Man this is gold! I can relate to this so much this. The few times I have managed to get in a postion like you are demostrating I have managed to do my best lifts, it's like a very good synergy between my muscles and it really was a game changer. Been trying to replicate it since, but I have not managed. This video though might shine a light on it! Thank you.
Wow, this is a game changer. For a long time (even to the present moment) I have felt like there is something missing from my deadlift, my bar speed is slow even with sub max weights and the weight I am moving has always seemed to be way below my potential even to the point where my squat is in danger of overtaking my deadlift numbers. This Really speaks to me Alex and in all honesty it's not like I haven't heard this before, I know I struggle with an anterior pelvic tilt from over "straightening" my back when I first started lifting and I heard this kind of stuff from the first coaches I watched on RUclips like Elliott Hulse but the way you explained it here really clicked with me and I am going to start deconstructing my deadlift and re-teaching myself how to brace. Many thanks Alex, keep putting out this quality content!
Dude this video is such a help. Literally every issue you brought up im dealing with. And that westside technique is how I learned to lift in the squat and deadlift
We have similar leverages. I managed to work up to low 600's for deadlift before experiencing back pain. I'm going to be following your bracing videos. Thanks for the advice!
Haven’t done a conventional dl in a while ( long femurs and short torso so it’s my fav exercise ), mostly front squatting and doing snatch grip dl, snatch grip rdl. Let’s see what’s gonna happen after few phases of putting more emphasis on my quads and glutes. Thanks for the video Alex, good watch.
Had exactly the same problem with my back and it seems to slowly go away. Teaching myself not to be so hyperextended in my lower back but still unable to brace correctly. I'm going to do the McGill big 3 and some other exercises in hope I'll gain some mind muscle connection with my abs and obliques. Super helpful video, thanks
@alexander Bromley I stopped wearing a Belt, as I use to wear it all the time, had a fucked up back, stopped wearing it for 4 years, and i fixed my back becuase i used to lean to one side i thought I was fucked. Now I do all my lifts beltless and I managed to deadlift a 550ilbs beltless and my abs have grown!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!! Great information. You are right, this information should absolutely be taught first to beginner lifters. I don't understand why so many ignore this. Only you, Brian Carroll and Richard Hawthorne really cover this properly. I always knew I was leaving kgs on the table because my core just felt loose. Fuck Westside and Rippetoe for their big belly breath crap. In the early 2000s that's pretty much all tht was taught. Big air, arch. Please keep up the great work.
Extremely helpful tips in this video for bracing on the deadlift. Have not seen a video on this until now. I have been deadlifting, squatting back and front without a belt for one year now. I also had to use a belt squatting 225 lbs before but can now work to 400 lbs without a belt on the back squat. In addition i do a full training once a week focusing on Abdominals. Deadlifts has always been a tough one for me easily overtraining it. The strength that i have built in the core should help me improve my deadlift training the next 6 months which to say will be fine tuned based on some tips in this video.
What thoes "experts" refer as arching is actually hyperextention of the spine and the same time they say "neutral spine" but actually the spine is not neutral.
For the deadbugs and similar exercises, i tell people to keep their lower back on the floor. usually, they have tight psoas and flexors that take over and as they straighten a leg, the back arches and they lose ab tension. Just a cue idea that has worked for me.
That's a really good point. Most people have a hard time maintaining a neutral spine while extending the leg at first. Glad to see you're alive Ryan! How've you been?
@@AlexanderBromley I've been alright, How are you? I'm glad to see you started making videos! I know you've got a huge wealth of info and I'm gonna be watching! On a side note, when I do core exercises, i like to take short breaths to keep the tightness, not letting a lot of air out, similar to how you said for farmer carries. It reinforces the breathing part of the bracing throughout the entirety of the exercise.
I definitely need to de-construct my DL. I find it hard to keep a neutral spine without squatting down excessively low. I have a long torso and long arms, my upper back rounds at maximum weights. Over the past 3 years i've had the same minor tear in my lower back about 4 times and knocks me back about 4-6 weeks every time. It always happens on rep work. Definitely need stronger abs and hammies, been incorporating more core stuff lately, hopefully it helps.
It will. Get the hinge down. If something is tearing, it's because things are moving that shouldn't be. Every time you deadlift, rdl, good morning, back extension, or pick a pencil off the ground, reinforce tight abs and a pure hinge. Once you get that down, risk of injury drops immensely.
