Can't seem to progress w./ deadlifts

Emtabo01
Emtabo01 Posts: 672
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm newer to lifting and workout at home. I've been dead lifting between 75-90 pounds for the last 3-4 months. I just can not seem to ever get past 90, some times I have to back off back down to 75 or 80 pounds. Whenever I try to increase the weight I seem to hurt my lower back, nothing too crazy, just more achy than normal, needing a heating pad and bengay, but then it's fine a day or so later. I also am doing around 12 reps in the program I'm doing too. I'm a 5'7 33yo female, around 140 pounds eating 1900-2100 cals a day if any of that matters. How can I increase weight and make progress with this specific exercise without hurting myself!
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Replies

  • jody664
    jody664 Posts: 397 Member
    Bump. I just started deadlifting a month ago and am curious to see the answers.
  • Morninglory81
    Morninglory81 Posts: 1,190 Member
    Bump. I just started deadlifting a month ago and am curious to see the answers.
    When you try to bump the weight up start with 5 reps and increase the reps each work out till you hit 12 than increase the weight and do 5 reps and so on.
  • dicoveringwhoIam
    dicoveringwhoIam Posts: 480 Member
    Bump. I just started deadlifting a month ago and am curious to see the answers.
    When you try to bump the weight up start with 5 reps and increase the reps each work out till you hit 12 than increase the weight and do 5 reps and so on.

    ^^^ that...
    I started at 120 a year ago and now I am at 260 with a trap dead lift:D
  • feenbean
    feenbean Posts: 4
    i would also add, make sure it's your butt that sticks out, not your back that bends if that makes sense. A mirror really helps to make sure your form is good. Good luck
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    Your back should be sore during deadlifts. You might want to check youtube for some form videos and make sure you are doing the lift correctly.

    The bar should start on the ground and should touch the ground between every rep and you should be driving with your legs to start the movement low.
  • h9dlb
    h9dlb Posts: 243 Member
    You should not be doing 12 reps !!!! Do 5 reps only and increase the weight by 5kg every couple of weeks
  • bkknauer
    bkknauer Posts: 28
    when i switched to the cradle bar it helped my form and i have been able to increase my weight and can now deadlift 140-160lbs (43 year old 170lb female). Form is critical your back should not hurt if lifting correctly - have a trainer watch you lift and tell you whats going on...
  • rick_po
    rick_po Posts: 449 Member
    Deadlifts are harder than other lifts. It's okay to do fewer reps, like 5, and only 1 set.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Damn, 12 reps. I don't even do 12 reps on my lowest warmup set (135). Deadlifts are hard on the lower back so a little soreness is not unexpected. Pain is a different story. Take a video and post it for a form check, I'm guessing that you might be doing it wrong if it hurts.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
    Bump. I just started deadlifting a month ago and am curious to see the answers.
    When you try to bump the weight up start with 5 reps and increase the reps each work out till you hit 12 than increase the weight and do 5 reps and so on.

    Agreed, 12 reps is too much. Also, make sure you have proper form. Your back shouldn't be hurting.
  • ckmama
    ckmama Posts: 1,668 Member
    I have terrible back issues and I don't feel deadlifts in my back. Squats on the other hand are another story. But I know it is my form.

    Check your form. Something sounds off. You may have to retrain yourself if you aren't doing it correctly. If you workout in a gym ask someone with some knowledge to watch you and give you an idea.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    For Deads, I'd recommend no more than 3-5 reps and just one set. For some extra work you could accessorize with some good mornings or glute ham raises or something...but that big lift should be heavy and low rep.

    When you're working in a high rep range like you are, you sacrifice strength gains, generally for hypertrophy...but Deads are really pretty much a strength/power lift so lower reps.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    If your back is hurting you either your form is bad, you're lifting too much weight, or you don't have the bar at the proper elevation (about 8.5" off the floor).
  • Emtabo01
    Emtabo01 Posts: 672
    Hmmm, I'm doing NROLAbs and finished NROL4W prior, and they both have suggested high reps like that. I guess it's just not going to work for me though, I'm definitely going to decrease reps, thanks for the advice.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Sorry to hear that. Need a little more information before I can really get a feel for where you're at.

    1. Watch some videos on form, then re-watch them, and then practice on your own. Based on your comment regarding your back your form is not right somewhere.

    2. What does your programming (sets, reps, and frequency) look like?

    3. What other exercises do you do?
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    I'm newer to lifting and workout at home. I've been dead lifting between 75-90 pounds for the last 3-4 months. I just can not seem to ever get past 90, some times I have to back off back down to 75 or 80 pounds. Whenever I try to increase the weight I seem to hurt my lower back, nothing too crazy, just more achy than normal, needing a heating pad and bengay, but then it's fine a day or so later. I also am doing around 12 reps in the program I'm doing too. I'm a 5'7 33yo female, around 140 pounds eating 1900-2100 cals a day if any of that matters. How can I increase weight and make progress with this specific exercise without hurting myself!

    i think i've located the source of the problem
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    I'm newer to lifting and workout at home. I've been dead lifting between 75-90 pounds for the last 3-4 months. I just can not seem to ever get past 90, some times I have to back off back down to 75 or 80 pounds. Whenever I try to increase the weight I seem to hurt my lower back, nothing too crazy, just more achy than normal, needing a heating pad and bengay, but then it's fine a day or so later. I also am doing around 12 reps in the program I'm doing too. I'm a 5'7 33yo female, around 140 pounds eating 1900-2100 cals a day if any of that matters. How can I increase weight and make progress with this specific exercise without hurting myself!

    i think i've located the source of the problem

    No doubt. We definitely need to understand what she's doing.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    I'd rather open a vein than do 12 reps of deads.
  • MinimalistShoeAddict
    MinimalistShoeAddict Posts: 1,946 Member
    You should not be doing 12 reps !!!! Do 5 reps only and increase the weight by 5kg every couple of weeks

    I agree this sounds much better! Which program are you following?

