Deadlifting & the mirror

[MsBeverlyHills]

so how many of you deadlift in front of the mirror???

Ive always done that to keep my form in check, head up, butt down- but the new PL guys im training with said thats a big no-no....no mirrors in competition!

any thoughts? do I really have to give up the mirror??

 

[LucSulla]

Well, my knee-jerk reaction is that there are a lot of things you see in competition when someone is trying to get up a one rep max effort that I wouldn't necessarily want to do when training. The mirror thing, and this is just me, reminds me of playing with a click when you are recording music. Our drummer spends tons of time rehearsing songs with a click tempo that he will ultimately perform without one. The idea is that once you get it solid with the click you won't need the click tempo for the actual performance because due to all of your practice the correct beat is set in your bones.

 

[Big_BK]

Doesn't really effect me at all and i train in front of the mirror. During competition i never screw up on deadlift unless i forget to do something stupid like tighten my belt because im so amped up and focused on the lift.

 

[b fold the truth]

If you can SEE YOURSELF when you are deadlifting...then you aren't deadlifting correctly.

Drives me insane when people tell me that they are using a mirror to see if they are squatting deep enough. How on Earth can you do a heavy squat AND look in the mirror?

 

[scotty too hotty]

The dude that I train with on my power exercises always puts a towel over the rack, so I'm used to not looking in the mirror for squats or deadlifts. He was a champion powerlifter, and always preaches about how in his first competition he was disoriented because he was used to looking in the mirror. When he first started training me I would make fun of him and say the gym owner yelled at him for breaking the mirrors when he looked in them! I laughed but always payed for it later, and he couldn't wait to tell everyone how I puked in the gym. He would always say "hit the trashcan nextime junior" On deads, when I go over 405lbs, I seem to go blind anyway. It's like I'm seeing, but can't make anything out. It is the pressure placed on the optic nerve which causes this. When he's not there though, I just talk shit to that ugly guy looking back at me to help geek me up for the lift!

 

[b fold the truth]

But....

I'd watch MsBeverlyHills deadlift in the mirror...

 

[ironwings]

Use it. You know what you are capable of and if it works for you - screw what others think. Know your body and own it. I typically couldn't look in the mirror if I tried - I'm grunting and groaning with sweat dripping in my eyes. But, today I did 1 leg deadlifts and the mirror helped me keep my balance (and my abs And it reminded me what a goon I look like when I lift!

 

[musclemom]

I have used a mirror, but honestly I found the best way to correct my form was to show my husband the proper form (in Strength Training Anatomy) and then have him stand beside me and watch my form. I can't lift heavy and turn my head, I was most worried whether I was maintaining the curve in my back and not coming up too fast in my legs.

 

[mattu3743]

I say dont look at the mirrow. Look up at the ceiling...maybe the more experienced you become with the deadlift than you can keep you're head up and then glance down only with you eyes to check if you're doing it correctly. If you have no experience with the deadlift than i recommend that you do it with somebody for a little while who kno's what they are doing

 

[PWR]

The gym that I go to has bot racks facing the mirror. I guess on deads I could turn around. Maybe I will, but it has never bother me either way.