I Finally "Got" Bent Leg Deadlifts!

[Terry]

For starters, I watched tutorials by Alan Thrall on YouTube.

Next, I practiced with a barbell instead of dumbbells. I think Alan mentions this but not sure.

With a lightly-loaded barbell, my plates had the bar so close to the floor that my foot wouldn't fit beneath it. I raised the bar up by using the plastic barbell stands that came with my Weider P.I.N.K. Olympic training DVDs and funky P.I.N.K. barbell. I don't recall the exact name of this set, but the instructor is Debbie Millett.

I thought I had the form with my lightly-loaded barbell, yet still couldn't tell any significant difference between a bent leg deadlift and a squat. Until just now, I forgot that Alan says you should feel the major part of the work in the glutes and hamstrings rather than in the quads, so I might have clued in that I still had things wrong if I had remembered that part.

I added more plates to my bar and went for it. It still seemed like I wasn't doing anything that made a bent leg deadlift any different than a squat.

Finally with the heavier bar, I stopped in the bottom part of the move to focus on two points of form from Alan: back straight, butt out. Yeah sure. My back was straight and my butt was out - - - - or was it? If I could make my back any straighter than it was, and/or stick my butt out more (pulling knees back and pointing to the back wall with the butt as described by Chalene when you need to make lunges stop hurting your knees), then I obviously was not in the correct position. Sure enough, I could straighten my back more, pull knees back a bit, and point my flat old lady but more to the DVD shelves behind me. BINGO! I could not lift the load I had on my barbell when I was in correct bent leg deadlift form because my hamstrings and glutes were not strong enough to do what I could easily do if my quads were taking the chunk of the load.

I don't know if bent leg deadlift practice should be done with a load light enough to go low to the floor, or if instead the load should be heavy and then just go as low as possible with good form. Maybe both of these are effective. Alan says something about not going down so far that it makes you bend your back, which is exactly what I had done, while thinking my back was straight, so that I could manage getting the barbell all the way to and from the floor with the heavier load.

[Hedgehog]

I struggled with a similar mental block for a long time. For me, it was the visual of a "hinging" movement at the hips vs an up and down movement for squats. It was visually imagining the "hinge" that did it for me. I'm talking years of trying!!!!

You do a far better job of putting your accomplishment into words!!!

Good for you & congratulations!!!!

[prettyinpink]

Originally Posted by Terry

I don't know if bent leg deadlift practice should be done with a load light enough to go low to the floor, or if instead the load should be heavy and then just go as low as possible with good form. Maybe both of these are effective. Alan says something about not going down so far that it makes you bend your back, which is exactly what I had done, while thinking my back was straight, so that I could manage getting the barbell all the way to and from the floor with the heavier load.

I think it’s the latter. Never good to round your back going down to the floor with weight. If you are so low that your back is rounded, your back is going to do more of the work to get you up, which even with low weights with repetition can cause problems. That is how I understand it, anyway. But also, the increase in weights should be gradual.

Interestingly, some strength and conditioning trainers active online say that they don’t like deadlifts, even for young athletes. The trap bar deadlift is thought by some to be a safer way to learn the form and overall better for the back. It also fixes the problem of having to graze your shins with a heavy bar in order to avoid strain on the back.

I totally get thinking your back is straight and butt out and yet, it’s not! I frequently have to check the mirror when I do anything that requires the hip hinge, because I do the same thing sometimes.

[Hedgehog]

I totally get thinking your back is straight and butt out and yet, it’s not! I frequently have to check the mirror when I do anything that requires the hip hinge, because I do the same thing sometimes.[/QUOTE]

I had the same issue, I didn't have a mirror so, asked my kids to watch my form lol

[ChelePA]

This thread has been very helpful. I never felt like I was doing them correctly. Today I watched myself in the mirror while doing Cathe’s Total Giant Body Sets. I definitely felt it much more in my hamstrings. It always seemed too easy. Technique is so important. Thanks!

[Terry]

Originally Posted by Hedgehog

I struggled with a similar mental block for a long time. For me, it was the visual of a "hinging" movement at the hips vs an up and down movement for squats. It was visually imagining the "hinge" that did it for me. I'm talking years of trying!!!!

You do a far better job of putting your accomplishment into words!!!

Good for you & congratulations!!!!

Thanks!

[Terry]

Originally Posted by prettyinpink

The trap bar deadlift is thought by some to be a safer way to learn the form and overall better for the back. It also fixes the problem of having to graze your shins with a heavy bar in order to avoid strain on the back.

I'll have to look up the trap bar, then I'll probably "have" to buy one.

Originally Posted by prettyinpink

I totally get thinking your back is straight and butt out and yet, it’s not! I frequently have to check the mirror when I do anything that requires the hip hinge, because I do the same thing sometimes.

I am scratching my head wondering how I could have failed to have "back straight" all these years. I am detail-oriented and work in quality assurance and compliance. Oh well.

[Terry]

Originally Posted by ChelePA

I definitely felt it much more in my hamstrings. It always seemed too easy. Technique is so important. Thanks!

It is cool to finally figure out how what seemed easy is actually hard.

I am not super strong, yet I always go heavier on rear deltoid work than video instructors do. Maybe my form is wrong with these also.

[Judith L]

"I'll have to look up the trap bar, then I'll probably "have" to buy one."

You might just sub holding DBs at your sides (suitcase DLs), or put several DBs in a couple of small LLB tote bags (each holds up to 500 lbs.) -- and that way, with the handles sticking up you don't have to bend too low.

You might also try Romanian or rack DLs. Do you have a Fit Tower?

Or how about Sumo DLs.

See what's best for your back. As you get stronger and your range of motion increases then you can try more methods.

[prettyinpink]

Originally Posted by Judith L

"I'll have to look up the trap bar, then I'll probably "have" to buy one."

You might just sub holding DBs at your sides (suitcase DLs), or put several DBs in a couple of small LLB tote bags (each holds up to 500 lbs.) -- and that way, with the handles sticking up you don't have to bend too low.

You might also try Romanian or rack DLs. Do you have a Fit Tower?

Or how about Sumo DLs.

See what's best for your back. As you get stronger and your range of motion increases then you can try more methods.

What a creative (and economical) idea! I like it. It might not be just like the bar, but could simulate it if you think of yourself in a kind of cage where the weights have to stay by your legs and aren’t allowed to move forward.

I haven’t tried one, but have seen the movement described as something in between a squat and a deadlift.