The Deadlift has caused me more injuries, strains, sprains, aches and pains than any other lift. It’s gotten to the point where it makes me a little nervous when I know I have a DL workout coming up. I didn’t Deadlift at all for a while when I was focused purely on hypertrophy because it’s not a great movement for hypertrophy, and I didn’t really miss it. But as a would be Powerlifter, I must Deadlift and Deadlift a lot. It adds more to your total than the Squat or the Bench, so a strong Deadlift is a must. Ironically, I’m built quite well to Deadlift. I have long gorilla arms, which sucks for Bench, but is great for Deadlifts.
Deadlifting 330-lbs a couple of weeks ago, I felt a familiar pop in my low back with the resulting pain and difficulty walking and moving without pain. I’ve done it before and I was instantly frustrated and exasperated that my Powerlifting training got sidelined so soon after starting. The difference this time though, is I decided I had to know exactly what it was that I injured. In the past, I assumed it was a glute injury, or a low back injury, but researching showed me what it actually was: I popped my SI Joint. The resulting pain and discomfort moving and walking, etc. is from the small muscles, tendons and ligaments that surround the area, but I needed to figure out why I have popped that joint so many times.
I found a fascinating, informative and educational podcast on the Reactive Training Systems channel, where Mike interviewed Dr. Megan Bryantan Jones. Her company is Kinetic Advantage Counseling and she analyzes movement patterns in the power lifts to show where the technique breaks down. While I’d love to have this done, I don’t really have the discretionary cash lying around, but I did discover the breakdown in my technique that was likely causing my joint to pop. When the load is heavy enough, or I get fatigued enough, my hips come up putting me in a bad position to do hip extension and my pelvis shifts out of position until the SI joint gives way. Her recommendations to slow the movement down (I have always tried to Deadlift explosively, thinking the speed off the floor will get me to lockout more easily), think about pushing the floor away until the bar gets to the knees, having the hips and shoulders rise together to that point, and then using the glutes to forcefully extend the hips to lockout as the bar passes the knees seems like a game changer.
I practiced this with very light weights as I rehabbed my low back muscles and just 10 days after the injury, I went after it again. I pulled 335-lbs for a triple (5 lbs more than the offending SI joint popping Deadlift just 10 days before) and wouldn’t you know it, no pain, no pop, no nothing.
I have since pulled 346-lbs for a triple, again focusing on a slower movement and trying like to hell to concentrate on keeping my hips, back and shoulders moving together as I pull off the floor to the knees. It’s hard to believe I’ve been Deadlifting with shitty technique for a decade, but it’s a new day and a new Deadlift.
I’ve added Block Pulls in this development block so I can practice just the top half of the movement: from the knees to lockout. I also plan on doing some heavy pulls to the knees to practice the bottom part of the lift, so I can get lots of practice keeping my hips/back/shoulders in position.
I’ve also started working technique on the Squat and Bench too, to avoid any future problems before they materialize. I’m using the same concept: slow the movement down, concentrate on keeping my position, and in the case of the Bench Press, improving my bar path. I love having shit to work on, so this has renewed my energy and motivation to train which is all good. The injury has also renewed my interest in mobility and physical therapy so I know include two days each week for mobility work and preventative PT. Injuries suck, and they suck hard. But if they get me focused on doing things the right way, I’ll take that silver lining.
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