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Do you NEED to deadlift?
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kshama2001 wrote: »springlering62 wrote: »...I’m on my own now, working out at a hospital affiliated gym, which, in addition to hospital personnel of all ages, leans very heavily towards rehab and senior clientele.
This makes me think of my experience of physical therapy through the VA, which I've had off and on for knee, hip, elbow, and wrist since 2010 or so.
All my life I've seen physical therapists on TV/ in movies depicted as almost sadistic. But in real life I've never broken a sweat or been sore afterwards.
There was only one exercise that ever felt challenging, and that was on my bad hip. I am a great patient, and still do most of these exercises to this day. My right hip has been the same as my left hip for a long time now. Still having problems with my knee, though
I wonder if real life civilian physical therapists tend to be as gentle, or if the VA PT's are more gentle due to their client demographics.
FWIW: I've seen civilian physical therapists now for several different issues, and they were in 3 or 4 different practices (large/small, hospital-affiliated/independent). None of them seemed even remotely sadistic, and I never experienced anything that went beyond mild discomfort. (That was fairly deep massage on some scar tissue in my underarm/chest area. It was very bearable, just not something I'd do for an enjoyable hobby, y'know? I've continued to do the same massage on myself periodically.)
The ones I remember were for knee pain, shoulder nerve impingement, pelvic floor issues, and that pretty widespread upper left chest scarring from mastectomy, axillary lymph node removal, then multi-field radiation therapy to the same area as surgery. So maybe it's just that these were not major things. Seems like I'm forgetting something else, though.
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Wow! I just now read through this thread. I don't have anything to add to it....yet. But as an "older" woman about to start strength training for the first time in a couple of decades, I found the discussion informative and very thought provoking.4
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GreySteel https://www.greysteel.org/ says — Yes, people of all ages, especially those of us past 50 should deadlift heavy.
Personally — No one ‘needs’ to do anything. Everyone should and can do whatever they put their mind to.
I do RDL with dumbbells at home. My max weight is 30lbs in each hand because that’s the biggest dumbbell I have.
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Being that I've worked first hand with people over 50 who've injured their backs due to deadlifting heavy, I'll emphatically disagree. It's great to hear from a coach who was a former powerlifter to say it, but you speak to any professional in orthopedics, I'm sure they'll side with me more.age_is_just_a_number wrote: »GreySteel https://www.greysteel.org/ says — Yes, people of all ages, especially those of us past 50 should deadlift heavy.
[/quote]Personally — No one ‘needs’ to do anything. Everyone should and can do whatever they put their mind to.
I do RDL with dumbbells at home. My max weight is 30lbs in each hand because that’s the biggest dumbbell I have.
[/quote] Just you can put your mind to it doesn't always mean you can achieve it physically. Again, injuries happen with those who lift more than they are capable of even when they think they can lift it.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Just you can put your mind to it doesn't always mean you can achieve it physically. Again, injuries happen with those who lift more than they are capable of even when they think they can lift it.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
[/quote]
Fair comment. I guess when I think of putting my mind to something I include being smart about it and not doing something that is going to push past limits. If someone wants to do something — that can hire a coach and work their way slowly and carefully to achieve what they want to achieve.
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As a 48 year old woman who just started lifting less than 2 years ago, I was doing deadlifts. I have set that aside for awhile. I had back surgery in April (bone spur on vertebrae that was compressing my sciatic nerve), and just got back in the gym in July. So for the moment, at least, I'm starting to incorporate rack pulls before I even think about doing deadlifts. I had only gotten up to 145lbs before I ended up out for 5 months. But even that, I'm not risking because a) I've just started to get close to how much weight I was lifting in general (not there yet) and b) I don't want to injure my back after having had surgery.
TL;DR rack pulls are an alternative that is easier on your lower back, therefore may be a good idea to at least start with for people who are my age and older.0 -
Please be extra careful. It's so easy to feel that your back is good enough to handle prior loads, but as someone who deals with older clients on a regular basis, the injury rate increases as one ages even if form is spot on and prior loads weren't an issue.As a 48 year old woman who just started lifting less than 2 years ago, I was doing deadlifts. I have set that aside for awhile. I had back surgery in April (bone spur on vertebrae that was compressing my sciatic nerve), and just got back in the gym in July. So for the moment, at least, I'm starting to incorporate rack pulls before I even think about doing deadlifts. I had only gotten up to 145lbs before I ended up out for 5 months. But even that, I'm not risking because a) I've just started to get close to how much weight I was lifting in general (not there yet) and b) I don't want to injure my back after having had surgery.
