Any feedback on my form? Deadlifts, bent barbell rows, rear lunges

[KrystlePhoenix]

I started my barbell weight training at home today with some really light weights. I want to get my form down before I start cranking up the weight. So I recorded a few sets - any feedback, advice? Feel free to guess at the music playing, too, if you feel so inclined...if you get them all right I might send you some bacon chocolate chip cookies! (Hint: Metal)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnAPzv5qVHA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_dr8IQwn38

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us1pLIQra90

[Knightwatch]

Looks good, actually. On the RDLs you're doing a good job of getting your hips back. Well done.

On the rows, you're not doing anythig wrong per se, but your set up could be simpler. Makes me nervous to see you tweaking your position while in a bent form. You may find it easier to just deadlift the weight up, and then bend at the hips to get down into position.

All in all though, good job. Keep up the strong work!

[Optimus Prime]

I have no complaints. Excellent.

[KrystlePhoenix]

Thanks you guys. I guess watching technique videos on YouTube paid off. And thanks for the tip Knightwatch - that'll help when I start challenging myself with more weight.

P.S. - I'm sore. Woohoo!

[WizardTrip]

Thanks you guys. I guess watching technique videos on YouTube paid off. And thanks for the tip Knightwatch - that'll help when I start challenging myself with more weight.

P.S. - I'm sore. Woohoo!

I agree! Sometimes I'm not sure how I would learn without technique videos. Also, check out muscleandstrength.com (look under the Videos menu) for quick videos on tons of exercises. It's an easy go to if I don't feel like sorting through YouTube results.

[andygates]

I'll throw in one on the deadlift: Lower the bar all the way down. Strictly, it's a dead-weight-on-the-floor lift.

Music and kitty both entirely to specification.

[KrystlePhoenix]

I'll throw in one on the deadlift: Lower the bar all the way down. Strictly, it's a dead-weight-on-the-floor lift.

Music and kitty both entirely to specification.

Thanks for the tip! I have a question though - wouldn't that make it a traditional deadlift, rather than Romanian? I usually go down as far as I can go until I feel the stretch in my hamstrings. I try to keep my knees relatively straight (but they do bend a little bit when I throw my hips back to lower the bar and keep my back straight). In order to bring the bar all the way to the floor, I'd need to bend my knees more to a 90 degree angle which from what I've read is a traditional deadlift and calls on the quads more (whereas I wanted to do the Romanian to focus on strengthening my weak hamstrings). That would probably also put more strain on my knees, which I'm trying to avoid (that's the reason I do rear lunges instead of forward lunges...I play soccer regularly and my knees already take a pounding from that). Thoughts?

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

To add onto andygates, lower to the floor on the rows as well as the deadlifts.

For the rows, once you get to the heavier weights, you're going to want to start lifting explosively, which is much easier from the floor. Also, the muscles will fatigue more with the weight hanging the whole time, resulting in less weight able to be lifted.

For the deadlifts, if you are not lowering to the floor, you're robbing yourself of some of the workout, mainly the hardest part for the legs. Also, the same muscle fatigue thing comes in from above, making the later reps harder than they need to be and making the max weight you can lift for all the reps lower.

[aj_rock]

Guys, remember she's using small-ish plates, so shes got another six inches towards the ground that her plates could go to the ground. Regular 45's as plates and she would be very close to the ground.

Your form on the deads got better as your set went on. My sole complaint; take a pen or something, hold it vertical, and watch your bar go up and down. The better deadlifts go straight up and down, and you wandered quite a bit on a couple of the early reps.

[KrystlePhoenix]

All excellent points. I'll keep them in mind when I lift again tomorrow. So stoked to be getting constructive feedback, thanks everyone! Keep it coming. I really want to make sure I have good form habits before I increase my weight.

[Knightwatch]

Im going to differ a bit from some other advice and suggest that you continue to NOT take Romanian Deadlifts to the floor. You should only go as far as you can while not rounding your back, concentrating mostly on getting a good stretch. Because the RDL has so much less knee bend than a standard deadlift, the point at which your back is going to want to round naturally will come far sooner.

Remember, the RDL starts from a hang position, which alone makes it different from a traditional dead, which, indeed, must start dead on the floor. Especially when you're starting, and given the smaller size of your plates, just worry about getting your posterior chain working, at whatever range of motion works. Again, totally natural for it to be shorter on an RDL.

Your mileage may vary, of course, but please watch that low back. It'll round much sooner than with a deadlift.

Good luck!

[andygates]

My bad, I confused RDL with regular DL.

[spatzcat]

To add onto andygates, lower to the floor on the rows as well as the deadlifts.

For the rows, once you get to the heavier weights, you're going to want to start lifting explosively, which is much easier from the floor. Also, the muscles will fatigue more with the weight hanging the whole time, resulting in less weight able to be lifted.

For the deadlifts, if you are not lowering to the floor, you're robbing yourself of some of the workout, mainly the hardest part for the legs. Also, the same muscle fatigue thing comes in from above, making the later reps harder than they need to be and making the max weight you can lift for all the reps lower.

Jebus. I didn't know that. ARG. I never lower it to the floor. mental note.