Deadlifts

Forgive me for my ignorance!

I'm getting into lifting, and am developing a proper routine.

EVERYONE seems to recommend and love deadlifts.

I can't work out why. It seems like a really simple movement. Am I just not lifting heavy enough weight? I worry about looking a *kitten* in the weights area with all the men who watch me while they are bicep curling. So I want to do it properly. And I don't want to hurt myself from bad form from going too heavy.

Hit-up something like Starting Strength by Mark Rippletoe. His book walks through a simple exercise plan that incorporates Deadlifts and talks about form. Form is very important or you can **** your back up when you do get heavy but if you watch your form you'll be fine. StrongLifts 5x5 beginner program is good too.

^^^ I got a pair of herniated disks too, L4-L5, and L5-S1. The more I lift, the less pain I have.

I do have a question on deadlifts though, as I am new to this specific lift. I am currently lifting 315, and while it feels fine, i get a VERY small bend to my lower back when initiating the lift. I am not jerking at all, I get set, tighten my core, make sure my arms are fully extended, and start with the legs, but initially, my lower back curves ever so slightly. Is there a way to correct this? I am against wearing a weight belt.

Why on earth would you be against wearing a belt?
If you're lifting to get stronger, a belt will assist you.
If you're competing, it's allowed in competition.
If you're lifting to get bigger, lifting heavier weights, safely, will allow you the best muscle growth.

Belts are great, and help stabilize your core/back, which is what your issue appears to be.
Build up your low back with back extensions, good mornings, reverse hypers (probably not available), etc.

Work on form before moving up in weight

Yup
Yup
Yup
Yup
Yup

Not much else to say here. If you're serious about lifting heavier, use a belt your back will thank you. I'm partial to Inzer's Lever Belt. I honestly don't feel like it makes me stronger but I worry less about hurting myself so my "head" is better focused on doing the lift properly.

^^^ I got a pair of herniated disks too, L4-L5, and L5-S1. The more I lift, the less pain I have.

I do have a question on deadlifts though, as I am new to this specific lift. I am currently lifting 315, and while it feels fine, i get a VERY small bend to my lower back when initiating the lift. I am not jerking at all, I get set, tighten my core, make sure my arms are fully extended, and start with the legs, but initially, my lower back curves ever so slightly. Is there a way to correct this? I am against wearing a weight belt.

Why on earth would you be against wearing a belt?
If you're lifting to get stronger, a belt will assist you.
If you're competing, it's allowed in competition.
If you're lifting to get bigger, lifting heavier weights, safely, will allow you the best muscle growth.

Belts are great, and help stabilize your core/back, which is what your issue appears to be.
Build up your low back with back extensions, good mornings, reverse hypers (probably not available), etc.

Work on form before moving up in weight

All of this.

^^^ I got a pair of herniated disks too, L4-L5, and L5-S1. The more I lift, the less pain I have.

I do have a question on deadlifts though, as I am new to this specific lift. I am currently lifting 315, and while it feels fine, i get a VERY small bend to my lower back when initiating the lift. I am not jerking at all, I get set, tighten my core, make sure my arms are fully extended, and start with the legs, but initially, my lower back curves ever so slightly. Is there a way to correct this? I am against wearing a weight belt.

Why on earth would you be against wearing a belt?
If you're lifting to get stronger, a belt will assist you.
If you're competing, it's allowed in competition.
If you're lifting to get bigger, lifting heavier weights, safely, will allow you the best muscle growth.

Belts are great, and help stabilize your core/back, which is what your issue appears to be.
Build up your low back with back extensions, good mornings, reverse hypers (probably not available), etc.

Work on form before moving up in weight

Yup
Yup
Yup
Yup
Yup

Not much else to say here. If you're serious about lifting heavier, use a belt your back will thank you. I'm partial to Inzer's Lever Belt. I honestly don't feel like it makes me stronger but I worry less about hurting myself so my "head" is better focused on doing the lift properly.

I typically don't like to use a belt until I get to the very heaviest weights I do. The belt assist a bit in your core not forcing you to exert as much force through your core. It is necessary for safety once you get into weights that you can do 5 or less of. Otherwise I don't like to use one so I can build my core strength even more on the lift. Is this the way you guys see it as well?

