Listen to what the deadlift is telling you

The deadlift can bring incredible strength and size, but it’s also a great diagnostic tool. She can tell you what to work on and what exercises to use in your program. She can also tell you which muscles or ranges of motion you need to focus on in your program to ensure continuous progress. Here’s how to quickly self-diagnose the deadlift.

Remember: the problems described here may also be technical in nature, but we assume that you know what you are doing!

Problem #1 – Weight Shifts Forward

The root cause of this is either weak hamstrings or tight hip flexors. Eloquent evidence of this is the shift of weight to the toes. If this happens at the very beginning of the upward movement, it probably indicates weak hamstrings or stiff hip flexors. When you start the deadlift by shifting the weight forward, it’s because of the body’s desire to lift the bar off the floor using only the quads, which takes the hamstrings out of the equation. This may also be the result of hip flexor stiffness preventing the use of the posterior chain muscles at the start of the movement.

Solution: Strengthen the hamstrings in the stretched position and work on hip flexor flexibility if needed.

Recommended exercises:
Romanian deadlift with socks on a stand
Reverse hyperextensions
Exercise “good morning” with socks on a stand
Wide lunges with movement

The second possible reason is weak latissimus dorsi.

If you feel forward shifting anywhere from mid-calf to about an inch above the knee, it may be because your weak lats prevent you from holding the bar close to your feet. It can also be the result of a failure to properly engage the lats when performing a deadlift.

Solution: strengthen the extensor function of the shoulder joint of the latissimus dorsi.

Recommended exercises:
Wide grip deadlift
Pulldowns on a high block with straight arms
Pullovers
Deadlift with lateral resistance

A third possible cause is weak gluteal muscles.

Weight shift forward can occur in the last stage of the upward movement. Note that in this case, you are doing an unintentional hitch where you almost stop the movement and move your knees forward and under the bar before finishing the row. This indicates weak gluteal muscles. The torso moves forward and pulls up to assume a position that uses the quads to compensate for the lack of glute strength.

Solution: strengthen the gluteal muscles.

Recommended exercises:
Hip raises with a barbell on the hips
Tilts with pulling the rope handle between the legs, standing with your back to a low block
Romanian deadlift with rubber band around waist

Problem #2 – Weakness in Breakaway Weight

One of the problems here is the lack of core strength. If you find it difficult to lift the weight off the floor – weakness at the very beginning of the movement (the first 2-3 cm), then the cause of this is usually the weakness of the muscles of the body. In other words, you are not tight enough to transfer force effectively to the bar. People with this problem are much stronger in the power belt, and this is another indicator of its presence.

Solution: increase the strength of the abdominal muscles and lower back. It is even more important to teach them to keep the tension static.

Recommended exercises:
Zercher Walk
farmer’s walk
Plank with weights
Hyperextensions

Another issue here may be quad strength. If you can easily lift the bar off the floor, but are having difficulty at mid-calf, then the problem is probably quadriceps femoris weakness. This stage of the movement involves a significant amount of leg extension, and weak quads will obviously be a problem.

Solution: strengthen the quadriceps.

Recommended exercises:
Squats using stoppers, starting with a knee angle of 90-100 degrees
Front Squats
Leg presses
Partial deadlifts (from 2-3 cm from the floor to the knees)

Problem #3 – Weakness at the Knees

This is often due to weak hamstrings. As we saw earlier, everything can start with a forward weight shift. In that case, see the section above. However, if you do not feel the weight shift forward, then the problem is weakness in the hamstrings. When passing the knee bar, there is a switch from predominantly knee extension to predominantly hip extension. The initiation of this movement occurs mainly with the help of the hamstrings.

Solution: Strengthen the hamstrings in their hip extension function.

Recommended exercises:
Thrust from stoppers below the knees
Romanian deadlift
Exercise “good morning” with rounding the back
Reverse hyperextensions

You may be losing tension in your upper back. Visually, the upper back begins to round out, giving the exercise a “fishing rod” style. This indicates weakness in the upper back, probably the rhomboids, rear deltoids, and external rotators. Note: Some good lifters use the round back style in their deadlifts, however, they start with a round back, meaning the back does not round during the lift, but stays the same. I still don’t recommend this style of pulling.

Solution: Strengthen your upper back.

Recommended exercises:
Bent over rows
Chest Rows
Incline dumbbell raises
Sitting low pull-ups
Pulling a weight suspended on a belt

Problem #4 – Finishing the Deadlift

Weak gluteal muscles can be a problem. If the dead center is located somewhere in the middle of the thighs or a little lower, then the reason is probably the weakness of the gluteal muscles, or you simply do not use them properly. When the bar goes past the knees, you need to use them to push the hips forward. Thus, they will be almost under the bar. Many people don’t use their glutes to complete a row, but do a hyperextension instead.

Solution: Strengthen the gluteal muscles in their hip extension function.

Recommended exercises:
Hip raises with a barbell on the hips
Tilts with pulling the rope handle between the legs, standing with your back to a low block
Romanian deadlift with rubber band around waist

The lower back may also be weak. If the problem is an inability to straighten up to a vertical position, the cause is most likely a weakness in the lower back. This is rarely the limiting factor in the deadlift, but it does happen.

Solution: strengthen the lower back.

Recommended exercises:
Hyperextensions
Reverse hyperextensions
Sitting good morning exercise
Exercise “good morning” with rounding the back
Jefferson slopes

Problem #5 – Bar Slip

If the bar slips out of your hands, then you have a weak grip. Note that a weak grip problem can occur even if you don’t feel the bar slipping out of your hands. A weak grip results in less force being transferred to the bar, which limits the amount of weight that can be lifted.

There are two diagnostic methods. First, if you can lift 10-15% more weight with hand straps than without them, then you have a weak grip. The diagnosis is the same if you always pull slower when the weight is over 80%.

Solution: Strengthen your grip.

Recommended exercises:
Holding the neck for a while (thick or regular neck)
Hanging on the bar (target 15-20 seconds; add weight if hanging is easy)
farmer’s walk
Deadlift with pinch grip