No, I'm not lifting with my back when executing a deadlift.

Did deadlifts yesterday, and my back is not agreeing with them. No problems while doing them.


With feet flat beneath bar, squat down and grasp bar with a shoulder width or slightly wider over hand or mixed grip.

Got it.

Watched plenty of videos/animations.

What is it that I'm doing wrong? Or perhaps it's because this is my second time doing them in a long, long time? Although, I'm not sore, but have lower back ache/pain.

Does it feel like muscle strain, or like nerve/spinal pain?

And you do lift some with your back. Legs and then low back/glutes as you push your hips forward to complete the rep. You just want to have a flat to slightly arched low back with scapula pretty well retracted (chest out).

Does it feel like muscle strain, or like nerve/spinal pain?
Hard to say. I've had a history of having lower back problems. Nothing medical, never felt that it was that serious.

Certain things set it off, such as last Monday; I was doing barbell straight-leg deadlifts. That ended up keeping me out of the gym for the wrest of the week. Took the week off to recover from that and had no problems this week.

To sum it up: It's not directly on my spine, but rather the whole width of my lower back.


And you do lift some with your back.

Naturally, yes, but I'm not using my back to bear/"hinge" the full weight in the lift.

Legs and then low back/glutes as you push your hips forward to complete the rep. You just want to have a flat to slightly arched low back with scapula pretty well retracted (chest out).

Sounds about right as to what I'm doing.

Sounds like the sam thing I have. I think it's just having a weak core and those muscles not being built up. I get sore in my lower back on each side of the spine, middle of my back, traps, hamstrings, glutes, quads, forearms ect. ect. from deadlifts :lol:

The thing that sucks now though is the weight is going up a lot and our gym has these stupid 12 sided plates so when I set the weight down the bar and plates roll off center so i have to re adjust everytime time I do a rep it's quite annoying. I think I might try Straight Legged Deadlifts and just have to go lighter and not set the weight down.

Video and we can tell you if it's a form issue. If it isn't an issue with form, you'll probably need to see a (sports) doctor to diagnose the cause.

Might try doing some "Supermans" Do 2 arms/2 legs at same time and the 1 arm/opposite leg at same time. This is to help strengthen up that lower back (and most of your back in general). Do 2-3 sets of high reps (30 or so) with nothing more then the weight of your limbs right now. Working those into your routine may help solve your problem after a few weeks.

Might try doing some "Supermans" Do 2 arms/2 legs at same time and the 1 arm/opposite leg at same time. This is to help strengthen up that lower back (and most of your back in general). Do 2-3 sets of high reps (30 or so) with nothing more then the weight of your limbs right now. Working those into your routine may help solve your problem after a few weeks.



this worked for me!!!

i have a deteriorated disk in my lower back, and for a year i was going to the chiro. I never could do anything in the gym that would stress my lower back
i started to strengthen it by doing supermans.. a few times a week. i rarely have back pain now. i've been good for over a year. supermans 3 times a week, and some stretching has made a world of difference for me.

I've been going to the gym since I was 12 y/o, but I was all about bench press and biceps.. I only started seriously training the squats and deadlifts about 2 years ago after taking the advice of the people on this forum.

At first, even with perfect form, I would be sore for a very long time after performing the deadlifts, was almost immobile the next few days.. It would get easier each time, I just don't think the back is accustomed to performing an eccentric contraction with a high load and a long time under tension... Also, there is a tendency among newbies to cheat the last couple reps when it gets hard...

I've been going to the gym since I was 12 y/o, but I was all about bench press and biceps.. I only started seriously training the squats and deadlifts about 2 years ago after taking the advice of the people on this forum.

At first, even with perfect form, I would be sore for a very long time after performing the deadlifts, was almost immobile the next few days.. It would get easier each time, I just don't think the back is accustomed to performing an eccentric contraction with a high load and a long time under tension... Also, there is a tendency among newbies to cheat the last couple reps when it gets hard...

IMO the eccentric shouldn't be stressed for the deadlift. Since i started to nearly drop the weight after each lockout my comfort and form has improved greatly. I always found the most stress on the lower back when i lower the load.

I also pause at the bottom now has opposed to bouncing, another bad idea IMO, bouncing.