I almost forgot. Could you make a video on pushpresses? Even tho I front squat mainly my front rack position feels very awkward. It’s way easier to do behind the back push press than change the grip when the bar is above the head from the front position.
I find it hard to brace when in front squat position as I'm trying to keep my elbows high thus unable to squeeze my abs. Great if you can share some pointers. Thanks man!
I give some stretches in one of my recent videos about fixing your rack position for OHP. Same rules apply for a front squat. You need to get your shoulders/lats/triceps loose enough that the elbows can point up without bringing your entire rib cage with it. When you do lat stretches, emphasize keeping your ribs down and your abs tensed.
Alexander Bromley Thanks!!! I have been watching your videos for 4 days straight. Even though I have been lifting for the last 4 years, after I have watched your videos, I felt that I have to relearn almost everything. Your teaching makes lots of sense to me. By the way, I'm 50 this year and maybe you can do a video on trading tips for older folks like me. Cheers!
Are you strictly a "no belt" guy, or how do you combine this bracing with using a belt? Even Konstantinovs used a belt once in a while, and Brian Carroll was using one when he did that multi-ply equipped 1300 lb squat.
Belts are a very useful tool. I train with them mainly for contest specificity, since I will always be wearing one on an all out squat or deadlift. I run all of my warmups without one, put it on loose as I get closer to working weight, and tighten it on only my heaviest working sets. Squat/deadlift variations done without a belt plus all of the carries and loads I do without a belt are more than enough stimulus; by the time I get to top end squats and deads, I'm only interested in practicing how I play.
@@AlexanderBromley But how exactly do the two processes work together? If you're not actively forcing your abdominal wall against the belt, do you tighten it up to where it makes a firm intersection with the hard brace, then increase the intra-abdominal pressure inhaling at the end? (That seems like the hardest thing to learn and develop some strength at doing!) Just curious - strongmen look like they are wearing two belts. Is that so they don't get their skin pinched over their outer weight belt?
@@BigBlueJake I brace the exact same way with and without the belt. I'm aggressively against the 'take a big breath and push out against the belt' school of thought. Putting the belt on results in the same type of stability, just more of it. The soft belt disperses the pressure over more area, so it feels more secure. And yes, it does keep logs and axles from pinching the shit out of you lol.
@@AlexanderBromley Thank you for the detail. Apparently my bracing is a reverse order of your method (I take the breath, then brace, but mindful it has to be circumferential), but I am used to to breathing while braced from carrying or holding up heavy objects. Farm work, furniture moving-no belt or the nylon back-brace type if I can plan for it. I have been comparing bracing information to see if I was missing anything, and have recently tried the continuous "pushing outward" version. Won't lie-it is pretty damn solid, but if it is more likely to be damaging (hernia, passing out, rupturing blood vessels) I'll resist the temptation. Watched an episode of WSM years ago and saw a clear shot of one of the guys with a big chunk of belly skin pinched between an Atlas stone and a powerlifting belt. That had to leave a mark! Fast forward and the guys have elbow sleeves, knee sleeves, and all sorts of wraps and compression gear. I was wondering if I was seeing things when I picked up on the double-belted look.
Yes, 15 years ago I fcked my back deadlifting and then squatting with this crappy arching theory. Today I hurt my back using kettlebells. I'm angry at that crappy advice that was even written in books. Back injuries are for life.
Solid coaching, for free. This is never thought to begginers, but should be a requirement before touching a barbell
Not enough people watching this channel. Well explained , and no bullshit approach👌👌👌
Hard arching during squats ended up WRECKING my back years ago. What a load of bullshit. Thanks for the vid!
Man this is gold! I can relate to this so much this. The few times I have managed to get in a postion like you are demostrating I have managed to do my best lifts, it's like a very good synergy between my muscles and it really was a game changer. Been trying to replicate it since, but I have not managed. This video though might shine a light on it! Thank you.
Wow, this is a game changer.
For a long time (even to the present moment) I have felt like there is something missing from my deadlift, my bar speed is slow even with sub max weights and the weight I am moving has always seemed to be way below my potential even to the point where my squat is in danger of overtaking my deadlift numbers.
