that and upper... like... my shoulders go down instead of my chest being pushed out and my back straight. I'm like the letter c.

IMMO there is always going to be some back rounding / shoulders falling forward on the deadlift. The less the better, but for most heavy pulls there is going to be some.

but then is seems like I'm lifting with my arms and back... not my legs. IDK... those are just super confusing to me.

Deadlift is primarily a hamstring, glute exercise. The back is used also during the lift, but the majority of the workload should be done by glutes and hams. The problem most likely is you are not getting, for lack of a better term, your ass low enough when the lift is started. After gripping the bar your hamstrings and glutes should be the primary moving force pulling the bar off of the ground. as is often the case, most lifters will slightly bend the knees and do the majority of the work for the deadlift with their lower back and lats.

Terrible form http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2BnM8TKzHs

Good form http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st8FE...eature=related

Heres a video on Deadlift form
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-O_M...eature=related

Dead lifts keep chiropractors and surgeons in business.

Poorly done deadlifts, perhaps. Properly done deadlifts massively reduces the nead for them, as strengthening the muscles around the spine reduces the skeletal strain of everything else.

Hyperextensions are better suited for strengthening around the spine. I don’t think many fitness professionals would recommend dead lifts for their clients to mitigate future back issues, even if properly done.

The odds are against you if as you age if dead lifts are a regular exercise and even riskier if starting out with dead lifts being older. The same for kettle balls… Relaying what friends in the sports injury business tell me. I am just a messenger. Unless you're doing either with a trainer, it's not worth the risk vs. reward. There are plenty of core building or leg strengthening exercises out there. Mat Pilates or Yoga will build as strong a core.

Someone who lifts weights for the "art" of weightlifting is different, but that is a dying breed and wouldn’t pose this question. Plenty of exercises from clean-jerk into a standing military then into squat even with very light weight that is less risky, easier to learn, and has the same gym cache as dead lifts.

The odds are against you if as you age if dead lifts are regular exercise and even riskier if starting out with dead lifts being older. The same for kettle balls… Relaying what friends in the sports injury business tell me. I am just a messenger. Unless you're doing either with a trainer, it's not worth the risk vs. reward. There are plenty of core building or leg strengthening exercises out there. Mat Pilates or Yoga will build as strong a core.

Someone who lifts weights for the "art" of weightlifting is different, but that is a dying breed and wouldn’t pose this question. Plenty of exercises from clean-jerk into a standing military then into squat even with very light weight that is less risky, easier to learn, and has the same gym cache as dead lifts.

Is there an echo in here? :-) :-)

Finished off my 4 week cycle in squat and dead.

Squat: previous 1RM 365
320x1, 345x1, 375x1, 380x1 - Was a bit unsure after the 375 how much I could add, so went conservatively. After the 380, thought I could have done 385.

Dead: previous 1RM 355
300x1, 335x1, 370x1, 375x1 - by the time I was getting to the last set of deads, I was completely spent, so I didn't push that one too much either. Barely got the 375 up, but did, without hitching.

Shoulders/back tomorrow, then finishing a similar 4 week cycle in bench on Tuesday, then an off week. After that, think I am going to switch things up and squat and dead on separate days, maybe move my dead into a back day, split shoulders out to their own day, with abs, and add some different leg exercises to my squats.

I AM PROCLAIMING THIS MONTH:
DEADLIFT DECEMEBER

today i hit 10 sets of 10 225lbs using only 25 plates...

sorry i havent been around, life kicked in

Gerry! :-)

mr tom :-)

Gerry! Hope life didn't kick in too bad.

Great to see you, and Rock the Deadlifts! :-)

Glad to see you've made a reappearance too :-)

What's odd is that I've been doing deadlifts lately with 25 pound weights so I can get that extra few inches of stretch at the bottom. I'm all for deadlift month.

thanks man!

To be quite honest Tom, I've been down that road so many times in the course of my life I care to not even look down it...:-)
I do em standing on mats or plates will work also, rather then use 102001 - 25lb plates...can use a box, boards w / e you got laying around.

Off to the gym later for some Benching. I feel good which means I will probably have a **** workout...

Glad to see ya back around to Gerry.

Yea I use the deadlift platform with the 25 lb plates for an extra stretch. When I do that I'm doing them for reps so I don't need 9993889- 25 lb plates like you would :-)

Shoulders and back this morning. Not much energy, yesterday wore me out.

plyoday:

100 yards of frog hops
100 yards of duck walks
5 sets of 20 box jumps
30 min of stairs

later tonight
45 min of mma conditioning
1.5 hours of gi jiu jitsu