Stiff as a board
December 19, 2011 9:58 AM Subscribe
The last time I deadlifted (last Wednesday), I felt great - felt like I really nailed the form for the first time in awhile. Then, two days later, I had a sudden outbreak of stiffness and aching right at the base of my spine. What gives?
Like an idiot, I squatted (with not-great form) on Saturday, and that didn't help with the pain. I spent most of the weekend stiff and kind of hobbled, although I wasn't laid up by any means. Stretching helps a ton, which makes me think it's just normal muscle soreness (the pain and stiffness almost disappears after holding a squat for a few minutes or doing a "cobra stretch"). But I'm trying to dedicate myself anew to lifting, and I don't want to injure myself early on and lose motivation.
Anyway, today is my deadlift day, do you think I should go for it?
Like an idiot, I squatted (with not-great form) on Saturday, and that didn't help with the pain. I spent most of the weekend stiff and kind of hobbled, although I wasn't laid up by any means. Stretching helps a ton, which makes me think it's just normal muscle soreness (the pain and stiffness almost disappears after holding a squat for a few minutes or doing a "cobra stretch"). But I'm trying to dedicate myself anew to lifting, and I don't want to injure myself early on and lose motivation.
Anyway, today is my deadlift day, do you think I should go for it?
Like Rodrigo Lamaitre, I ended up with disk problems by not taking enough precaution. Its been over a year and although I still work out regularly, I can no longer do deadlifts without pain (so I no longer do deadlifts).
I'd sit this one out if I were you.
posted by Dr. ShadowMask at 10:29 AM on December 19, 2011
I'd sit this one out if I were you.
posted by Dr. ShadowMask at 10:29 AM on December 19, 2011
Response by poster: How long have you consistently been deadlifting?
Well, I have had a pretty hard time sticking with any weight training program, but I have been deadlifting on and off for five years or so. I started back to serious lifting about a month ago. Not an unusual amount of weight or a 1RM (175lbs, 3x8, if it matters).
My low back was probably doing more work during those sets than before, to be honest. I fixed the problem a lot of people seem to have - of starting the lift in almost a full squat - and started paying more attention to engaging my hips as the bar crossed my knees. Just basically getting more power from the low back/hips, and less from the quads.
Thanks all, this is pretty great advice so far.
posted by downing street memo at 10:32 AM on December 19, 2011
Well, I have had a pretty hard time sticking with any weight training program, but I have been deadlifting on and off for five years or so. I started back to serious lifting about a month ago. Not an unusual amount of weight or a 1RM (175lbs, 3x8, if it matters).
My low back was probably doing more work during those sets than before, to be honest. I fixed the problem a lot of people seem to have - of starting the lift in almost a full squat - and started paying more attention to engaging my hips as the bar crossed my knees. Just basically getting more power from the low back/hips, and less from the quads.
Thanks all, this is pretty great advice so far.
posted by downing street memo at 10:32 AM on December 19, 2011
Remember DOMS in the lower back musculature can be a strange thing due to how we reflexively protect our spinal stability. I find sometimes, particularly after a layoff, the soreness can take a day or two to manifest and can feel a lot like a minor injury, which leads to "guarding" of those muscles for a few days, during which the decrease in use compounds the soreness and makes it last longer.
Of course, you may indeed have an injury, but it'll be very hard to identify until the DOMS issue is eliminated. You should probably avoid any heavy posterior chain work for a few days just to be sure. Training through pain of any kind inevitably reinforces improper motor patterns and only increases your chance of serious injury.
Also, have you ever had input on your lifting form? Self-assessment only goes so far. Get a competent trainer to watch your lifts or video your work sets and post it to a reputable lifting forum (starting strength, sherdog S+C, etc.) for feedback.
posted by Kandarp Von Bontee at 10:40 AM on December 19, 2011
Of course, you may indeed have an injury, but it'll be very hard to identify until the DOMS issue is eliminated. You should probably avoid any heavy posterior chain work for a few days just to be sure. Training through pain of any kind inevitably reinforces improper motor patterns and only increases your chance of serious injury.
Also, have you ever had input on your lifting form? Self-assessment only goes so far. Get a competent trainer to watch your lifts or video your work sets and post it to a reputable lifting forum (starting strength, sherdog S+C, etc.) for feedback.
posted by Kandarp Von Bontee at 10:40 AM on December 19, 2011
If I''m really sore from a previous workout, or something else for that matter, I'd give it a rest. If pain persists, as they say, for another week I'd probably talk to a doctor or a sports physio.
posted by rodgerd at 10:40 AM on December 19, 2011
posted by rodgerd at 10:40 AM on December 19, 2011
Response by poster: @Kandarp Von Bontee - I need to do the video thing, competent trainers and gyms are hard to find around here. Thanks for that idea.
