Deadlift - What Not to Do

The deadlift - quite simply one of the best exercises for getting stronger and slimmer. A multi-functional compound exercise which hits so many areas - lower back, hamstrings, quads, forearms and grip, shoulders and so on.

Yet the toll on your lower back means proceed with caution. 

1 Ensure you're fully warmed up - say 5+ mins on the rowing machine plus some air squats plus movement exercises to get the spine limbered up

2 Then practice air dead lifts - simulate the movement without the bar. Do this at speed to help the warm up process.

3 Ensure good form - posterior moves out but make sure you get the bowing position and not the sitting on the toilet mode used for a  a barbell squat! That way you're engaging the hamstrings more to assist and taking less strain on the lower back. Chest puffed out, head looking straight ahead at all times.

4 Critically , if you're new to this, keep the weight really low. Almost weedy levels- 1/2 your body weight or lower. Do 3 sets of say 5 reps at first. Week 2 go for 4 sets of that weight. Week 3 5 sets and then stay there.

5 Now here's the crucial bit (as for any weight training) - never add too much incremental weight. I believe you should add no more than 2.5kg each week i.e. 1.25kg weight plates on each end. You may think you can do more but don't. The deadlift has a nasty way of reminding you that you overdid 1 or 2 days later when the DOMS strike (delayed onset of muscle soreness). When it hits your lower back it makes your life really difficult for a while.

6 Warm down with stretches - the spinal bend is helpful as are quad and hamstring stretches.

So today I turn up at the gym having now got to 1 x bodyweight (the ultimate target is 2 x body weight). And after warming up ok, what do I do? I add reps to each set. So far so good. I then get carried away and add 10 kg to the bar on my last set and still try to do 8 reps. On the 7th rep I suddenly feel a sharp pain in my lower back. Complete amateur time and I'm disgusted with myself.

Now I'm in injury repair mode. I managed to stop without dropping the bar so my digity at the gym remained in tact. I even put the weights back without demonstrating my discomfort. Had a long stretch, sauna and applied anti-inflam gel and cold spray (no ice available). 

I hope this isn't going to be a long lay-off.

Now all I can do is reflect on how every weight training injury I've had is almost invariably because I have ignored my limitations and rushed my progress. So I repeat - 2.5kg max per week (if that) - don't start thinking it's too easy. Keep to that max and live to fight another day.

Happy training!