Here are my 4 ways to keep your back from rounding during a deadlift session
Sporting a bent back during sets of deadlifts can cause injury. It’s a good thing the fix isn’t too complex.
Deadlifts are a crucial exercise for building strength in the back muscles, glutes, and hamstrings. But many people have a lot of trouble keeping their backs straight when performing them.
And someone with a bent back halfway through a lift, either means they have weakness, they are lifting far too heavy or they just aren’t mobile/supple enough. This poses a problem since the sheer amount of flexion that the lifters spine is experiencing will all most certainly cause an injury later down the line.
To help save your back, put these top tips into action when you take on the deadlift.
4 ways to keep your back from rounding during a deadlift session
1. Don’t go heavy:
Perform fast/explosive reps with 65% 1RM, lifting lighter will allow for faster recovery and help lock in proper form to help prevent injury later down the line.
2. Work on better range of motion (rom) in hips and hamstrings:
If your mobility is shocking, it’s almost impossible to reach the bar without rounding your back. Before each deadlift session perform 3 sets of 5-8 reps of downward dog to get your body as mobile as possible.
3. Build a bulletproof lower back:
To add strength to your spinal erectors which surround the lower spine, add 45 degree back raises for reps of 12-15 to your next back day.
4. Make a video of yourself:
Most people can’t even feel or tell when their back is rounding during a deadlift or any exercise for that matter. Start recording your sets of deadlifts from the side. Then assess them honestly as if you were assessing someone else’s technique . You will be shocked how just from being aware of this mistake will help you to correct it midlift.
SQUEEZE:
To keep your back straight, squeeze your shoulder blades together for the entire lift and imagine you are trying to put them into your back pockets.