posted by downing street memo at 10:45 AM on December 19, 2011
posted by downing street memo at 10:45 AM on December 19, 2011
Do your deadlifts today. While you're doing your warm-ups\ramping up to your working sets (you do that right?) gauge how you feel. If you're in real pain then skip them.
posted by zephyr_words at 10:45 AM on December 19, 2011
posted by zephyr_words at 10:45 AM on December 19, 2011
24 reps of deadlifts is way, way, way too much, especially if you're just a month back. How about 1 set of 5? You are gonna keep getting hurt if you overwork your back like that.
posted by facetious at 10:50 AM on December 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by facetious at 10:50 AM on December 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
Agree with Kandarp. Whether you strained something or are just feeling some DOMS, if an exercise makes you sore, you should wait until you are not sore before doing that exercise again.
posted by rabbitfufu at 10:57 AM on December 19, 2011
posted by rabbitfufu at 10:57 AM on December 19, 2011
I agree that 3x8 @ 175 is unusually high volume for someone who just got back into lifting a month ago. What's your program?
posted by a_girl_irl at 11:08 AM on December 19, 2011
posted by a_girl_irl at 11:08 AM on December 19, 2011
Response by poster: Program is Starting Strength-ish: alternate days (M-W-F) of squats/bench/pull ups and deads/overhead press/barbell row. I'm doing 3x8 because I hate doing 5x5 - I feel as though I'm in the gym forever with five sets.
I didn't have a problem moving the weight last time, but totally open to the idea that I should cut back on the load.
posted by downing street memo at 11:14 AM on December 19, 2011
I didn't have a problem moving the weight last time, but totally open to the idea that I should cut back on the load.
posted by downing street memo at 11:14 AM on December 19, 2011
An additional suggestion is to check your form, or better yet, get it checked, carefully. If you've got more pain on one side than the other it could be sign you're twisting as you come up, which can only lead to Bad Things.
posted by rodgerd at 11:19 AM on December 19, 2011
posted by rodgerd at 11:19 AM on December 19, 2011
It does sound like DOMS but it's also a good idea to take it easy just to be sure. You don't want to fuck around with your lower back.
One problem I've had re-starting deadlifting in the past is if my abs are not all there, the imbalance causes some tweakage. If you're not doing some ab work in some form I'd recommend it at least for the first month or so to make sure you're not building up your back too fast for your abs to compensate.
posted by restless_nomad at 11:24 AM on December 19, 2011
One problem I've had re-starting deadlifting in the past is if my abs are not all there, the imbalance causes some tweakage. If you're not doing some ab work in some form I'd recommend it at least for the first month or so to make sure you're not building up your back too fast for your abs to compensate.
posted by restless_nomad at 11:24 AM on December 19, 2011
Program is Starting Strength-ish: alternate days (M-W-F) of squats/bench/pull ups and deads/overhead press/barbell row. I'm doing 3x8 because I hate doing 5x5 - I feel as though I'm in the gym forever with five sets.
Starting Strength isn't 5x5, it's 3x5. And there's just one set of deads (1x5). I'd agree with the others that doing lots of deadlifts isn't a great idea -- the problem isn't being able to "move the weight" per se, it's fatigue which tends to lead to poor form on the later sets (especially if you're also trying to make progress in the squat). I think it's better to go with heavier weights for fewer reps with deadlifts.
I agree that you should take a week off from DLs. Start from a deload next week and see how you feel. IMHO it's best to be conservative in the gym, because even minor injuries will kill your progress much more than lifting light for a while.
posted by vorfeed at 11:30 AM on December 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Starting Strength isn't 5x5, it's 3x5. And there's just one set of deads (1x5). I'd agree with the others that doing lots of deadlifts isn't a great idea -- the problem isn't being able to "move the weight" per se, it's fatigue which tends to lead to poor form on the later sets (especially if you're also trying to make progress in the squat). I think it's better to go with heavier weights for fewer reps with deadlifts.
I agree that you should take a week off from DLs. Start from a deload next week and see how you feel. IMHO it's best to be conservative in the gym, because even minor injuries will kill your progress much more than lifting light for a while.
posted by vorfeed at 11:30 AM on December 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Not to pile on, but I do Wendler 531, which varies its rep range week to week, but the highest volume is 3x5 + extra reps on the last set, and that week is the lowest range of weight.
posted by restless_nomad at 11:39 AM on December 19, 2011
posted by restless_nomad at 11:39 AM on December 19, 2011
Response by poster: Seems like the consensus is I should rest, then cut down pretty significantly. That makes a lot of sense - thanks! Not sure where I got the notion to do 3x8 deads.
posted by downing street memo at 11:42 AM on December 19, 2011
posted by downing street memo at 11:42 AM on December 19, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
If it were me, and this was unusual, and didn't feel "right," I would take a full week off my DLs, see how my back felt, and do a major deload, all the way back down to 60kg/135lbs. If it still didn't feel right, see a doctor. Better to lose two months of training than two or more years.
posted by a_girl_irl at 10:16 AM on December 19, 2011