    Stronglifts 5x5 is what I am using and just requires one set of 5 reps for deadlifts.
  • helpfit101
    helpfit101 Posts: 347 Member
    It sounds like the weight you're doing is too high for you still. I think 12 reps is ok as long as the weight is suitable (lighter). You could add other back workouts (hyperextension bench!) on other days to help your back some.

    Also back needs a lot of time to rest. Like a week! I agree with what others said if your back hurts your technique is bad or your weight /reps is too high.

    I agree also with what others have said if you are lifting some SERIOUS weight you only need to do one or two sets of 5, once or twice per week. Do more squats instead.
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
    Like others say, you're doing too many reps. Personally, I do 2 warmup sets of 5 reps, then I do one set of 5 reps at my working weight.

    One thing that might help increase the weights is fractional plates. You can buy 1.25 lb washers at hardware stores with a 2" hole that fit well on an olympic barbell. Personally, I bought 1 lb (each) ankle weights on sale for $6 at a discount store and they fit perfectly on the bar. I use them on difficult lifts (I'm looking at you OHP!) and try to increase my weights at a rate of 2 lb/week, sometimes it takes longer.

    Also, if you are experiencing lower back pain, it sounds like it might be a form issue. Search for "Rippetoe deadlift form" on youtube. And read Starting Strength if you haven't already.
  • Troublemonster
    Troublemonster Posts: 223 Member
    If you really want to see an almost-too in-depth explanation of deadlifting check out how to dead lift(the science of deadlifting) on youtube. The guy is Elliot Hulse, professional strongman and trainer. I literally just finished watching it and really like the way he explained it.

    I also would not usually go much past 8 reps on deads most workouts but I love to go heavy as I can on them until I am down to 3's.
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    Using an olympic bar? Theres your issue... Your probably murdering your back bending over to pick it up. Have someone make you some blank 45# plates out of wood.. Dummy plates.. Either that or stack some stuff up to lift the bar from. At 90# id imagine you have 2X10 and 1X2.5 on each side.... 10's are skinny... That would be painful for anyone. If your at a gym you can do it in a power rack and set the pins at the proper height.
  • Troublemonster
    Troublemonster Posts: 223 Member
    I didn't even think about that. If the bar is too close to the ground you're almost dead lifting from a deficit which is pretty badass. Assuming your technique is squared away and all you should definitely try to get the bar up a little further to start.
  • Mads1997
    Mads1997 Posts: 1,494 Member
    I agree I think your form must be off. I have a bad lower back and lifting 63 kilos at the moment and not sore at all. In fact I think lifting has helped it greatly.
  • Redheadllena
    Redheadllena Posts: 353 Member
    I get the same achy lower back with deadlifts...I think it's just a weak lower back tbh. Muscles growing usually hurt and if the pain doesn't last past a few days and you know your form is good, you're probably just feeling your body get challenged in a new way :)
  • aerynth
    aerynth Posts: 34 Member
    If your back is sore, you're doing something wrong. It means you're lifting with your back and not your legs. I'd recommend recording you lifting a set and then uploading it to Youtube so we can help you better.

    Also, there's no point in doing so many reps! You're wasting energy and fatiguing your muscles when you could be using that energy for higher weights. The higher the weight = the stronger you grow and the more muscle you create. Doing many reps at lower weights is just burning calories, really.
  • Redheadllena
    Redheadllena Posts: 353 Member
    Agree with Aerynth- what I was trying to say is that it is a compound exercise that involves many of your muscles including your back, which you engage to keep the spine from rounding. You should definitely check that your form is spot on though so that you know that you're doing it right and not hurting yourself.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Using an olympic bar? Theres your issue... Your probably murdering your back bending over to pick it up. Have someone make you some blank 45# plates out of wood.. Dummy plates.. Either that or stack some stuff up to lift the bar from. At 90# id imagine you have 2X10 and 1X2.5 on each side.... 10's are skinny... That would be painful for anyone. If your at a gym you can do it in a power rack and set the pins at the proper height.

    Nice catch...
  • Mrsallypants
    Mrsallypants Posts: 887 Member
    Try 1 set of 5 reps and do two to three warm up sets with light weight before your 1 big set of 5. Remember to reset your form after EACH rep as people tend to lose form after each rep, keep the bar close to the body and don't round your back.

    If you're having form issues, look up Mark Rippetoe's video on teaching the deadlift on YouTube. The deadlift is a very strenuous exercise, doing 12 reps it just too much, I imagine you're getting exhausted about rep 6 and your form breaks down where you round your back.

    If your lower back is hurting, that could be indicative of a disc bulge or perhaps a sprained muscle. Applying ice for 15 minutes every hour, and using Biofreeze will help with the pain. If it gets too intense, you'll have to get a MRI done.

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