How to Deadlift WITHOUT a Tight Back
What is the Deadlift good for?
The Deadlift exercise is a foundational movement in the sport of Powerlifting and a controversial topic in many commercial gyms and the medical community. Conventional wisdom and many doctors will tell you that Deadlifting is “bad” for your back. This type of thinking falls into the same category as “running is bad for your knees,” and “lift with your legs, not with your back.” So, what is the Deadlift good for? The Deadlift is a hip-hinge movement that primarily uses the low back, gluteal, and hamstring muscles to lift a weight off the ground. When done PROPERLY, the Deadlift is the BEST way to build strength in these muscles of the posterior chain. While there are other ways to use those muscles, the hip-hinge movement and squat movements are the FOUNDATIONS of human movement. If you are an independent human being, you will at some point need to pick something up off the ground, and a Deadlift is an excellent way to build up the body’s ability to lift something heavy off the ground.
Connected to the foundations of human movement, one of the best indicators of age is Sarcopenia or loss of muscle. The inability to perform a Deadlift properly directly applies to this loss of strength- if you do not use this skill correctly, you will lose this skill. This is why hip-hinge movements are the BEST WAY TO STRENGTH TRAIN for runners. To continue to be active as an older adult, a Deadlift movement pattern is an excellent way to build or maintain your strength.
Photo Credit: saptstrength
How can Deadlifts go wrong?
Fear of back tightness or pain is a common barrier to doing Deadlifts. As I said earlier, WHEN DONE CORRECTLY, the Deadlift is the best way to build up a strong and bulletproof back. Later on, I will go over how to do a Deadlift correctly so your back does not tighten, but first, we need to address why so many people experience back issues with the Deadlift. As seen in the picture above, a barbell Deadlift puts a large amount of compression and shear force on the low back. This is why it is ESSENTIAL to set up properly for the lift. If the weight is forward 1 inch, it will put VERY large forces through the low back due to the shear force. Depending on your medical history, mobility, strength, or technique, a straight barbell Deadlift may not be the best option if you experience back pain. The HIP-HINGE pattern provides the biggest benefit to building up the strength and capacity of the low back, and there are many ways to modify this movement, such as the Staggard Stance RDL. Now, let’s look at how to properly set up a Deadlift to avoid back pain and tightness.
Photo Credit: ICE Physio
Proper Deadlift Setup
The proper barbell Deadlift setup can be difficult for many to achieve without coaching or a mirror for your own visual feedback. In the picture above, you can see the individual’s shoulders are ABOVE their hips, and their hips are ABOVE their knees. To achieve this position, let’s break down the Top 3 points of performance for a Deadlift setup.
1. Braced Neutral Spine
Unless you are a competitive Powerlifter with the goal of maximizing the weight of a Deadlift, the MOST important thing to remember during a hip-hinge movement like the Deadlift is maintaining a Braced Neutral Spine. Competitive Powerlifters will Deadlift with a rounded spine for competitive advantage, but for non-competitive lifters, a straight neutral spine will minimize the shear force on the low back that can cause pain and muscle tightness.
If you cannot maintain a braced neutral spine with a Deadlift, consider modifying to a RDL or Rack Pull.
2. Shins Close to the Bar
When the bar creeps forward and away from your shins, this puts MUCH more demand on the low back and makes it more difficult to fully engage the hamstring and gluteal muscles. For those of you who do high repetitions of Deadlifts, such as those included in CrossFit workouts, this cue will drastically improve the tightness felt in the low back by the shear forces.
3. Bar In Line with the Top of Scapula (Shoulder Blade)
Keeping the bar in line with the shoulder blade will require you to take a video or use a mirror in the Deadlift setup position to determine where the bar should start. Common mistakes are when the shins are not close to the bar, and your head and shoulder blade go forward over the bar. These mistakes do not allow the bar path to go straight up, sending increased forces through the back. You may need to sit back at the bottom to achieve this position, which will put tension on your hamstrings and gluteal muscles and require less demand from the low back muscles.
Key Takeaways:
The Hip-Hinge is a FOUNDATIONAL human movement that every person should be able to perform
Many clients I work with are quadriceps and squat dominant and need help getting set up and performing a hip-hinge with a braced neutral spine.
When done properly, the Deadlift is the BEST way to build up strength capacity in the low back, keeping it pain-free.
When setting up to Deadlift, Shoulders Above Hips and Hips Above Knees
Maintain a Braced Neutral Spine
Keep Shins Close to the Bar
Bar should be in line with the top of the Shoulder Blade
If you are reading this and are frustrated and stuck in the endless loop of Back Pain, Inactivity, and Back Weakness causing even more Back Pain, we need to talk. You have likely been told that lifting weights like deadlifting is “bad” for your back and if you give it some rest it will be fine. Fortunately, there is a better way.
If that sounds like you, set up a Free Strategy Call so we can determine what you need to help and put a plan together to resolve your back or hip pain for good.
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Dr. Ryan
