DEADLIFTS- I keep wrecking my back

[johnjohnjohn3]

Sup everyone.

I started deadlifting this past june and everything has been going great.

Started at 85 and worked my way up to 135. However, the past few workouts i've been left seriously wrecked afterwards my lower back is shot. I'm considering removing them and start utlizing rack pulls instead.

What could be the issue? I can't even pull 135 anymore.

[Bumpus]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=142333271

Read that and get back to us.

[CookAndrewB]

"wrecked" isn't a useful term. Are you describing debilitating pain? Muscle soreness? Something else?

How long have you been deadlifting? The weight you are describing is not even your bodyweight. I don't point that out to make fun of you, but if such light weight is causing an issue there is certainly something wrong. My first guess would be poor form. Switching to rack pulls may correct this if your issue relates to the inability to keep your low back in a protected (stable) position through the start of a pull due to poor flexibility.

It's hard to say wihtout pictures/videos, and a much better description as to what the "wrecked" means.

[johnjohnjohn3]

"wrecked" isn't a useful term. Are you describing debilitating pain? Muscle soreness? Something else?

How long have you been deadlifting? The weight you are describing is not even your bodyweight. I don't point that out to make fun of you, but if such light weight is causing an issue there is certainly something wrong. My first guess would be poor form. Switching to rack pulls may correct this if your issue relates to the inability to keep your low back in a protected (stable) position through the start of a pull due to poor flexibility.

It's hard to say wihtout pictures/videos, and a much better description as to what the "wrecked" means.

yea its really on my lower back.. it's been since this past june when i started. i havent had this problem since now its pretty frustrating

[AlanApe]

Take a break. Dont deadlift for a couple of weeks then get back into it and drop the weight to 100 or 110 and start back from there. Lower weight will allow you the space to concentrate on the movement and form.

[ink81]

Sup everyone.

I started deadlifting this past june and everything has been going great.

Started at 85 and worked my way up to 135. However, the past few workouts i've been left seriously wrecked afterwards my lower back is shot. I'm considering removing them and start utlizing rack pulls instead.

What could be the issue? I can't even pull 135 anymore.

Hey OP. Like the guys have said it's hard to tell what/if your doing wrong without seeing a video, or going into detail exactly what pain your feeling. I can only explain to you my experience I was unlucky enough to have this past year.

In December last year I herniated a disc in my L4/L5 from doing heavy deadlifts with piss poor form and not wearing the proper protective gear. I felt what I thought was my lower spine twist and crunch and had to put the weight down immediately. Because I'd never had any type of gym injury before I didn't know exactly what was wrong with me and after seeing a doctor and an MRI I found that I'd herniated that disc. For the first week I could hardly even sleep/breath.

I started seeing a Chiro 2-3 times a week and after 8 weeks I was back in the gym, but couldn't do any exercises that put tremendous pressure on my lower back.

10 months down the track now, no surgery and I'm lifting heavier then I was before the injury. I wear a belt most exercises now that put pressure on the lower back. And i'm very cautious with my Deadlift Form now.

I guess if it's bothering you that much I'd probably start by seeing a doctor to make sure you haven't done any permanent damage. Also get a belt. Helps big time.

[ironwill2008]

I'm considering removing them and start utlizing rack pulls instead.

Rack Pulls take the legs out of the equation and put practically all the load on the lower back. Does this sound like what you need?

What could be the issue? I can't even pull 135 anymore.

Your form maybe?


If you want to get form issues corrected, post a vid.

[de_barathrum]

my advice may be unpopular, but if you are having issues with deadlifts at 135, maybe its time to cut deadlifts out of your program. there is a risk/reward that you always have to keep in mind for every exercise you do. deadlifts are a tremendous exercise, but they are also risky, especially if you have a predisposition against them, and if you are having issues with your lower back at this point, its likely your body type just wasnt made for deadlifting. the last thing you want is to herniate or rupture a disk in your lower back, because that is something that will bother you for the rest of your life.

[cameron0106]

Your form is almost certainly the problem.

