Lower Back Pain from Deadlifting

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

Hello, this is the first time i post here, so i am sorry in advance for anything i could be doing wrong.

I am 31 years old with some years of training, but only started squating and deadlifting for about two years. I regret the years i spent neglecting my legs, but it is better late than never.

My main focus is my deadlift, for which i use what i consider to be a very basic routine (i deadlift at home, the other days i go to the gym).

I warm up and then go for 5 sets of 5 reps, with 3 minutes of resting between sets. I also squat on the same scheme.

I go heavy on all sets using the same weight, 445 lbs. I don’t wear a belt or straps, i only use sandpaper to help me hold the bar. I also use plates with a smaller diameter than of olympic plates, which make me grab the bar a little closer to the ground.

Well, my right lower back is starting to bother me. After i warm up, the pain disappears and i am able to train. But in the next day, i feel something is not right. I can walk, i can go to the gym an train other muscle groups and not feel any pain, i can even pick dumbells from the ground , but when i bend forward a little while seated, i feel a little pain.

I never took ANY kind of steroids, hormones, any kind of performance enhancers (saying that because some people pointed out that, if it was the case, my muscle strenght became suddenly greater than my tendons were prepared to bear).

My question is: Do you guys think it is time to start wearing a belt? Do you guys think i should stop deadlifting for a while and let my body heal?

I do not want to compete, just wanna be a little strong and look decent.

Thank you and, once again, sorry for any inconveniences.

2

If you could post a video that would be really good. The simplest answer is your technique is not dialed in properly ,and you need to fix it. You could be rounding your lower back. Then again I’ve noticed when I do a lot of lower back work and glute work, I get so tensed up, it almost brings me to stop training, then I’ll just hit up a foam roller and I’m at 100%. It could really be any number of things.

Wear a belt, and look at your form make sure everything is ok. If that doesn’t help then it could be something medical. Could be, doesn’t mean it is. It could be something in your assistant work if your lower back collapses in a good morning or something its just as bad.

3

[quote]Umbrata Fortis wrote:
If you could post a video that would be really good. The simplest answer is your technique is not dialed in properly ,and you need to fix it. You could be rounding your lower back. Then again I’ve noticed when I do a lot of lower back work and glute work, I get so tensed up, it almost brings me to stop training, then I’ll just hit up a foam roller and I’m at 100%. It could really be any number of things.

Wear a belt, and look at your form make sure everything is ok. If that doesn’t help then it could be something medical. Could be, doesn’t mean it is. It could be something in your assistant work if your lower back collapses in a good morning or something its just as bad.[/quote]

Thank you for your reply. I have also heard that deadlifting on an hexagonal bar would be safer. Do you think i can get the same (or almost the same) benefits by deadlifting on it ?

4

Called a trap bar, or dead-squat bar. I have a history of lower back issues and I use these exclusively. Can stay more upright, and uses more legs than a proper deadlift, but if you do not compete, it is in my opinion a good option. At the end of the day, still pulling heavy weight off the ground, and has allowed me to continue safely (for me) training the lift. Good luck.

5

[quote]Grove wrote:
Called a trap bar, or dead-squat bar. I have a history of lower back issues and I use these exclusively. Can stay more upright, and uses more legs than a proper deadlift, but if you do not compete, it is in my opinion a good option. At the end of the day, still pulling heavy weight off the ground, and has allowed me to continue safely (for me) training the lift. Good luck.[/quote]

Thank you, i’m considering using a trap bar plus a belt. If i feel this weird feeling on my lower back has diminished by the next monday, i’ll deadlift and film it, and will post here.

6

That was a lot better then what I was first thinking when I read your post. I know that the trap bar requires a lot of core strength. I thought because of that it would pull harder on our back, good thing I didn’t post. I would say if you aren’t going to compete anytime soon just deadlift purely with the trap bar. If you plan on competeing get strong like that and maybe 4 weeks before comp switch to regular bar and see if you can work around the pain. Figure out a different starting position chance stance or whatever will help.

7

[quote]Umbrata Fortis wrote:
That was a lot better then what I was first thinking when I read your post. I know that the trap bar requires a lot of core strength. I thought because of that it would pull harder on our back, good thing I didn’t post. I would say if you aren’t going to compete anytime soon just deadlift purely with the trap bar. If you plan on competeing get strong like that and maybe 4 weeks before comp switch to regular bar and see if you can work around the pain. Figure out a different starting position chance stance or whatever will help. [/quote]

Thank you i think this is what i am going to do. I don’t plan on competing, i just have a compulsion for lifting heavy things i guess :slight_smile:

8

Is it on the lower right side right above the hip bone? The same thing happens to me sometimes on Olympic Squats and Deadlifts. I have to warm-up a lot to avoid it.

9

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
Is it on the lower right side right above the hip bone? The same thing happens to me sometimes on Olympic Squats and Deadlifts. I have to warm-up a lot to avoid it.[/quote]

This is EXACTLY where the pain is. In my case, after a little warm up it disapears and i can lift the weight i want. But after, it becomes the way i mentioned.

10

Woke up this morning feeling a lot better, i guess i will be able to squat tomorrow. Unfortunatelly, in my gym the only place we can squat is in a smith machine.

11

1.) Make sure to get your whole back adjusted (“cracked”) incl. your lower back.
2.) Adjust also your sacroiliac joint.
3.) Learn to properly flex your lower back (slight anterior pelvic tilt) before pulling/squatting.

12

[quote]infinite_shore wrote:
1.) Make sure to get your whole back adjusted (“cracked”) incl. your lower back.
2.) Adjust also your sacroiliac joint.
3.) Learn to properly flex your lower back (slight anterior pelvic tilt) before pulling/squatting.[/quote]

Thank you i’m planning a visit to my chiropractor this weekend.

