Alternative for Deadlifts?

[Dawes]

At the moment I can't deadlift without having really bad back pain for a few days after.
I know I can't replace the deadlift, but will hyper extensions be good enough as a replacement to keep my spinal erectors looking alright?
I guess I could re-start the deadlift lower and just keep lower weights
.
Just to put it in perspective, I used to 1rm 400, the other day I tried 265 and put out my back.
I have been to an osteopath twice and it helped short term, but so far not for any more than a few weeks.

It may be that I am working to heavy, I got most of my back pain when I worked within 10% of my 1rm (375-400lbs) and should I reduce or stop all RDL's as well.
It is really annoying, I am 21 years old, yet half of my month is spent with a back resembling that of a 90 year old.

Please note that if I have to take out DL's all together I don't care. I would prefer to keep the strength, but it isn't a priority for me when my back health is the issue.

[TM392]

For time being I would just take deads out all together until your back is fully healed. No point of antagonizing an injury to the point where you need time off all together.

But I'm a little confused on why you would take out RDLs because that is a more hamstring exercise and it seems you use deads for back day. Assumption.

For a replacement time being. Rack pulls, tbar rows, suitcase deadlifts, Jefferson squats could be useful. But I don't see the point in removing RDLs

[Dawes]

For time being I would just take deads out all together until your back is fully healed. No point of antagonizing an injury to the point where you need time off all together.

But I'm a little confused on why you would take out RDLs because that is a more hamstring exercise and it seems you use deads for back day. Assumption.

For a replacement time being. Rack pulls, tbar rows, suitcase deadlifts, Jefferson squats could be useful. But I don't see the point in removing RDLs

I don't feel the RDL's in the lower back when I'm doing the exercise but I still get the pain a few days after, I don't really do them that heavy either, maybe 200lbs for ~8 reps.
I don't know whether it's due to having started using a lifting belt for my squats which in turn has weakened my core
The issue is that when I get this pain, I pretty much can't bend down to tie my own laces.
So whilst RDL's may not be the direct cause, if there are any other previous niggles they just further enhance it.

[China505]

im in the same boat as you are, nearly the same DL weight too (405 here), I am nursing an injured back (strain/spasm, non-disc thank god).

Right now I have been deadlifting very low weight for higher reps, MArk rippitoe suggested this for rehab, gets the muscles moving, blood flowing and it is working well, basically dead lifting like 95lbs (NOT KGs) for 4-5 sets of 25 focusing on perfect form. It is certainly helping.

For the time being I have put the thought of heavy DLs out of my mind, id rather let my back heal than be a tough guy.

I dont know where my DL will end up, but in all honesty, I dont compete in powerlifting, so if I have to start my DL from scratch and build it back up then so be it, laying on my bathroom floor for 3 hours from a bad muscle spasm and having a hard time walking for a week afterwords isnt worth it. I would rather go back to deadlifting 45lbs and adding 5lbs avery workout until im back to 405 than risk the long term health of my back.

The way I see it is this:

what I lose: some strength in my deadlift

What I gain: fixing back injury, tightening up my form, improving grip strength (use fat gripz).

I lose 1 thing, I gain 3. Positive mental attitude...PMA bro....PMA haha.

good luck!!!

[miamibodybuilder]

well i'm guessing you do full deads from the ground up am i correct? i used to do those as well until i started having back pains also. now i mostly do quarter deads from the knees up. i set the bars inside a power rack to right below my knee and i just start pulling from there. i've been doing this version for over 2 years now and i gotta say they've helped me out a lot. i still get a sore back, but the pain isnt excruciating like it was years ago. so i would definitely recommend these.

[TM392]

I don't feel the RDL's in the lower back when I'm doing the exercise but I still get the pain a few days after, I don't really do them that heavy either, maybe 200lbs for ~8 reps.
I don't know whether it's due to having started using a lifting belt for my squats which in turn has weakened my core
The issue is that when I get this pain, I pretty much can't bend down to tie my own laces.
So whilst RDL's may not be the direct cause, if there are any other previous niggles they just further enhance it.

Yeah I would lose the weight belt ASAP that and straps are a killer once you lose them. Maybe go lower weight with your RDLs and slow the ROM down a tad to compensate.

Like I stated before though those exercises are a good replacement for time being.

GL w/ the injury!

[Retardo-pex]

At the moment I can't deadlift without having really bad back pain for a few days after.
I know I can't replace the deadlift, but will hyper extensions be good enough as a replacement to keep my spinal erectors looking alright?
I guess I could re-start the deadlift lower and just keep lower weights
.
Just to put it in perspective, I used to 1rm 400, the other day I tried 265 and put out my back.
I have been to an osteopath twice and it helped short term, but so far not for any more than a few weeks.

It may be that I am working to heavy, I got most of my back pain when I worked within 10% of my 1rm (375-400lbs) and should I reduce or stop all RDL's as well.
It is really annoying, I am 21 years old, yet half of my month is spent with a back resembling that of a 90 year old.

Please note that if I have to take out DL's all together I don't care. I would prefer to keep the strength, but it isn't a priority for me when my back health is the issue.

Replacing deadlifts with hyper extensions would be like replacing bench press with cable crossovers. Really bad back pain isn't muhc of a description. Did you hurt yourself during a lift or were you just in more pain then normal for a few days? If you don't do any sort of comprehensive warmup stretching and cooldown there are some easy fixes. Foam rolling your glutes, hips and lower back can easily alieviate tightness/pain after a heavy deadlift day if it is simply a muscular thing rather then an actual injured back.

[bmontgomery87]

whats the actual injury?
Cause I'm wondering why you physically can't do deadlifts but would be fine doing lots of hyperextensions.

[ThickAsABrick]

1) if something hurts, don't do it.

2) try to find out why it hurts and then fix the problem. then you have the option of doing the exercise if it is of benefit to you to do so.

3) you may or may not need deads for back thickness. personally i have gotten plenty of thickness from rows. deads aren't a regular part of my routine (aside from RDLs on leg day.) Some people need them. It depends on the person.

[pyaarawala]

How did you guys end up hurting your back while DLing anyway? Makes me a bit uneasy since my DL has been going up. Did you all practice proper form even with heavy weight?

[Retardo-pex]

How did you guys end up hurting your back while DLing anyway? Makes me a bit uneasy since my DL has been going up. Did you all practice proper form even with heavy weight?

I've never actually seen someone hurt themselves while deadlifting but its just like any non on the spot injury, repetitive loaded motions of a few years time even with perfect form, recovery, prehab whatever you throw at it, an injury can still happen.

Just like with any other aspect in life though, its good to be aware of these things without putting all of your thought and energy into it. I drive to work every day so I have a basic respect for all the ways traffic could injur me/end my life but I don't dwell on it and find a new job that doesn't require me to drive.

[Rayzor84]

I hurt my back the other day doing deads. However I clearly rounded my back and knew exactly when I did it. Now I need some time off though it feels better than it did the first day. Form is key.

[Fbomb1990]

would you be able to do good mornings?