Keep in mind when you deadlift, you are training a movement of the hips and you are training you back to stay stable under load. The deadlift is not meant to be a movement of the back.

In that same line of thought, a problem that I have had in the past, and I have known others to have is that as I deadlift, my shoulders would start to round and that would be followed by me more fully breaking posture and rounding my back. Remember that the body is a unit. It may benefit you when you approach an exercise as a deadlift to think of your body as one piece. So it may be counter intuitive, but working on some rows or even pull ups, may greatly benefit you deads.

Contrary to what the above poster said, your body type is made for deadlifting since all a deadlift is is picking something up off of the ground. Just make sure you are doing it correctly. It may benefit you to have someone watch you deadlift, or if possible for you to upload a video here so that we can give you more accurate advice. It may also benefit you to have your back checked by a chiropractor or physical therapist. Does you back hurt after you squat?

[ShadowWolfe]

Sup everyone.

I started deadlifting this past june and everything has been going great.

Started at 85 and worked my way up to 135. However, the past few workouts i've been left seriously wrecked afterwards my lower back is shot. I'm considering removing them and start utlizing rack pulls instead.

What could be the issue? I can't even pull 135 anymore.

watch this video, this really helped my deadlift:

[de_barathrum]

Contrary to what the above poster said, your body type is made for deadlifting since all a deadlift is is picking something up off of the ground. Just make sure you are doing it correctly. It may benefit you to have someone watch you deadlift, or if possible for you to upload a video here so that we can give you more accurate advice. It may also benefit you to have your back checked by a chiropractor or physical therapist. Does you back hurt after you squat?

some people have more of a predisposition to injuries than others, regardless of the precautions they take. the fact is, even with bad form, if op is having issues deadlifting 135, then even if he fixes his form, he will likely continue to have issues. plenty of people have hurt themselves deadlifting with picture perfect form, and at the end of the day, there isnt much you can do about it. you have to make the decision of whether the risk is worth the reward or not. denying that is just kidding yourself.

[CookAndrewB]

some people have more of a predisposition to injuries than others, regardless of the precautions they take. the fact is, even with bad form, if op is having issues deadlifting 135, then even if he fixes his form, he will likely continue to have issues. plenty of people have hurt themselves deadlifting with picture perfect form, and at the end of the day, there isnt much you can do about it. you have to make the decision of whether the risk is worth the reward or not. denying that is just kidding yourself.

I agree with all of this, but it may be a bit early to just throw up your hands and say "F-it, I can't deadlift." I played that game with squats after a HS knee injury and then found out a decade later that I could squat just fine once I wasn't being a twit about it (too much, too soon). I will agree that this low weight causing a problem is unusual, but without some pics/vids to review I'm not inclined to think he is deadlifting so little with picture perfect form and injuring himself. Doesn't mean I can't be wrong, it just means that I'd take that bet in Vegas and expect to walk home with some cash.

The percentage of the population that is truly unable to do an exercise (in this case, deadlifts) because of some structural abnormality that predisposes them to injury, is probably very small. I haven't got any exact figures, but I think it is reasonable to expect that a little concentration on correct form would fix the issue.

[kanis999]

I would wager that your back is nowhere near proper posture for the lift. Take a whole bunch of time off to recover, stretch to get some flexibility in your hips and hamstrings, and deep tissue massage the injured parts (after some recovery time that is). THEN get back in the gym and learn how to arch your back properly.

Using 85 lbs isn't helping, because the small plates make the bar lower to the ground thus making it even harder to keep your back in alignment.

I'd also be willing to bet you have posture issues with your squat too, as keeping your back in alignment is a universal skill that applies to both lifts.

[trev71]

Your form maybe?


If you want to get form issues corrected, post a vid.

^^ This.

Been there myself... corrected form... eliminated back issues post deadlifts (outside of general fatigue/doms etc..)

[asdf89]

if its on your lower back at the top of your ass its likely SI joint dysfunction which is a common deadlift injury

[svartberg]

OP you got APT ?
I found this is frequent problem that messes up deadlift form.