I am currently doing deadlifts as my main leg exercise in place of full squats (due to a knee injury).
I am interested, what is the safest way to perform this exercise (especially in regards to the lower back)?
I’ve injured my lower back twice in the past (albiet, both times I was doing goodmornings/sldl with too much loading and ROM), so this is something that worries me a bit.
I’m currently pulling like the start of a clean (shoulders over the bar, very upright, etc). My lower back still feels like it is doing the most work, and I’m a little hesitant to apply full force to the bar (pulled 315 for a few reps but it felt effortless on the legs).
Also, would wearing a weight belt reduce the risk of lower back injury?
I saw on one link where the girl was doing a deadlift and when she pulled she bent over into almost a RDL stance to get the bar off the ground (back was perfectly straight) and then she leaned her upper body up. It looked like a RDL off the floor. Is that proper technique?
Originally posted by 400Stud
I saw on one link where the girl was doing a deadlift and when she pulled she bent over into almost a RDL stance to get the bar off the ground (back was perfectly straight) and then she leaned her upper body up. It looked like a RDL off the floor. Is that proper technique?
Sounds like a good way to blow out my back!
I think this is how the Westsiders deadlift.
What do you guys think of using a weight belt? I’m not sure if I buy into the “teaching your TA to contract by itself”, since I do seperate TA work anyway as part of my core training.
Akin to my post on Going to 11 and also Woodhouse’s buffering idea (which I agree with), you have to realise that you are, in fact, only as strong as your weakest link. Even if your legs can lift 315, it sounds like you, as a whole entity cannot.
Start light, get the technique right and you can then start to move forward. Everything in this game is step by step and that includes lifting.
Here’s some tips for the first pull.
In the start position, it is important to retract your scapula and squeeze your cheeks and lock in your core, a cue I use is “putting on the imaginary belt”.
Focus on pushing with the legs. As you extend your legs, the angle of your upper body must not change until the bar is above the knees. Just keep in mind that in this phase, your hips must never rise faster than your shoulders.
In the start position, it is important to retract your scapula and squeeze your cheeks and lock in your core, a cue I use is “putting on the imaginary belt”.
box squats are definately an option. It’s mainly full knee flexion I have a problem with.
However, deadlifts are not far more draining on the CNS than heavy box squats (particularly since the latter is a partial range movement and higher than usual loading can be achieved), and I felt it may actually save more CNS energy because it eliminates the need for other assistance exercises (eg. scapula retraction, erector spinae, trapezius, etc)
By the way, today I deadlifted again and tried sitting right back at the start and also contracting the abs (kind of like holding my breath) and I really felt the effort spread throughout my hamstrings and glutes rather than on my lower back. Thanks for the advice.
The injury is mostly healed. It was an impact related injury to the side of my knee during a tackle (I made the tackle and somehow my leg got twisted the wrong way when I was on the ground). It doesn’t bother me a lot anymore and I’m back doing light contact stuff at training but deep squatting can’t be done right now.
