Rethinking Everything

[Tmax55]

I've been gone a lot from here. I got some rather serious back pain from driving on a long trip and sleeping in a hard mattress that I fought through for three weeks of lifting including some heavy deadlift sessions.

The back pain never improved so I finally decided to see a chiropractor. It turns out I have a moderate scoliosis in my lumbar spine.

It's been there for some time so the chiropractor doesn't think I'm in imminent danger of a major injury but continuing to Deadlift over 500 for working sets seems possibly rather short sighted to me.

I'm not asking anyone for medical advice. I am personally re-evaluating what I want to do with my training. It's a bitter pill to swallow ones pride but I may have to become a leg press only guy as squats hurt my back far more than deadlifts. I may be ditching both soon though.

I was training with a goal of a 1500 total...so now what? Body building? I never really liked the idea of dieting to be that lean. I like the idea of hanging out in that 9-13% body fat range (looking moderately good) and lifting moderately heavy.

Those of you who are healthy, thank God and enjoy it. While I did thank God, I thought it would never end.

[Bando]

I think this is why I go back and forth between BB style training and Powerlifting. I avoid injuries and get to stay in the game longer. I also warm up and stretch. There's no one I need to impress so much that I'll be in a walker at age 60, especially internet people.

One thing I would advise is to look seriously at Yoga or an accessory exercise class that actually stretches and works all the areas that heavy weightlifters continually batter.

One of the biggest guys I know does this all the time and he does back extensions with 5 plates FFS.

[boathead]

i've pretty much foregone heavy for me deadlifting for much the same reasons, and that too has caused me to re-think much...and experiment much.

i've found that high rep deads with much lower weights do not hurt at all, and have led to better muscle growth that previously seen. anyway, good luck my friend. perhaps you'll find your way.

[ChristianMR]

*Not medical advice, but maybe a bit of a morale boost: Lamar Gant, one of the best deadlifters in history (probably the best), had scoliosis.

[Plateauplower]

i've found that high rep deads with much lower weights do not hurt at all, and have led to better muscle growth that previously seen. anyway, good luck my friend. perhaps you'll find your way.

You must be doing them wrong I did 5 sets of 10 rep deads for a while on 5/3/1 with "light" 60% (I think?) weight. They hurt, my legs, lungs, traps and brain (Its a mindfuk once you get to set 3 or so and know you still have two more sets). That said they made my hamstrings grow almost overnight...

[NorwichGrad]

You can always take up Weightlifting. It's the safest sport as far as the lowest rate of injuries. Safer than badminton.

[Tmax55]

Thanks for the comments.

I've read about Lamar Gant. Although I may be on the strong side for posters here, he is/was several orders of magnitude better than me.

High rep aggrevates me more than low rep (particularly on squats). Also I have a muscle imbalance where my hamstrings are quite a bit stronger than my quads (yup you read that right) to the point where the chiropractor says they are pulling my pelvis so it tilts backwards so I'm not really too keen on hamstring emphasis.

[DuracellBunny]

I have a fairly simple philosophy in regards to this. Your body knows whether a stimulus is big enough to induce an adaptation or isn't. DLs may be a very efficient way of providing that stimulus, but they aren't the only way.

There are 5 simple steps.

1) identify what stimulus is needed
2) identify ways of providing that stimulus
3) cross off the list things you can't or really shouldn't do
4) cross off the list things you don't like or just don't want to do
5) pick anything you like out of what is left

Unless you are a competitive PL'er, DL's are optional by definition. If you like goals, make new ones, it doesn't matter what they are as long as they motivate you to bust your ass.

[drudixon]

First, everyone on the planet has some degree of scoliosis. My right leg is 1 inch shorter than my left. Keep getting adjusted, foam roll and take breaks when necessary. I see no reason at all to stop deadlifting.

Hell, you can see mine in my avi pic.

[Fishman15]

I've been gone a lot from here. I got some rather serious back pain from driving on a long trip and sleeping in a hard mattress that I fought through for three weeks of lifting including some heavy deadlift sessions.

The back pain never improved so I finally decided to see a chiropractor. It turns out I have a moderate scoliosis in my lumbar spine.

It's been there for some time so the chiropractor doesn't think I'm in imminent danger of a major injury but continuing to Deadlift over 500 for working sets seems possibly rather short sighted to me.

I'm not asking anyone for medical advice. I am personally re-evaluating what I want to do with my training. It's a bitter pill to swallow ones pride but I may have to become a leg press only guy as squats hurt my back far more than deadlifts. I may be ditching both soon though.

I was training with a goal of a 1500 total...so now what? Body building? I never really liked the idea of dieting to be that lean. I like the idea of hanging out in that 9-13% body fat range (looking moderately good) and lifting moderately heavy.

Those of you who are healthy, thank God and enjoy it. While I did thank God, I thought it would never end.

Do you need to stop deads all together or can you just lighten up with some more moderate weights? I have issues too...just had surgery on both of my knees about 4 months apart and I have an artificial disc at L4-5 put in a few years ago. I feel it in my low back somewhat even with 2 plates so I really am cautious about form and not lifting too heavy or too much volume. It's tough though because I do feel the benefit from them strengthening everything but I don't think I'll ever be pulling 500 in my life and I'm ok with that. Going on disability doesn't sound fun...