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.





  • http://www.mkonen.com/bblog MarkFu

    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.

  • 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.