TL;DR rack pulls are an alternative that is easier on your lower back, therefore may be a good idea to at least start with for people who are my age and older.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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bump
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Uh, @ninerbuff you okay?’1
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He's just bumping the thread periodically so fresh eyes can see it.1
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Almost a year later, re-read this discussion (it's saved in my bookmarks). Thought I'd simultaneously bump it for new eyes to see, as well as post a quick personal update:
In almost 15 years of lifting, I've only had three extended periods of missed gym time (3+ weeks) due to a lifting injury; two of them were due to deadlifting off the ground. After the second occurrence last year, a PT friend of mine asked me to describe how the injury happened. He listened, determined both deadlifting injuries occurred during the first couple inches off the floor due to poor form, and recommended I do rack pulls instead, which basically are doing the top-half of a deadlift motion. (At the lowest point, the bar sits on the weight rack at- or just below-knee height. Hence, RACK pulls.)
Been doing them for about 9 months now, and not only has there been no injury (not even a twinge telling me I was close to one), but I'm pulling considerably heavier weights (for 5 reps) than I could with the full-range deadlift (for 2 reps).2 -
That’s genius and I am going to try that. Same issue here. Deadlifts pull my back out, even at light weights.
I find it interesting that the abs crunch machine is kind of the opposite motion and feels like a massage. I love that thing.0 -
If I do ANY deadlifts, it's rack dead lifts. What's exciting here is at the end of the month we're getting 6 deadlift/squat rack platforms to replace the old squat racks and mats here. Also adding a Tbar row machine, a new glute lift machine and 2 full racks of new dumbbells. I can't wait!!!!!Almost a year later, re-read this discussion (it's saved in my bookmarks). Thought I'd simultaneously bump it for new eyes to see, as well as post a quick personal update:
In almost 15 years of lifting, I've only had three extended periods of missed gym time (3+ weeks) due to a lifting injury; two of them were due to deadlifting off the ground. After the second occurrence last year, a PT friend of mine asked me to describe how the injury happened. He listened, determined both deadlifting injuries occurred during the first couple inches off the floor due to poor form, and recommended I do rack pulls instead, which basically are doing the top-half of a deadlift motion. (At the lowest point, the bar sits on the weight rack at- or just below-knee height. Hence, RACK pulls.)
Been doing them for about 9 months now, and not only has there been no injury (not even a twinge telling me I was close to one), but I'm pulling considerably heavier weights (for 5 reps) than I could with the full-range deadlift (for 2 reps).
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I am 57 and restarted weight training after retiring. I never really deadlifted before and well some say I don't as I am using the trap bar with the high handles but I am enjoying it. It actually started after I was doing farmers carries with the dumbells and wanted more weight the gym owner said try the trap bar next thing I started doing deadlifts ish. I do my light sets with the low handles and will work up to the bar after a few months to let my body get used to heavier weights. Cons... I am very tired after the workout and generally will need a 10 minute power nap. I feel like its helping me1
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My advice is just to keep your ego in check. I can't tell you how many people I've had to rehab from lower back injury from just trying to lift weight off the floor who are over the age of 45. As I mentioned, while there is no need to deadlift heavy weights for most over a certain age, one can still do it if they are fit enough to handle the load and don't let their egos take over and lift PRs just to get an ego massage.Dontkillbill1509 wrote: »I am 57 and restarted weight training after retiring. I never really deadlifted before and well some say I don't as I am using the trap bar with the high handles but I am enjoying it. It actually started after I was doing farmers carries with the dumbells and wanted more weight the gym owner said try the trap bar next thing I started doing deadlifts ish. I do my light sets with the low handles and will work up to the bar after a few months to let my body get used to heavier weights. Cons... I am very tired after the workout and generally will need a 10 minute power nap. I feel like its helping me
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I'm glad you're getting (back) into the iron game!
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