The Deadlift (and lower back pain)


On Saturday morning, I did some deadlifts at a high intensity at 185#.  This is well below my max, but 72 hours later, my back is still killing me.  I suspect it’s just DOMS as the pain didn’t start until about 24 hours later, but I don’t doubt that I need to work on my form quite a bit as lower back pain is somewhat debilitating.

A really nice interview with powerlifter Eric Cressey is over on  Precision Nutrition.  Eric provides some good advice on technique and how the wrong technique can cause injury.  For me, I think I lift too much with my lower back instead of my hips.  Actually, I know that’s the problem.  For my next deadlifting session, I’m going to go lighter and work on form.





2 Comments, Comment or Ping

  1. Don’t lift…stay back on your heels and push the floor away from you and make sure you are tight. Having done deads today, my 0.02 worth.

    February 9th, 2008

  2. Jamie

    Thanks for the tip Mark. Definitely an issue with technique and bad form. At first, I think I was doing well. Once I got into 30, plus reps at the weight I was doing them at, my form started really falling apart and began lifting with my back more and less with my hips and legs.

    My lesson, after a week of sore backness : high reps = go significantly lighter. For me, I think I would have been far better off at about 50 to 60% of my max.

    February 11th, 2008

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