B-Stance Romanian Deadlift (Unilateral Bias)

Total Reps: 9 | Estimated Load: ~32kg - 36kg Total (Combined DBs)

1. Summary

Melissa, your hip hinge mechanics are fundamentally sound, demonstrating excellent dissociation between hip flexion and lumbar movement. However, we have a critical leak in tension through the thoracic spine; you are allowing the load to pull your scapulae into excessive protraction at the bottom range. With your scoliosis profile, "hanging" on the spinal ligaments rather than supporting the curve with active muscular tension creates unnecessary vertebral shear.

2. Scores & Set Quality

| Metric | Score (1-10) | Notes |

| :--- | :---: | :--- |

| Overall Form | 7.5/10 | Lower body mechanics are elite; upper body stability needs work. |

| Spinal Integrity | 6/10 | Lumbar is stable, but thoracic rounding exceeds safe active limits. |

| Symmetry | 8/10 | Hip axis remains horizontal; no visible pelvic rotation. |

| Tempo Control | 9/10 | Excellent consistent eccentric phase (~2s average). |

| Range of Motion | 8/10 | Depth is sufficient, perhaps slightly too deep for current thoracic control. |

Set Metrics:

RPE: 7.5 (Muscular failure not reached, technical breakdown approached).
Fatigue Pattern: Gradual_decline. Thoracic flexion increases slightly after rep 6.
Form Breakdown Rep: Rep 7 (Slight loss of lumbar rigidity at max depth).
Rep Classification: [1-6] Good, [7-9] Grind (due to postural fatigue).

3. Rep-by-Rep Analysis

| :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--- |

| 1 | 2.0s | 1.0s | 8 | 9 | Cleanest rep. Good tension. |

| 2 | 2.0s | 1.0s | 8 | 9 | Consistent path. |

| 3 | 2.0s | 1.0s | 8 | 8 | Slight forward head posture emerging. |

| 4 | 2.0s | 1.0s | 9 | 8 | Depth increased, shoulder drift evident. |

| 5 | 2.0s | 1.0s | 9 | 8 | Good hip drive. |

| 6 | 2.0s | 1.0s | 9 | 7 | Upper back rounding becoming pronounced. |

| 7 | 2.2s | 1.2s | 9 | 7 | Breakdown: Slight lumbar flexion at turning point. |

| 8 | 2.0s | 1.1s | 9 | 7 | Momentum used slightly out of the hole. |

| 9 | 2.0s | 1.2s | 9 | 7 | Shoulders fully protracted at bottom. |

4. Biomechanical Details

Joint Angles & Range

Knee: 15° - 20° flexion (Optimal: 15-20°). You maintain a "soft knee" perfectly; no squatting, no locking out.
Hip: 0° - 100° flexion (Optimal: ~90-100°). The hinge is deep and pure.
Ankle: Vertical tibia maintained. Zero forward knee travel (Excellent).
Spine:
Lumbar: Neutral to slight flexion at bottom range (end-range vulnerability).
Thoracic: Excessive Kyphosis. The load is pulling the shoulders down, increasing the moment arm on the upper back.

Asymmetries

Dominant Side: Left Leg (Working leg).
Imbalances:
Pelvic Stability: Solid. The "kickstand" leg (right) is correctly unloaded (approx 80/20 weight distribution).
Scapular Control: You are letting the dumbbells drift forward away from the center of mass (mid-foot), which forces the thoracic spine to round to compensate.

5. Scoliosis Analysis

Risk Level: Moderate

Curvature Flags:
Thoracic Kyphosis: Visual evidence suggests your structural curve may be kyphotic or kyphoscoliotic. In the bottom position (0:29, 0:35), gravity is exacerbating this curve. You are relying on passive structural tension rather than active erector/rhomboid tension.
Rib Flare: Not visible due to oversized hoodie, but head position (looking forward/down) suggests neck compensation for thoracic stiffness.

Adaptations:
Reduce Depth by 2 inches: Stop the descent *before* the shoulders get pulled forward. Your hamstrings are flexible, but your spine is the limiting factor.
Lat Engagement: You must pack the lats to support the ribcage. Currently, the arms are "long" and loose.

6. Actionable Feedback

🛑 MUST DO (Safety Critical)

[PACK] Pack the Lats: Before you hinge, depress your scapulae (think "shoulders in back pockets"). Keep them there. Do not let the weight drag your shoulders toward your ears or the floor.
[STOP] Cut the Depth: Stop the rep the moment your upper back starts to lose neutrality. You are currently going 5-10% too deep for your spinal control.

🔧 PERFORMANCE (Technique Fixes)

[KEEP CLOSE] Bar Path Correction: The dumbbells are drifting slightly forward of the toes. Actively pull the dumbbells back toward your shins using your lats. This reduces shear force on the lumbar spine.
[GAZE] Neutral Neck: You are looking forward slightly. Tuck your chin to make a "double chin." This aligns the cervical spine with the thoracic spine, reducing neural tension.

💡 COULD DO (Optimization)

[TEMPO] Pause Reps: Add a 1-second pause at the bottom (but slightly higher up than you are now) to enforce thoracic stiffness before driving up.

7. Key Moments (Timestamps)

| Time | Severity | Event / Observation |