Deadlift questions

[aprilai]

i just read this article on deadlifts:

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do...itan?id=459744

and i have a few questions:

1. are the shoulders supposed to be pulled back and not rolled forward?

2. the article said that very few people can do the deadlift weekly and progress...then how often should i deadlift to reap the most benefits besides on my max effort day?

thanks!

[LiftingIsLife]

i just read this article on deadlifts:

1. are the shoulders supposed to be pulled back and not rolled forward?

2. the article said that very few people can do the deadlift weekly and progress...then how often should i deadlift to reap the most benefits besides on my max effort day?

thanks!

hi april
(1) its ok to roll the shoulders forward. DO NOT roll the LOWER back
though, or you're asking for trouble. just make sure you roll the shoulders
back near the top of the lift (i.e. pull your shoulder blades together as
you approach standing upright)>
(2) i disagree. i think you CAN progress by doing them weekly.
however, every 5 days is about right for me.

best,
lifer

[terracotta]

I do them every 8-10 days and I get extra reps each time..I think it also depends on what else the person is doing. I do Romanian deads on leg day and these get my muscles working more regularly.. everything seems to get hit twice in 8-10 days with my split directly or indirectly.

[rkane]

i have made good progress doing dls every 14 days. holding the shoulders forward while keeping the tight arch in the lower back is how the very heavy lifts are done. it takes focus, skill and practice to use this technique. i have a feeling that article is geared toward people who want to deadlift in competition. i can believe to compete the lift must be done more often.

[Pilgrim BB]

Hi Aprilai,

Thanks for posting another question on the big lifts! I love all this free weights work you girls are doing!

Firstly I would advise not rolling your shoulders forward as this will tend to round your back and you will be asking for an injury!! So keep your back straight ie flat, chin up and keep the bar as close to your shins as you can (check out weightlifters with their shins taped or scraped!). Near the top of the lift keep your shoulders pulled back and your scapulae (shoulder blades) retracted. But don't lean back.

One tip is to contract your pelvic floor muscles when you lift, yeh you know the ones. This also helps to keep the muscles which stabilise the abdomen and lower back tight. Another is to try to push your heels through the ground as you lift. But don't jerk the bar up or you will hurt your elbows. Keep it smooth.

Deadlifting can be very productive when done safely and correctly. If you are not yet up to lifting 45lb or 20kg plates then you may need to raise the bar slightly (6") to shorten the range of motion - depending on your height of course.

You could do DLs on back days and squats on leg days, to get a complete leg development. But I shan't start talking about squats or else I could be here for hours!!!!

Take care. Safe lifting.

A

[vonvon]

Reviving an old thread!

I'm new to DL's, doing them with a comfortable weight, not straining at all.

Dunno whether this is a stupid question but won't know till I ask, eh?

Anyway, today my lower back is a bit stiff n a little sore (particularly when I arch it forward) - how do I tell the difference between DOMs and pain from having doing the exercise incorrectly? tia

[moon girl]

I think it's fine to do them every week. I currently cycle through exercises every 2 weeks but I don't think every week is a bad thing. Make sure you don't increase your weight significantly between sessions though - it's really hard on your joints (shoulders especially, for me at least) and you're more likely to injure yourself if you don't let the rest of your body get adjusted to the heavy weights.

I'm doing rack deadlifts at the moment and I find that I just needed practice to feel them well - and I think it's the same with full deadlifts. It's really hard to keep your shoulders back throughout the entire movement when you're lifting heavy but I'd suggest not letting them 'slouch'. Try to keep your whole back (ie. including upper back) tight and squeeze your shoulder blades at the top. That seems to work best for me...

Hope that helps

[WillDeadliftForFood]

New Poster:
Did you feel pain the day you lifted or the day afterward? Stiff and sore is normal; however, you need to make sure you aren't losing your natural arch while you lift, as that will place greater strain on the lower back muscles and result in more DOMS the next day. If your posture is great, then your lower back is most likely just building up from the load.

If there's ever sharp pain, STOP. Drop that barbell; don't slow lower it, your pride or gym membership is much less important than your discs.

If there's ever sharp pain afterward, your lift is probably off.

Have someone knowledgable critique your form. Best way to know if you're doing it correctly. However, the only person who can feel your body is you, so it's up to you to determine what the level of pain is, and what's the cause.