deadlifts ?

hopefull

hopefull

Cathlete
I am having a hard time figuring out what weight to use for this exercise. When I do them, especially on Leaner Legs, I don't think I am using a heavy enough weight, but the next day my back is pretty sore. Probably more sore than it should be. It isn't a good sore. It is a strained sore. What should I look for while doing this exercise to gear whether or not the weight I am using is appropriate for me? I usually do what Cathe does, but lighten for a few things like shoulders. I don't have her strength in mine. I think there must be some secret to doing this exercise correctly that I am missing. It might not even be the weight. Thanks!

Hopefull
 
Deadlifts are very difficult to do with proper form. Some people, such as myself, never master them. I've worked with 3 different trainers & have never been able to do them without ending up feeling like you are describing.

Some people swear they are the best exercise for your glutes & hamstrings while others say they aren't necessary at all. I choose to skip them on ALL tapes thinking they won't do a darn thing for me.
 
It has taken me years to get these right. I used to get so sore that I had a hard time standing up after bending or sitting. I think it is how far you lean back and keeping your back flat all the way through the exercise. Also I try and not use workouts where I end up doing these more than two times a week. This is because when I do premixes Cathe uses them in upper and lower workouts. If I do I lower the weight when I do upper work. I think a lot of it is in form though. I also have an easier time with a slower workout than an endurance workout even though I am going heavier on slower.
Diane Sue
 
Form is critical when doing deadlifts. Make sure your weight is in your heels and don't let your shoulders round. Is it possible that you are rounding your shoulders on the downward movement, or lowering the bar farther than you are ready to. At the beginning of the upward movement, you should feel a contraction in your hams and glutes-and you will if your weight is in your heels.

If you never master deadlifts its not really a big deal. There are other exercises that work the hams. Maybe you can try doing bridges on the mini step or hamstring curls with ankle weights. You don't want to risk an injury.

Hope this helps a little.

Diana
 
I know I may sound like a wimp here, but I REFUSE to do deadlifts anymore. Every time I do them for a period of time with my workouts, I always end up injuring myself. If the exercise is in a leg workout, I'll do hamstring presses on the stability ball or high step, if this exercise is in with a back workout, I'll do superman's on the stability ball. Both work well for me and I get really good results.
Debbie in OH
 
I really have to focus when doing deadlifts. So manythings to think about shoulders up and back wt in the heel and keep the bar close to the body. I seem to like to let the bar drift away from the body some and that's when I feel it in my lower back the most. I practiced using less wt to get my form down and that seemed to help.

catherine
 
I have to think while doing these as well but I love them. Her is what I do:

-Weight in the heels, stand tall, shoulders back, feet hip width. Tip at the hips. Think of your back as a ramp, not a rounded hill. Or better yet, think of you back as one of those bridges that opens up for boats. It never curves or rounds. Once at the bottom of the move, your back should be flat, like a flat road or table top, never rounded. When holding your bar, keep shoulders back and as you lower and lift, keep the bar very close to the legs, just skimming them and I go down to mid shin before I lift. I alternate between straight leg and a SLIGHT bend in the knee depending on where I want to target.

I love how Cathe always does these nice and slow so that I can work on my form every rep. Try doing it with light weight until the form feels good and your back isn't sore later. Once you have acheived success, then add weight.
 
I agree, I love deadlifts too and will go up to 50 pounds on them depending on the speed and workout. There's a controlled elegance to this exercise that appeals to me.

And yes, this is one exercise where you always hav to keeep the brain engaged and be thinking "form, form, form" the whole way through.

All I would addd to the above fabulous descriptions of this exercise is that you should feel the tightness in the hams at the lower end of the movement and squeeze your butt cheeks and use the backs of your legs to get you back upright again. Never the back, unless doing the quarter deadlifts with light weight as Cathe does in CTX upper body split.

But as everyone else has said: if it doesn't work for you, don't sweat it. Do the hamstring work from the floor work on PS legs and PLB and those exercises are tough, tough, tough!

