Can't do deadlifts anymore

nancy324

nancy324

Cathlete
Unfortunately, my lower back will just now allow me to do deadlifts anymore. I am finding that my lower back is so much better when I'm doing hamstring raises on the box or on the ball. The raises loosen up my hamstrings and make my lower back feel better. But deadlifts are out of the question for me now.

I'm on a Power Hour rotation, but I guess I'm going to have to substitute hamstring raises for deadlifts.
Anyone else find this? Just curious.

-Nancy
 
Oh yea, this is definitely a no-no exercise for me. I really injured myself doing a 90 lbs. deadlift back in the late 80's and the pain still lingers with me. Its horrible. I avoid this exercise, I find my hamstrings get worked well doing lunges and the presses on the high step. I'd rather be safe than sorry.
 
Lunges and presses for hamstrings, Debbie? I think of those as primarily glute exercises. Thanks for letting me know about your injury. Now I'm even more determined to stay away from deadlifts.

Have you ever tried hamstring raises? They target the hamstrings like nothing else, IMO, and help to loosen up the lower back.
 
Yes, Nancy, I'm in the process of realizing I can't do them either- deadlifts OR dead raises. It's a process since I'm bummed and am resisting. I might be able to get back to them, but I kind of doubt it. My low back just kills me if I do them, even if I'm doing them with proper form and 20 pounds. x(

I was doing lunges on a wedge yesterday from L&G and thought I might substitute those. I hate doing all the "lift your leg like you were a dog at a fire hydrant" exercises, so I guess I'll keep experimenting.

Not sure what to do for the lats, though.
 
Be very very careful with deadlifts... I was doing them in 2000 when I herniated a disk in my back and ended up having surgery because the pain was 24/7, non-stop for 10 months. I started doing them with Cathe workouts again, but do them exactly like she says, good form etc. I am sure I injured myself because I didn't know how to to them correctly. If I even get a little pain, I will quit.
 
I'm glad to read this because I'm NOT alone! I have a difficult time with dead lifts too and have always felt like maybe my workouts suffer because I often skip them. I definately prefer hamstrint raises and think I'll just give up on dead lifts for good....
 
Hi Nancy, I meant the leg presses on the high step where you are lying on your back with one heel on the step using 3 rises and then you raise your butt up. I love those for my hamstrings, they really isolate them. I agree, leg presses target more of the quads, although lunges seem to work my hamstrings quite well.
 
Hi Amy G -

I saw your 5K pictures and thought the campus looked familiar. Do you go to Stanford?

- Diane
 
You weren't doing those deadlifts off the platform, were you? I think they should be avoided by most people. Cedie even has a rounded back on the first rep or so of them.

I think actual deadlifts (where you lift the bar off the ground from somewhat of a squat position) can actually be safer than the Romanian deadlifts (or quarter deadlifts) that are in Cathe's workouts. It's way too easy to round the back, or to go past the position where the upper body is locked into slight lordosis and strain the back and perhaps damage the vertebrae.
 
No I don't, but that's where the run was!! I live in Redwood City, and go to law school at Santa Clara, and work in Palo Alto. Went to Paly 10 years ago!
 
I think I meant the dead row things... where you are working your lats, but bending over? Sometimes she does them in between deadlifts. I can't remember what they're called, obviously!:eek:
 
>I think I meant the dead row things... where you are working
>your lats, but bending over? Sometimes she does them in
>between deadlifts. I can't remember what they're called,
>obviously!:eek:

Ah, dead rows. I was thinking of some technique for raising zombies!;-)
 
LOL!! I couldn't figure out why you didn't know what a "dead raise" was... but it was all me!!

Aren't they all raises of some sort?? I guess that's what my mind is thinking... :p
 
It has taken me a long time, but I am back to doing them. I have to lower the weight and really concentrate on form. Also I will try and keep them to once a week in a heavier rotation. I really did think I could not do them anymore. I would sit down for awhile and could barely get out of a chair. Also combining them with supermans and anything that works the low back on consecutive days is really a no no for me. I used to do abs with the superman moves or upper lower splits that did deadlifts and it lead to overtraining. Recoup and try again it may be that you can still incorporate them into your workouts. Did I say form?? Doing them in an endurance workout at a faster pace was always a problem for me because I think I lost my form.
Diane Sue
http://wd.1ww.us
 
I'll just add I always do deadlifts with my knees slighty bent, as that seems to take the pressure off my lower back. I have not had nay trouble at all...:)...Carole
 
I can't do any of the above either. Two years ago, I had a hip flexor/groin injury. No matter how much I concentrate on form or use light weights, my upper quad/hip flexor hurts a day or so later whenever I'm lifting in a bent-over manner. I do substitutes too.
 
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