This Really speaks to me Alex and in all honesty it's not like I haven't heard this before, I know I struggle with an anterior pelvic tilt from over "straightening" my back when I first started lifting and I heard this kind of stuff from the first coaches I watched on RUclips like Elliott Hulse but the way you explained it here really clicked with me and I am going to start deconstructing my deadlift and re-teaching myself how to brace.
Many thanks Alex, keep putting out this quality content!
Dude this video is such a help. Literally every issue you brought up im dealing with. And that westside technique is how I learned to lift in the squat and deadlift
We have similar leverages. I managed to work up to low 600's for deadlift before experiencing back pain. I'm going to be following your bracing videos. Thanks for the advice!
I missed this when it first came out. This is perfectly timed for me. The way I'm doing it is not working. Excellent info as always
Great video, very straightforward and easy to understand. Well done.👍
Haven’t done a conventional dl in a while ( long femurs and short torso so it’s my fav exercise ), mostly front squatting and doing snatch grip dl, snatch grip rdl. Let’s see what’s gonna happen after few phases of putting more emphasis on my quads and glutes. Thanks for the video Alex, good watch.
Had exactly the same problem with my back and it seems to slowly go away. Teaching myself not to be so hyperextended in my lower back but still unable to brace correctly. I'm going to do the McGill big 3 and some other exercises in hope I'll gain some mind muscle connection with my abs and obliques. Super helpful video, thanks
Really fantastic series of videos. Thank you so much!
@alexander Bromley I stopped wearing a Belt, as I use to wear it all the time, had a fucked up back, stopped wearing it for 4 years, and i fixed my back becuase i used to lean to one side i thought I was fucked. Now I do all my lifts beltless and I managed to deadlift a 550ilbs beltless and my abs have grown!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!! Great information. You are right, this information should absolutely be taught first to beginner lifters. I don't understand why so many ignore this. Only you, Brian Carroll and Richard Hawthorne really cover this properly.
I always knew I was leaving kgs on the table because my core just felt loose. Fuck Westside and Rippetoe for their big belly breath crap. In the early 2000s that's pretty much all tht was taught. Big air, arch.
Please keep up the great work.
Dr. Stuart McGill is also a big proponent of bracing the core.
Extremely helpful tips in this video for bracing on the deadlift. Have not seen a video on this until now. I have been deadlifting, squatting back and front without a belt for one year now. I also had to use a belt squatting 225 lbs before but can now work to 400 lbs without a belt on the back squat. In addition i do a full training once a week focusing on Abdominals. Deadlifts has always been a tough one for me easily overtraining it. The strength that i have built in the core should help me improve my deadlift training the next 6 months which to say will be fine tuned based on some tips in this video.
What thoes "experts" refer as arching is actually hyperextention of the spine and the same time they say "neutral spine" but actually the spine is not neutral.
good info!
Awesome info! Looking forward to trying it.
I am glad to find this video. Deadlift is my weakest lift.
For the deadbugs and similar exercises, i tell people to keep their lower back on the floor. usually, they have tight psoas and flexors that take over and as they straighten a leg, the back arches and they lose ab tension. Just a cue idea that has worked for me.
That's a really good point. Most people have a hard time maintaining a neutral spine while extending the leg at first. Glad to see you're alive Ryan! How've you been?
@@AlexanderBromley I've been alright, How are you? I'm glad to see you started making videos! I know you've got a huge wealth of info and I'm gonna be watching! On a side note, when I do core exercises, i like to take short breaths to keep the tightness, not letting a lot of air out, similar to how you said for farmer carries. It reinforces the breathing part of the bracing throughout the entirety of the exercise.
Gold dust info please do more on this stuff
This is my EXACT problem...I kept pulling out my SI joint.
laying on my bed with an ice pack on the IS joint atm haha
Great vid. Thank you sir.
I definitely need to de-construct my DL. I find it hard to keep a neutral spine without squatting down excessively low. I have a long torso and long arms, my upper back rounds at maximum weights. Over the past 3 years i've had the same minor tear in my lower back about 4 times and knocks me back about 4-6 weeks every time. It always happens on rep work. Definitely need stronger abs and hammies, been incorporating more core stuff lately, hopefully it helps.