Yup, basically. I don't use my belt until the last set or two. I'm doing the Bill Starr 5x5 intermediate so I typically wear the belt on my last two sets. When I was doing WS I would wear it around 80% of my 1RM.

I typically don't like to use a belt until I get to the very heaviest weights I do. The belt assist a bit in your core not forcing you to exert as much force through your core. It is necessary for safety once you get into weights that you can do 5 or less of. Otherwise I don't like to use one so I can build my core strength even more on the lift. Is this the way you guys see it as well?

I can see what you're getting at. But if your back is starting to round, then you're at those "heaviest weights" and need to start thinking about belting up or adjusting your form.
I do my lighter sets of squats and deads without a belt, but after 75% or so, the belt stays on.

The belt is actually making you push out hard with your abs to stabilize your body, so I wouldn't say it's cheating you out of core work. Guys who squat 800 pounds with a belt don't have weak abs, and I'd argue that handling heavier weights in the squat = stronger abs in the long run. Either way, that's what assistance work is for. If your abs are holding you back, hit them hard.

I understand using a belt if its 5 rep max, but I can pick up 315 over and over and over, just not sure how to make sure my lower back stays completely flat in the bottom, I dont want to increase weight until I can manage that. Once I get the wieght up 4 inches or so, my back flattens out.

Im against a belt right now because im not in a max weight situation, and my understanding is that a belt lets you push harder, so if you do injure yourself, if you a wearing a belt you are more likely to sustain a worse injury, is that correct?

bump for later

Romanian Deadlift video

http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/main/popup/name/romanian-deadlift

how to do them correctly

bump!

I typically don't like to use a belt until I get to the very heaviest weights I do. The belt assist a bit in your core not forcing you to exert as much force through your core. It is necessary for safety once you get into weights that you can do 5 or less of. Otherwise I don't like to use one so I can build my core strength even more on the lift. Is this the way you guys see it as well?

I can see what you're getting at. But if your back is starting to round, then you're at those "heaviest weights" and need to start thinking about belting up or adjusting your form.
I do my lighter sets of squats and deads without a belt, but after 75% or so, the belt stays on.

The belt is actually making you push out hard with your abs to stabilize your body, so I wouldn't say it's cheating you out of core work. Guys who squat 800 pounds with a belt don't have weak abs, and I'd argue that handling heavier weights in the squat = stronger abs in the long run. Either way, that's what assistance work is for. If your abs are holding you back, hit them hard.

Yes. Wendler, Simmons, and Tate have all discussed how much ab work they actually do in the gym. A lot more than most people realize. The whole just do the compound exercises for ab work doesn't really fly in the longrun.

Yes. Wendler, Simmons, and Tate have all discussed how much ab work they actually do in the gym. A lot more than most people realize. The whole just do the compound exercises for ab work doesn't really fly in the longrun.

This is interesting to me because I stopped doing abs when I started doing Stronglifts because I assumed, like a lot of people said, that squats and deadlifts were sufficient for core work. I lost a lot of definition.
I have since added back stuff like situps with a 25 lb plate on my chest and various plank styles, and it's coming back.

I do think it is "sufficient" to a point, if you are one of those people who "just want a toned flat tummy and think abs are yucky", but I want the visible abs and V, so it's going to take more (and of course, tuning in proper diet, after all "abs/kitchen blahblah.." we all know it...)

I am an American living in Denmark and I am a member of a gym here. I have been wanting to get into weight training more seriously and have done some free weights and machines in the meantime. I wish I wasn't so intimidated to do it when all the buff guys are around. Haha, plus I don't know what a deadlift and squat is in Danish. I might have to look it up so I can get someone to help me. I wish I could get over myself a little bit. What about the machine that you lift your entire weight laying down? I read somewhere that is like a squat. I am also afraid of injuring myself and without some assistance I might just do so. I do want to do it though and that is the next step on this journey, I just have to jump in. Any advice on lifting would be lovely, you can pm me.

bump