What’s the safest deadlift variation to avoid low back pain??
I am pretty sure that conventional is the worst…
Is romanian deadlift safer than sumo/conventional deadlift?
Low back pain in a conventional deadlift is more a technique issue than a movement issue in my experience. I find it tends to result from people having their feet too far apart. A narrow stance really helps out.
I made a video showing how I deadlift conventionally, with a pain free lower back.
My upper legs are too long compared to my arms to do a safe deadlift with a conventional bar (I have a chronic back problem).
A good alternative is deadlifting with a trap barbell or shrug barbell if you have access to it. I currently don’t unfortunately. Another alternative that works okay for me (though you cannot pack on as much weight) is the pullthrough. See the recent article on this exercise by Tony Gentilcore on this site.
I agree with T3 that it is not the exercise but the execution. Just never round the lower back and you are good to go.
I’ve experimented with many options over the years both for patients and myself, and my conclusion is that a kettlebell deadlift is the absolute safest in general. Because there isn’t any bar to travel past your knees and the KB can travel directly up and down, and your back can remain completely upright. If the shortened ROM becomes limiting you can stand on blocks or plates to increase it. Obviously the weight of KB’s is also a limiting factor but frankly if you have back pain i’d suggest you should simply be doing a DL for the movement quality rather than absolute strength building.
yes, of course the execution is the most important thing…
But the question is, in a long term vision, If I would choose which is the exercise with less risk?
Dumbbells present too much limits for me. I had back pain some months ago, but in this moment my low back seems healthy.
I thought that RDL’s, beacuse of the costant tension(and the less weight) can be safer than other variations, am I totally wrong?
I like Trap Bar deads for safety. I don’t think there is as much carry over to other lifts with the trap bar, but it’s a great movement non the less.
[quote]Jnatural wrote:
yes, of course the execution is the most important thing…
But the question is, in a long term vision, If I would choose which is the exercise with less risk?
Dumbbells present too much limits for me. I had back pain some months ago, but in this moment my low back seems healthy.
I thought that RDL’s, beacuse of the costant tension(and the less weight) can be safer than other variations, am I totally wrong?[/quote]
Why exactly is constant tension safer? Does that actually make sense to you? I’m genuinely curious how you came to that conclusion.
[quote]Jnatural wrote:
Dumbbells present too much limits for me.[/quote]
As was said, the trap bar would be the next best bet. Anything with a neutral grip, where the arms are at the side, encourages a more upright torso which minimizes low back stress. Sumo deads would be next on the list. Romanian deads would be pretty close to last.
But like Flip said, can you explain the “constant tension = safety” logic? Because that’s a head-scratcher. If it’s due to “less weight”, that’s not a fair comparison. You can load RDLs heavy, just like you can deadlift with lighter weights. So that’s really a non-factor.
If your back is healthy right now and you have a history of back issues, it’d be prudent to incorporate some dedicated low back and/or “core” work to address it. I like back hyperextensions for time, not reps. A few sets of 15-30 seconds holding the top position, gradually adding weight as needed. Static ab exercises (plank variations, Pallof press variations, etc.) are good too.
I have low back pain…so the safest variation for me is the “don’t do deadlifts” variation.
It depends what type of low back pain you’re referring to. If it’s extension based (hurts when you lean back), then you want to focus on keeping a neutral spine throughout the movement by bracing at the core, not just relying on contracting the erectors and staying in anterior pelvic tilt.
Conventional would be best for you if its extension based pain. If its flexion based pain you’re better off with trying an RDL or sumo dead and ensuring that you keep the anterior pelvic tilt throughout the movement until lockout to avoid rounding into flexion and exacerbating the issue
I had some lumbar disc problems could not squat or pull for a couple years. Reverse hyperextensions rehabbed my back with these and then pulled SUMO exclusivly triples up to 75% and then singles only always quit with a couple in the tank.
TRAP bars are good if you do not want to compete.
Can not say enough about reverse hypers for low back.
I thought that costant tension produces more muscular stress with less weight, so maybe the exercise can be safer… but It’s just my thoughts probably are bullshit 
However, I don’t have trap bar, the the romanian are not the safest alternative, so maybe the sumo is less risky for the low back, am I right?
Ps. I had low back pain after start doing conventional deadlfit(I done only sumo in the past). I noticed I am slightly in anterior pelvic tilt, I done the right things to fix it and now I am ok
Trap bar…much better on the back.
Trap bar. The more upright your torso, the less stress on lower back, as other posters have pointed out. But, be warned, the carryover isn’t good if you plan on pulling conventional at any point.
[quote]Jnatural wrote:
I thought that costant tension produces more muscular stress with less weight, so maybe the exercise can be safer… but It’s just my thoughts probably are bullshit
However, I don’t have trap bar, the the romanian are not the safest alternative, so maybe the sumo is less risky for the low back, am I right?
Ps. I had low back pain after start doing conventional deadlfit(I done only sumo in the past). I noticed I am slightly in anterior pelvic tilt, I done the right things to fix it and now I am ok[/quote]
Dead-Squat/Trap bar deadlifts are the safest, and combine a lot of the benefits of squat and deads in one movement.
The RDL isn’t safer. Most people lack the hamstring flex to have a sufficient range of motion without losing the tight lower back arch…most lose their arch as soon as the bar passes the knees.
As far as “traditional” deadlifts go, the sumo is a bit safer on the lower back provided that you do it properly (keeping an upright torso, not raising the butt faster than the torso).
DB deadlifts (similar to trap bad deadlifts) are also an option but the amount of weight available might become a limiting factor.
Your proportions have alot to do with which move is the safest.
I for example have short limbs and a long spine, which puts you in a weak start for conventional pulling so I’ll never be a world class deadlifter, but I still do it.
Try to rule out some of the would be problems: inoperative glutes, weak core, poor mobility, really almost anything weak can contribute to a poor lift, and when the deadlift is concerned, this equates to lower back problems.
After that just experiment with whats most comfortable for you, try different styles, grip types, pull from different heights, etc find which one works best for you for the big weights, but do all of them to some degree.
That being said I’d have to say that the trap bar deadlift tends to be the most forgiving. Just know anything that puts your torso more upright lessens the shearing force on your back be it a sumo pull, trap bar lift, or just pulling from an elevated height.
And be mindful of the eccentric portion of any deadlift, this tends to be the big aggressor when it comes to low back pain, dont lower it gingerly when the weight gets heavy, put it down fast with moderate control.
Your proportions have alot to do with which move is the safest.
I for example have short limbs and a long spine, which puts you in a weak start for conventional pulling so I’ll never be a world class deadlifter, but I still do it.
Try to rule out some of the would be problems: inoperative glutes, weak core, poor mobility, really almost anything weak can contribute to a poor lift, and when the deadlift is concerned, this equates to lower back problems.
After that just experiment with whats most comfortable for you, try different styles, grip types, pull from different heights, etc find which one works best for you for the big weights, but do all of them to some degree.
That being said I’d have to say that the trap bar deadlift tends to be the most forgiving. Just know anything that puts your torso more upright lessens the shearing force on your back be it a sumo pull, trap bar lift, or just pulling from an elevated height.
And be mindful of the eccentric portion of any deadlift, this tends to be the big aggressor when it comes to low back pain, dont lower it gingerly when the weight gets heavy, put it down fast with moderate control.
I don’t have a trap bar
[quote]Jnatural wrote:
I don’t have a trap bar[/quote]
well then just use your dead-squat bar.