It will. Get the hinge down. If something is tearing, it's because things are moving that shouldn't be. Every time you deadlift, rdl, good morning, back extension, or pick a pencil off the ground, reinforce tight abs and a pure hinge. Once you get that down, risk of injury drops immensely.
@@AlexanderBromley will work on that, thanks.
METAL MECHANIC sumo dl?
@@MrHapp7 conventional. I only like using Sumo as a supplemental lift.
9:50: note to self.
@Alexander Bromley are you willing to take videos for form breakdown and help?
Hi Alex, what is your opinion on doing good mornings to grow your erectors?
Hi Alex, do you offer online coaching?
Yes I do! If you are interested, DM me through my instagram account. @empire_barbell
I almost forgot. Could you make a video on pushpresses? Even tho I front squat mainly my front rack position feels very awkward. It’s way easier to do behind the back push press than change the grip when the bar is above the head from the front position.
778th
I find it hard to brace when in front squat position as I'm trying to keep my elbows high thus unable to squeeze my abs. Great if you can share some pointers. Thanks man!
I give some stretches in one of my recent videos about fixing your rack position for OHP. Same rules apply for a front squat. You need to get your shoulders/lats/triceps loose enough that the elbows can point up without bringing your entire rib cage with it. When you do lat stretches, emphasize keeping your ribs down and your abs tensed.
Alexander Bromley Thanks!!! I have been watching your videos for 4 days straight. Even though I have been lifting for the last 4 years, after I have watched your videos, I felt that I have to relearn almost everything. Your teaching makes lots of sense to me. By the way, I'm 50 this year and maybe you can do a video on trading tips for older folks like me. Cheers!
what if your lats abs triceps are so tight you find it hard to even stretch them for a front squat position?
Interesting...
Are you strictly a "no belt" guy, or how do you combine this bracing with using a belt? Even Konstantinovs used a belt once in a while, and Brian Carroll was using one when he did that multi-ply equipped 1300 lb squat.
Belts are a very useful tool. I train with them mainly for contest specificity, since I will always be wearing one on an all out squat or deadlift. I run all of my warmups without one, put it on loose as I get closer to working weight, and tighten it on only my heaviest working sets. Squat/deadlift variations done without a belt plus all of the carries and loads I do without a belt are more than enough stimulus; by the time I get to top end squats and deads, I'm only interested in practicing how I play.
@@AlexanderBromley But how exactly do the two processes work together? If you're not actively forcing your abdominal wall against the belt, do you tighten it up to where it makes a firm intersection with the hard brace, then increase the intra-abdominal pressure inhaling at the end? (That seems like the hardest thing to learn and develop some strength at doing!)
Just curious - strongmen look like they are wearing two belts. Is that so they don't get their skin pinched over their outer weight belt?
@@AlexanderBromley ...and I'm starting a binge-watch of your channel with the breathing and bracing stuff....
@@BigBlueJake I brace the exact same way with and without the belt. I'm aggressively against the 'take a big breath and push out against the belt' school of thought. Putting the belt on results in the same type of stability, just more of it. The soft belt disperses the pressure over more area, so it feels more secure. And yes, it does keep logs and axles from pinching the shit out of you lol.
@@AlexanderBromley Thank you for the detail. Apparently my bracing is a reverse order of your method (I take the breath, then brace, but mindful it has to be circumferential), but I am used to to breathing while braced from carrying or holding up heavy objects. Farm work, furniture moving-no belt or the nylon back-brace type if I can plan for it.
I have been comparing bracing information to see if I was missing anything, and have recently tried the continuous "pushing outward" version. Won't lie-it is pretty damn solid, but if it is more likely to be damaging (hernia, passing out, rupturing blood vessels) I'll resist the temptation.
Watched an episode of WSM years ago and saw a clear shot of one of the guys with a big chunk of belly skin pinched between an Atlas stone and a powerlifting belt. That had to leave a mark! Fast forward and the guys have elbow sleeves, knee sleeves, and all sorts of wraps and compression gear. I was wondering if I was seeing things when I picked up on the double-belted look.
🙏🙏🙏🙏
Yes, 15 years ago I fcked my back deadlifting and then squatting with this crappy arching theory. Today I hurt my back using kettlebells. I'm angry at that crappy advice that was even written in books. Back injuries are for life.
Bro your videos has to much talking you need to show by example in the gym
Great video! Thank you