack on your arms while in the start position. Pull up on the bar enough to keep everything tight before lifting"
"Drive with your heels first"

It's just so odd. She can have a decent lumbar curve in the start position (even though she can't get low enough) but the moment she starts to pull... BAM rounded back. I want to try and help her fix this before we do heavy DL's again (and they're coming up soon).

It should be said that she cannot fully touch her toes from a standing position, but neither can I and I can hold the right starting DL position. Is this a flexibility thing? If so, what muscles are at fault?.

[Rob McBee]

Sounds like flexibility is the issue from your description. What is her squat form like? Similiar issues like back rounding in the bottom position? Could just be a lack of awareness of what the back position is doing once the lift begins. Those are good coaching cues you are using.

Try telling her to keep her chest up, sometimes that automatically keeps the back flat. Also, tell her to feel where the weight is centered in the feet before squeezing it off the deck.

I have an athlete whose really tight so we started from the top down doing RDLs while we worked on bringing up that range of motion. All the best and interested to hear how she progresses.

[Lawrence "Bo" Boland III]

Originally Posted by Rob McBee

Sounds like flexibility is the issue from your description. What is her squat form like? Similiar issues like back rounding in the bottom position? Could just be a lack of awareness of what the back position is doing once the lift begins. Those are good coaching cues you are using.

Try telling her to keep her chest up, sometimes that automatically keeps the back flat. Also, tell her to feel where the weight is centered in the feet before squeezing it off the deck.

I have an athlete whose really tight so we started from the top down doing RDLs while we worked on bringing up that range of motion. All the best and interested to hear how she progresses.

She can't quite get below parallel in a squat. I've been pushing her hard to keep her knees out (she has a tendency to have them fold in and start to roll onto the side of her feet. Lately she's been good though.

Starting on some lighter RDL's might be an option. Shoot... we both need to start stretching more.

[Sean Dunston]

also - to fix her squat issue - get her doing some squat therapy, Bo.

Every day before the WOD have her work for at least 5 minutes, and do it again for 5 minutes after the WOD.

wfs (maybe some language, I haven't listened to it in a while)

http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/SquatTherapy.wmv

[Steve Collegio]

Originally Posted by Lawrence "Bo" Boland III

I am posting for my workout partner. She has been having a hard time keeping her back from rounding on deadlifts.

I feel like I'm decently knowledgeable in the pitfalls of DL form... but for some reason I can't put my finger on what is happening here. Basically, she seems to not be able to lower her hips at the starting position enough to have her shins close to the bar AND to have her shoulders directly above the bar. She says that her muscles just push back and she can't flex down into that position. do you think that this is hurting her chances of holding her lumbar while Deadlifting?

I've tried to cue her with the following:
"Once you're in position, tighten all of your muscles and squeeze it off the ground. Don't yank it off the ground"
"Tighten up the slack on your arms while in the start position. Pull up on the bar enough to keep everything tight before lifting"
"Drive with your heels first"

It's just so odd. She can have a decent lumbar curve in the start position (even though she can't get low enough) but the moment she starts to pull... BAM rounded back. I want to try and help her fix this before we do heavy DL's again (and they're coming up soon).

It should be said that she cannot fully touch her toes from a standing position, but neither can I and I can hold the right starting DL position. Is this a flexibility thing? If so, what muscles are at fault?.

these cues have helped me TREMENDOUSLY. Once i began to do this, it wasnt as difficult and felt more fluid

[Frank Riley]

Originally Posted by Lawrence "Bo" Boland III

She can have a decent lumbar curve in the start position

Not a flexibility issue...

but the moment she starts to pull... BAM rounded back.

Her posterior isn't strong enough, most likely her back muscles. Reset her to lower weights that she can do with good form and use progression to build the strength up. Assistance exercises to strengthen the weak area too, good mornings, etc.