lower back when deadlifting

davyjose

I guess maybe I've a disproportionate level of strength between my back and legs, i.e. when my lower back is at its limit, my legs aren't really getting a workout. Any advice on this? Any exercises I can do to bring my lower back on a par?

Dr4gul4

Keep you're ass down as low as possible when you're on the way down, this way you're back is arched in wards, and use you're hips, gluts to push forward when you're lifting, G'em can explain it better then me though.

Hanley

It doesn't look like G'em's gonna reply to this, she must of missed it so I'll chime in if you don't mind.

If I'm reading correctly, you're lower back's getting more of a workout than your legs when deadlifting? I assume it's getting really pumped and that's how your judging it?

Of course I could be miss reading it and you could just be saying you're having to do all the work with your lower back and are stiff legging most of the reps?

If you can clarify which it is I'll be able to answer better.

g'em

Indeed I did miss it sorry!! Just like Hanley suggested it sounds like you're inadvertently straight-leg DLing, which oodles of people do. If your bum is getting down low enough and your back is staying straight, then your legs can be used better preventing your back from limiting the weight you move too early on.

Hmm... I'm not able to explain myself very well today either

davyjose

Hanley, that's correct (the first point), I basically feel as though my lower back is really getting a massive workout, while my legs aren't getting much at all.
I've been working a lot on form lately so I don't think it's that(I could be very wrong here). It's just frustrating because I know I could DL a lot more if my back could take more (note: I don't feel any unnatural pain in my back - it just gets tired)

BrianD3

Did you ever try Sumo stance deadlifts? They are quite different to conventional stance and would tend to involve the lower back less. Some people will find that they are more suited to one style or the other.

If you do start doing them sumo style, just watch out for groin injuries.

brianthebard

Yeah I'd give sumos a go, normal deadlifts don't do much for my legs but I always assumed it was mainly a back exercise anyways. I'm not doing a straight leg deadlift though, I know that much. I think. <_<

Hanley

If you want a leg exercise then squat.

If you want a back exercise then deadlift.

If you want to lift more weight and learn a suit then sumo.

I assume you're trying to build muscle so I'd stick with the conventional deadlifts as a primary muscle builder. I'm guessing you're doing high rep sets? 10+ like?

davyjose

Yeah true, I'm squatting as well (starting from scratch with that - for form - too) but yeah, I wanted something for my hams, but I guess the fact that its working my back is a good thing. I might fit in a few sets of Sumos next week too though.

Cheers guys!

Hanley

davyjose wrote:

Yeah true, I'm squatting as well (starting from scratch with that - for form - too) but yeah, I wanted something for my hams, but I guess the fact that its working my back is a good thing. I might fit in a few sets of Sumos next week too though.

Cheers guys!

How many reps are you training your deadlift with tho? Because this is a HUGE factor to consider when you're trying to figure out why your back's getting tired before anywhere else.

Sumos after convos isn't a bad idea at all and some i do frequently. Alot of powerlifters will train either convnetional or sumo deadlifts as a second movement after the one which they compete with to ensure nothing's missed.

brianthebard

Would good mornings not work the hamstrings as well, or perhaps better than the deadlift? [/noob]

Hanley

brianthebard wrote:

Would good mornings not work the hamstrings as well, or perhaps better than the deadlift? [/noob]

Ehhhh... how long is a piece of string?

It depends on what you mean by "better" really.

Stronger (pure strength) - prollly not, having the bar where it is puts it in an extremely dis-advantageous support position

Bigger - hmmm... hard to say, you need both knee and hip flexion exercises if you're going for pure size. So supplement with leg curls of some wort would be neccessary

As a rehab/flexability tool - I'd say yes, they're better. I've always made great flexabilty gains when doing GMs and RDLs with sets of 12 or so reps.

brianthebard

Lolz that's why I added the noob tag. You don't believe GM's are better than convential deadlift for building ham strength? Good to know.

Hanley

I don't believe ANYTHING is as good as conventional deadlifting for building hamstring strength.

It just builds a brutally strong base. Refinement work might be needed to improve your hamstrings if they're what's lagging behind.

THAT'S when I'd intorduce Good Mornings, Stiff leg deadlfts, RDLs and the likes. Make sense?