13

[quote]RickWolf wrote:

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
Is it on the lower right side right above the hip bone? The same thing happens to me sometimes on Olympic Squats and Deadlifts. I have to warm-up a lot to avoid it.[/quote]

This is EXACTLY where the pain is. In my case, after a little warm up it disapears and i can lift the weight i want. But after, it becomes the way i mentioned.
[/quote]

Ya, it can be a pain in the ass. It happened to me on Monday during my squat warm-up. I was descending too fast I think. Anyway by the end of the workout it felt okay, was sore on Tuesday, but was gone by yesterday. I deadlifted last night and didn’t have any problems. FYI I did Defranco’s Agile 8 for the first time, which may or may not have helped, but could be worth a try.

14

[quote]RickWolf wrote:

I warm up and then go for 5 sets of 5 reps, with 3 minutes of resting between sets. I also squat on the same scheme.

I go heavy on all sets using the same weight, 445 lbs. I don’t wear a belt or straps, i only use sandpaper to help me hold the bar. I also use plates with a smaller diameter than of olympic plates, which make me grab the bar a little closer to the ground.[/quote]

What % of your 1RM are you doing for 5x5? And how long have you been going heavy doing 5x5? Maybe do a deload week? Or maybe you need to go a bit lighter on 5x5 and save the heavy for 3x5?

And pulling from deficit is def harder work, and awesome. But if you’re hurting maybe back off and try to raise the bar off the ground using boxes.

My .02, good luck.

15

[quote]anothrjrzmike wrote:

[quote]RickWolf wrote:

I warm up and then go for 5 sets of 5 reps, with 3 minutes of resting between sets. I also squat on the same scheme.

I go heavy on all sets using the same weight, 445 lbs. I don’t wear a belt or straps, i only use sandpaper to help me hold the bar. I also use plates with a smaller diameter than of olympic plates, which make me grab the bar a little closer to the ground.[/quote]

What % of your 1RM are you doing for 5x5? And how long have you been going heavy doing 5x5? Maybe do a deload week? Or maybe you need to go a bit lighter on 5x5 and save the heavy for 3x5?

And pulling from deficit is def harder work, and awesome. But if you’re hurting maybe back off and try to raise the bar off the ground using boxes.

My .02, good luck. [/quote]

I don’t know how much of my 1RM i’m using to be honest, i just try to get all 5 reps in all five sets at all costs then, when it feels “kinda” easy i just add more weight.

You are probably right about saving the heavy for 3 x 5. And as for the deficit you are rigth too: it is very different from lifting olympic plates, when i transitioned to them i had to decrease a lot of weight.

I didn’t squat yesterday and today there is just 5 % of the discomfort i was feeling when i started the topic. I´m going squat today, and see how it feels.

Anyway i’m already searching for an hex bar (here in brazil it is very hard to find, i’ll probably have to make my own).

16

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:

[quote]RickWolf wrote:

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
Is it on the lower right side right above the hip bone? The same thing happens to me sometimes on Olympic Squats and Deadlifts. I have to warm-up a lot to avoid it.[/quote]

This is EXACTLY where the pain is. In my case, after a little warm up it disapears and i can lift the weight i want. But after, it becomes the way i mentioned.
[/quote]

Ya, it can be a pain in the ass. It happened to me on Monday during my squat warm-up. I was descending too fast I think. Anyway by the end of the workout it felt okay, was sore on Tuesday, but was gone by yesterday. I deadlifted last night and didn’t have any problems. FYI I did Defranco’s Agile 8 for the first time, which may or may not have helped, but could be worth a try. [/quote]

It is a werid pain, isn’t it ? As for this program, i’ll search it and see if it fits me, thank you very much.

17

[quote]RickWolf wrote:

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:

[quote]RickWolf wrote:

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
Is it on the lower right side right above the hip bone? The same thing happens to me sometimes on Olympic Squats and Deadlifts. I have to warm-up a lot to avoid it.[/quote]

This is EXACTLY where the pain is. In my case, after a little warm up it disapears and i can lift the weight i want. But after, it becomes the way i mentioned.
[/quote]

Ya, it can be a pain in the ass. It happened to me on Monday during my squat warm-up. I was descending too fast I think. Anyway by the end of the workout it felt okay, was sore on Tuesday, but was gone by yesterday. I deadlifted last night and didn’t have any problems. FYI I did Defranco’s Agile 8 for the first time, which may or may not have helped, but could be worth a try. [/quote]

It is a werid pain, isn’t it ? As for this program, i’ll search it and see if it fits me, thank you very much.
[/quote]

Ya, I’m not sure I’d even call it pain. It’s like when a nat is annoyingly buzzing around your head. More so annoying than anything else.

18

Just for the record, my pain is gonne and i increased the wieght i used. it just tooke me a week of resting and a little deload .

19

Personally, whenever my back gets tight it’s due to my glutes and hips being tight. I find that between sets, if I roll my glutes on a lacrosse ball, it really helps to loosen up my back. I especially focus on the soft tissue area between the top of the femur and my hip.

If you’re doing it right, the pain will be excruciating, but eventually, you’ll feel the hamstring of whichever side you are rolling start to get really warm. What I’ve also found is if I roll my right hip, it relieves back pain on the left side, and vice versa. You might want to check out Defranco’s Agile 8. He has a demo of the myofascial release technique I’m describing included.

20

In addition to what kawhitmore said, look up glute amnesia. “waking up” my glutes with bird dogs & floor bridges, along with some anterior tilt rehab, did wonders for me. Ignoring it years ago & relying on a belt resulted in a bulging disc at L5-S1.