Stiff-Legged Deadlift Form Check

[cedar galleon]

Can't tell if I have any or significant lumbar rounding. If so, is it a technique issue or a lower back strength issue?
https://streamable.com/ik6p7l

[hexed mason]

I don't see significant lower back rounding. I'd say it's fine. Why do you ask, do you feel uncomfortable?

Your form is similar to that of a RDL but to the ground

In straight legged dl you ideally want to have straight legs

Which honestly is hard for most people mobility wise

[cedar galleon]

Not uncomfortable, but I wasn't sure if the tiny rounding is a problem

For example, if I would round more and more as the weights get heavier

[cedar galleon]

Hm yeah, usually have straighter legs but that's accompanied by more rounding

I can touch my palms to the floor so I don't know why there's a mobility issue

I could try widening my stance a bit maybe, it's very narrow there

[hexed mason]

Then that's an issue

[cedar galleon]

Do you think it'd be a good idea to elevate the plates and do a stricter, more straight leg SLDL?

[hexed mason]

Because that means it's not your natural position

Rather the weight is forcing that bend

[hexed mason]

That doesn't mean you have enough mobility for straight leg and straight back deadlifts

When touching the ground there can be a lot of lower back flexion to compensate

[hexed mason]

I'd personally just stick with RDL but that's a personal preferance

[cedar galleon]

true

[hexed mason]

If you WANT to do ground SLDL i'd work it up slowly to be sure you're not compensating with your back

[cedar galleon]

What can I do to build the flexibility? pancakes?

[hexed mason]

both mobility wise

and strength in that position

[cedar galleon]

Fair, I already do RDLs (Renaissance periodization style) 1x a week so was looking for some variation on the other day

[hexed mason]

I'd train some hip flexion mobiliy while focusing on a straight back for a while to get used to it

why don't you do normal deadlifts and just do rdl and sldl, if I may ask?

[cedar galleon]

I guess because better SFR on SLDL and RDL

and my squats are very highbar, heel elevated quad dominant

so I wanted to bias my pulling to be as much the opposite as possible

but it's a somewhat arbitrary decision

I guess I'm somewhat of the opinion that SLDLs and RDLs are better for building general strength and especially muscle in the glutes and hams

[cedar galleon]

any exercise suggestions here?

[hexed mason]

i like to get my knee on a pillow on the floor

and get the other leg on top of the couch

just heel

and try to prgressively bend over while maintaining anterior pelvic tilt and a straight back

but honestly

flexibility may not be limiting you

hard to say

[cedar galleon]

That's like a quad/hip-flexor stretch right?

[hexed mason]

no

[cedar galleon]

yeahh in general I'd say I have very good mobility so I'm not sure why this happens and how I can fix it

Most prescriptions I've seen to fix lumbar rounding on DLs is to do a lot of RDLs

but I don't know if that's working well

I also do back extensions

[hexed mason]

trying to close the angle in red

without bending your torso

[cedar galleon]

ohhh gotcha

[hexed mason]

but like I said

it might not be flexibility

if you do it right with lower weights

it might just be strength

[cedar galleon]

makes sense

Probably strength of lower back, specifically?

[hexed mason]

Maybe

Likely but not necessarily

Same way people pike their FL sometimes

If it's being too hard on your movers

The body tries to make the movement easier

By shortening the lever

So, not sure. Can be either

[cedar galleon]

Got it