So yeah it was like my third time doing deadlifts on Wed, and I have of course started off really light to get form down (3 sets of 15x50lbs, 12x60lbs, 10x80lbx). On my second set however, I felt a slight twinge in back but did not think much of it and continuied. Now the day after and today the right side of my middle back I guess is stiff and feels stringy when i turn my body left or right. I took a hot shower last nite and it seems to feel better today but still not 100%, any suggestions on what to do. And also I do keep my back staright on the lift, and I think I am doing Roman Dead Lifts just like the second video on this link

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?Real_New=%3C%3D+7&Name=&MainMuscle=Hamstrings&Equip=Barbell&Isolation=&order=Name

Another quesitoin I currently have no ACL, would this type of lift put the less stress on my knees, because so far its ok, but hopefully will be ok when I do heavier lifts. One more thing any tips on keeping good form because I thoguth I already had good form but I guess not from getting injuried here. On a side not I do deadlifts first, was it possible I wasn't warmed up enough, because I did not do a warm up set, but did ride the bike for 3 min as an overall warmup, thanks.

anyone got any suggestions or thoughts?

Warm-up thoroughly! 3 minutes on the bike is not enough, make that 10 vigorous minutes and then do a couple warm-up sets on the deads. Don't do more than 5 reps in a set to start and always concentrate on perfect form. (Once you have a better feel for all the different deadlift variations and have worked up to a good amount of weight then consider using reps higher than 5 as you will then, hopefully, have the capacity to properly judge fatigue and stress to the lower back.) I'd suggest learning BB.com's stiff-legged deadlift before their Romanian. Romanians when pulled from the floor, instead of lowered, are probably the most complex form of deadlift there is.

Let your back rest and don't lift for a few days so that you heal.

Why don't you have an ACL? Are you pre or post surgery? In either case, I'd take it very easy on all lifting that is done standing.

Have you ever "thrown out" your back in the past?

Most back pain is self-limited and resolves spontaneously by one month, at most, in the majority of cases. If you need analgesia try acetaminophen like Tylenol first. There's no evidence that muscle relaxants or anti-inflammatories like NSAIDs do better for back pain and they have significant side effects. In 70% of cases, a diagnosis can't be made as to the cause of back pain. The worst thing you can do is avoid activity because of your bad back - depending on your pattern of pain, do stretching exercises on a regular basis and keep as active as possible as tolerated.

I have a bad back and I never go to failure or even close to the level of fatigue I go to with other exercises doing exercises involving the lower back. Progress is slow but steady nevertheless and I've avoided re-injury of the back.

I like the last post about not going nuts with the back. Back problems are one of the more common health problems people have. Done with impeccable form, heavy deadlifts are fine but narrowing down that form to make it impeccable is difficult. I've given up on them, having tried so many times. I currently, for my lower back, do hyperextentions (fairly high reps, never more than holding a 25 lb plate) and then also good mornings but doing the good mornings with pretty high reps, too. I feel both have contributed to alleviating lower back pain. It's too easy to slack off on form when going heavy on deadlifts (or even squats) and that is the kind of thing that will nail a back.

Funny, the picture and the video on bb.com seem to show them lifting differently. The difference in position is rather subtle in the pictures between a regular deadlight, but the feeling as you are doing them are very different. Any recommendations to keep in mind for the Romanian DL's?

I was on the crossfit website and love the videos of the individual exercises. Not the set-to-music routines on the side, although those are interesting as well. Anyway, I just started doing cleans and wondered if by going light enough to perform this exercise and combining the explosive deadlift with a front squat, could this be a better or safer exercise than traning both separately and heavier?

hey guys good posts, with teh ACL, tore it back in '03 basically a failed surgery put me back with no ACL that is where I am right now. In terms of stiff legged deads on bb.com, I heard those put more stress on the knee, is this true?? I too also think I have just "thrown" out my back, but my work requires me to lift heavy stuff every now and then and that is not helping it. Also I was thinking of doing lat pull downs b4 doing deadlifts, with lat pulls being my first excercise on my back/bis day. Would that also help me warm up a bit. When you say 10 vigorous mintues, is that going hard or what, because I do not want to be tired for my lifts. Also does heat help back, because I feel it has but in the past for orthapedic injuires I have always used ice.

You should use ice to reduce any swelling for the first few days after an injury. Then you should use heat in order to increase blood flow, etc. to the area.

Both stiff-legged and Romanians are going to put stress on your knees. They're very similiar movements. The Romanians have you push your butt backwards as you descend, while the stiff-legged deadlift keeps it stationary. As a result, the weight stays very close to your leg in a Romanian, but moves in "free space" with the stiff-legged deadlift. The Romanian is also sometimes pulled from the floor in true "dead" manner.

10 vigorous minutes, meaning that you need to break a sweat and have your entire body feeling as if it is slightly "glowing." You shouldn't be breathing extremely hard but your heart-rate should definitely be elevated.

Lat pull-downs will help but they don't involve any of the primary movers used in a deadlift.

Even though they are called Stiff Leg Deadlifts, I always do mine with my knees just slightly bent (just short of being locked). This seems to take most of the stress off my knees.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/videos/2005/romaniandeadlift.mpg

Just a question to all who perform the RDL variety of deadlift.

Is the above video clip the exact same method you use to perform the lift? Im just curious because I don't bend my knees as such -- They are bent and locked but I do not squat down. My legs are fixed and my hamstring is stretched at the bottom of the movement. I perform them much the same way as SLDL should be performed except the hips move backwards and the bar is lowered vertically along the thighs and shins.

Sorry for the ramble.

That's a conventional deadlift. Not a RDL at all. You're doing it correctly it sounds like.

So, what excercises do you guys do before your deadlifts to warm up to say. Or do you do them first like I do becaues they take the most out of you?

I jump on the treadmill for 10 minutes and then work up to my working set's weight. Possibly I might do some light power cleans or good mornings as well.

That's a conventional deadlift. Not a RDL at all. You're doing it correctly it sounds like.

Thanks for the confirmation.

I was 99.9% sure that what I was doing was correct :tu:

I jump on the treadmill for 10 minutes and then work up to my working set's weight. Possibly I might do some light power cleans or good mornings as well.

I follow a similar system - 5 minutes light jogging either on a treadmill or on the street and then warm-up sets prior to my work sets.

Warm up sets are vital IMO. Prepare the joints, ligaments and tendons for the upcoming stress -- This is particularly important as you get older.

I use the eliptical for 12-15 minutes(LISS) and then work each body part before I do DLs' & squats. I do light to medium wieght hamstring curls, leg curls and presses, shoulder press downs, back rows, low row etc... Sort of a TBW with lighter weights, maybe 12 -15 reps each. I like to be really warmed up and will spend 1/2 hour doing so. I do not do warm up sets of Dls or squats because I warm up thouroughly beforehand.

I follow a similar system - 5 minutes light jogging either on a treadmill or on the street and then warm-up sets prior to my work sets.

Warm up sets are vital IMO. Prepare the joints, ligaments and tendons for the upcoming stress -- This is particularly important as you get older.



can you give me an example of a warm up set. Like I stated before I use pretty low weight to work with and already feel funny usting that low of weight and would feel even mroe hesitant to use ligher weight to warm up with.