Larry Wheels reveals his biggest past deadlifting mistake and shares tips for best spine alignment.
Nearly everyone knows Larry Wheels as a weightlifting beast like no other. His powerlifting skills have showcased stunning lift after stunning lift. So much so that he was also featured in the feature film documentary adaptation of Strength Wars. So it’s a fascinating insight when Wheels opens up about his past lifting mistakes and what he’s learned from them. In a recent Instagram post, Larry Wheels details the biggest deadlift mistake he used to make – and provides detailed tips so that others can optimize their lifts as well.
The most exciting part about following Larry Wheels on his social media channels is to see new updates on his massive lifts and training. However, sometimes Wheels also shares some advice and insights into his training techniques. In his latest Instagram post published on June 8th, 2022 – Wheels goes in-depth about the importance of spine alignment and setting your back before performing a deadlift.
“One of the biggest mistakes I made when I first started work with coach Gaglione was I wouldn’t set my back position before I lifted. I had a bad habit of yanking the weight off the ground when I lifted as a teenager… Before I got any coaching in the deadlift, I was so focused on my floor speed; I never actually got tight and my back would round when pulling off the floor.”
You can see his full post and explanation in the post below:
For many newcomers, the deadlift can be one of the more intimidating exercises to perform. Or, for those more cocky, they can see it as a simple maneuver – you just pull the weight off the floor, right?
But performing a perfect deadlift is far more complex than it may seem. It’s also a powerful compound exercise making it worthy of the popularity and praise it receives as a bodybuilding, powerlifting, and strongman staple. Correct posture, controlling your core, and ensuring that you push your feet through the floor is essential. All of this must be done without becoming too tense and over-focusing on form and psyching yourself out.
ABOVE: Larry Wheels breaks down his worst ever lifting injury in our exclusive Geneartion Iron interview.
Larry Wheels goes into surprising detail (for an Instagram post at least) explaining how bracing properly before a lift is essential for optimizing the deadlift. It’s what separates a good lifter from an elite lifter. It’s the kind of advice that was a game changer for Wheels – and likely helped him rise up to the hardcore lifter we know today.
Larry Wheels breaks down how any aspiring lifter can try along at home:
“This may sound confusing at first yet you can try yourself at home.
Find your hip bones And place one hand there
Then find the bottom your rib cage.. the big fellas may need to do a little digging lol
Arch your back and notice the distance increases
Round over and you will notice the distance gets shorter
Now find that middle ground
This is a great way to learn how to position your back properly which is extremely important in both the squat and the deadlift”
The kind of advice for positioning your back properly that Larry Wheels gives here is a very helpful alternative to trying to find your middle position in the mirror. Different body types, shapes, and sizes all have a different “neutral” – making finding the position challenging until you’ve mastered it for yourself.
Ultimately, this is what is best about Larry Wheel’s post and advice. It’s one coming from experience and admitting past mistakes – rather than a generic catch all instruction manual that you can often find online. By making spine alignment more personal to his experience – and sharing tips on making it personal for anyone watching – Wheels proves that a few “secrets” to better lifts really do exist.
You can review his full post and breakdown of deadlift back and spine alignment above. And make sure to stick around the Generation Iron Fitness Network for news and updates on all things bodybuilding, fitness, and strength sports.
