deadlift/squat question

B

Bangtail

0
quick question. Im really really inflexiable. and thus find it very hard to keep form / follow through to the ful range of motion on the deadlift

my feet stay flat on the ground but my back curves inward slightly as it is the only way i can even reach the dumb bells

as per the squat my back stays straight but when i reach the end (lowest part) of the squatting motion my heals are off the ground.

I dont know how i should approach/fix both of these excersizes

any advice?

b.
 
Keep practicing. It'll come along with time, try with light weights obviously. Or try with a broom for a while and just concentrate on form. Make sure your form is dead on as well, the smallest thing could completely change everything.

For the deads make sure your grip is outside your legs, if youre doing conventional deads. For the squats you could practice with something under your heals, if you have a weight plate that is an inch or a little less put it under your heals, widen your stance a little bit, an try it from there.
 
Err... It's pretty obvious that you should be streching more.

If your back is curved as the start of the dead lift then dont lift it.
The starting possition is the most important part.

If your deadlifting dumbells have them on the inside of your legs. Your knee should be at a perfect right angle with your thighs parallel to the floor.
 
sometimes its not as big of a flexibility issue as you think, its just that you dont know the movement or has a weakness. for squats, try bodyweight squats with correct form, sitting BACK not down, keep heels on the floor. first, hold on to something, then eventually hold on less and less until you can do them without holding on.

as for the deads, you could start with them from an elevated surface.
 
are you keeping the barbell close to the legs on the upward movement?
if your shins are scraped up after deadlifts, you're doing them right.

the bar should be no more than an inch away from your shins and thighs the whole way up on a normal deadlift.
 
No, sometimes it really IS a matter of flexibility. I've helped two friends learn to squat and deadlift correctly by helping them become more flexible. One of em is a guy who doing the sit and reach, got NEGATIVE 8 centimeters.

But improvements come quick so no sweat.
 
yeah sometimes it is, im not denying that. but most of the times it isent, most people are flexible enough to squat below parallell and to grab a weight from the floor with propper form. I know a girl who barly got a quarter squat, i had her doing full squats while holding on to something, and eventually letting go, she did below parallell just fine then.
and IF its a matter of flexibility, then a good dynamic mobility program is on order.
 
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Well clearly streching more will help in the long run, but also you might want to try:

1) Deads: Make sure you retract your shoudler blades before you begin. If you don't know the feeling its like pulling your shoulders back and inwards while sticking your chest out.

2) Squats: Before you begin, raise your big toe to the top of each shoe. Keep it there while doing the squat. Since your toe deals with about half the weight put onto the foot, you force yourself to put weight through your heels.
 
and try other deadlift styles: namely stiff leg, and romanian.

this article explains both. http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=250heavy2

might wanna do these variations for a couple weeks, and then start rotating them in with normal deads to build a strong posterior chain.
 
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