Clare
 
I think the rounding shoulder might be my problem. I never feel any discomfort when I do these. It is always the next day. I am often tempted to go heavier while I am working out because I feel like I can handle it. I've learned the hard way to resist the temptation. I'm going to really focus on form, and keep weight on the light side till I feel like I am being more successful with this exercise. Thanks for the great tips!

Hopefull
 
Everyone here has given GREAT form pointers. While deadlifts do work the low-back somewhat, you should be feeling them in the hamstrings mostly. If not, then there is a break in the form.

Shoulders back is very important. When in the upright position (before starting the deadlift), your chest should be lifted, shoulder blades slightly contracted and away from your ears (ie, no shrugging), abs in tight, glutes slightly contracted, knees soft (ie, no locking out). I typically see people perform deadlifts incorrectly due to shoulders drooping or bending from the waist rather than the hip. Some people just don't understand the difference. I also think that hinging at the hip feels strange to some people, so they avoid it. The truth is that it does feel a little strange the first few times. Why? Because it is as if you are sticking your butt in the air.

If you're not sure about bending at the hip -- stand up and place an unloaded bar across your hip-flexor area. Now hinge at the place where the bar is hitting you instead of at the waist. The curvature of your back doesn't change -- the back should remain straight. Nothing in your upper body changes. You are simply hinging at the hip and that should be the only movement. Weight is in your heels, abs contracted the whole time, it does kind-of feel like your sticking your butt in the air (at least it does to me). I'd say to get the form before adding any weight at all since deadlifts are risky if done with poor form.

Shonie
 
I like to think of those "beak-dunking bird" toys when giving directions for doing deadlifts. You know those toys that bob forward to dip their beaks in a glass of water, then bob back up again? The part of the toy that corresponds to the head-to-hip area on a person keeps the same alignment throughout the movement, and the only place there is bending is the hips.

Another image that helps with form is to imagine that there is a string coming from the ceiling that is attached to your upper chest. When you come back up from the downward position, imagine that that string is helping pull you up (keeps your chest up).

Also, do a nice reverse shoulder roll (forward, up, back and down) before starting the move. Imagine that the "forward" position is 9 o'clock (from the point of view of someone looking at you from the left side0, the top is 12 o'clock, the rear position is 3, and the bottom position is 6. Do another circle, and this time, fix your shoulders in the 4 o'clock position (more or less): back and down.
 
Everyone gave me such great pointers. Last week I did MIS, and my back was sore for about 5 days. The pain was so bad whenever I got up out of the bed or from a chair. I did basically just cardio & circuit training and plan to do Muscle Endurance on Saturday. I will definitely use less weight and concentrate on my form. Thanks everyone for your input.
 
If they should be felt more in the hamstrings, why are deadlifts in the back workout of Slow & Heavy and not in the leg workout? I ask because I always thought it was a hamstrings/glutes exercise and I was surprised to see them in the S&H under back. I know it also works the lower back, but wonder if there is any trick or difference for working more the lower back or the glutes, other than the way you lift, which is either using the back or using the glutes and hams.
 
My understanding (and I could be wrong) is that for more back involvement you go less deep with your bend. This puts less emphasis on the glutes and hamms and more on back. I think Cathe calls them quarter deadlifts in L&Gs (or is it leaner legs?).

Catherine
 
Am I the only one who feels deadlifts in all the right places? :) It's not that I love deadlifts, but I still remember the first time I did them...the next day my hammies were nice and sore (a good sore - like I'd worked the muscles). I've noticed that my lower back also gets a nice soreness to it, but again, it's a good sore, and it's not debilitating at all.

I will admit that I keep the weight pretty light when doing deadlifts. For example, I did PLB today and did 14, 20, and 24 pounds up and down the pyramid, using dumbbells. I stay VERY focused on my shoulders and bend over only to a "tabletop" back (the weights usually end up about a third of the way down my shins). I have a weak lower back due to two chipped vertebrae, so I have to be extra careful...but I also need to work my core extra hard to strengthen the muscles around my spinal cord.
 
I definately feel dead lifts in the "right places". Did PLB today and my hams are fried- can't wait to get out of bed in the morn x( LOL

Catherine
 
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