deadlifts feel strange

JMW <jmw.RemoveThis@event.horizon> wrote in
news:5dcdv1t5s8r0k7v9ugt5jjf52peonta01m@4ax.com:

> Johan Larson <johan0larson8comcast0net> wrote:
>>
>>On the strength of recommendations in this newsgroup, I have been
>>trying deadlifts as a leg exercise. Best I can figure, given the
>>motion, I should be feeling it in the quads, the glutes, and maybe the
>>back. So far, with about 200 pounds on the bar (a bit less than my
>>body weight), I really only feel it in the back. Is that to be
>>expected, or am I doing something wrong?
>
> Use your legs more; don't "crane" so much with your lower back.

You mean I am bending over too much from the waist?

> And even then, you should feel it more in your hams than in your
> quads.

You mean my hamstrings? Why would they be doing anything? I am
straightening my legs at the knee, which uses the quads. The hamstrings
would be working to bend the leg at the knee, which is not what I am
doing on the lift.

--
Johan Larson Daly City, California
 >> Stay informed about: deadlifts feel strange 

Johan Larson <johan0larson8comcast0net> wrote:

>JMW <jmw RemoveThis @event.horizon> wrote in
>news:5dcdv1t5s8r0k7v9ugt5jjf52peonta01m@4ax.com:
>
>> Johan Larson <johan0larson8comcast0net> wrote:
>>>
>>>On the strength of recommendations in this newsgroup, I have been
>>>trying deadlifts as a leg exercise. Best I can figure, given the
>>>motion, I should be feeling it in the quads, the glutes, and maybe the
>>>back. So far, with about 200 pounds on the bar (a bit less than my
>>>body weight), I really only feel it in the back. Is that to be
>>>expected, or am I doing something wrong?
>>
>> Use your legs more; don't "crane" so much with your lower back.
>
>You mean I am bending over too much from the waist?

To put it simply, yes.

>> And even then, you should feel it more in your hams than in your
>> quads.
>
>You mean my hamstrings? Why would they be doing anything? I am
>straightening my legs at the knee, which uses the quads. The hamstrings
>would be working to bend the leg at the knee, which is not what I am
>doing on the lift.

You need to study your anatomy a little bit more. The hamstrings are
two-joint muscles; they both flex the knees and extend the hips. Look
up "Lombard's Paradox."
 >> Stay informed about: deadlifts feel strange 

On Fri, 17 Feb 2006 23:14:32 -0600, Johan Larson
<johan0larson8comcast0net> wrote:

>On the strength of recommendations in this newsgroup

Therein lies the problem.
 >> Stay informed about: deadlifts feel strange 

Johan Larson wrote:

> On the strength of recommendations in this newsgroup, I have been trying
> deadlifts as a leg exercise. Best I can figure, given the motion, I should
> be feeling it in the quads, the glutes, and maybe the back. So far, with
> about 200 pounds on the bar (a bit less than my body weight), I really only
> feel it in the back. Is that to be expected, or am I doing something wrong?

Chances are your deadlifts look too much like this
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Hamstrings/BBStraightLegDeadlift.html

and should look more like this
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/GluteusMaximus/BBDeadlift.html .

Note the back should stay straight (or very close). The shoulders and
hips should come up together with the bar.

It could also be due to a weak back. Keep deadlifting and working
on your form. Any weaknesses will even out in time.
 >> Stay informed about: deadlifts feel strange 

"Johan Larson" <johan0larson8comcast0net> wrote in message
news:X6idneRh1a-lMGvenZ2dnUVZ_sCdnZ2d@comcast.com...
>
> On the strength of recommendations in this newsgroup, I have been trying
> deadlifts as a leg exercise. Best I can figure, given the motion, I should
> be feeling it in the quads, the glutes, and maybe the back. So far, with
> about 200 pounds on the bar (a bit less than my body weight), I really
> only
> feel it in the back. Is that to be expected, or am I doing something
> wrong?
>
> --

Also, experiment with sumo style. The trunk stays closer to vertical and in
my exp, involves the hips more than the lower back.

Here's a discussion:
http://tinyurl.com/czrdp
 >> Stay informed about: deadlifts feel strange 

In article <X6idneRh1a-lMGvenZ2dnUVZ_sCdnZ2d.DeleteThis@comcast.com>,
Johan Larson <johan0larson8comcast0net> wrote:

> On the strength of recommendations in this newsgroup, I have been trying
> deadlifts as a leg exercise. Best I can figure, given the motion, I should
> be feeling it in the quads, the glutes, and maybe the back. So far, with
> about 200 pounds on the bar (a bit less than my body weight), I really only
> feel it in the back. Is that to be expected, or am I doing something wrong?

I feel it mostly in my hams, and upper and middle traps.

You might not be using your legs enough.
Squat down a bit deeper.
--
Peace, Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson
 >> Stay informed about: deadlifts feel strange 

"Johan Larson" <johan0larson8comcast0net> wrote in message
news:X6idneRh1a-lMGvenZ2dnUVZ_sCdnZ2d@comcast.com...
>
> On the strength of recommendations in this newsgroup, I have been
> trying
> deadlifts as a leg exercise. Best I can figure, given the motion, I
> should
> be feeling it in the quads, the glutes, and maybe the back. So far,
> with
> about 200 pounds on the bar (a bit less than my body weight), I really
> only
> feel it in the back. Is that to be expected, or am I doing something
> wrong?

When I first learned to deadlift a few years ago, my back was where I
felt it. Over the years, though, my back got stronger and now my leg
strength is what limits the amount of weight I can pick up. The best
deadlift advice I've ever got was simply "push the floor away with your
feet" - that seems to help me and many other people not bend their back.
It also helps to inhale tightly to pressurize your midsection before you
lift the weight - this will help keep the back from bending.

Hope that helps.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com
 >> Stay informed about: deadlifts feel strange 

On Sat, 18 Feb 2006 11:03:34 -0500, Gemini Jackson <GJ.DeleteThis@GJ.com> wrote:

>Most everyone here is far more knowledgeable than I on the matter

Agreed! No need to read any further.
 >> Stay informed about: deadlifts feel strange 

JMW wrote:
> Johan Larson <johan0larson8comcast0net> wrote:
>> On the strength of recommendations in this newsgroup, I have been trying
>> deadlifts as a leg exercise. Best I can figure, given the motion, I should
>> be feeling it in the quads, the glutes, and maybe the back. So far, with
>> about 200 pounds on the bar (a bit less than my body weight), I really only
>> feel it in the back. Is that to be expected, or am I doing something wrong?
>
> Use your legs more; don't "crane" so much with your lower back.
>
> And even then, you should feel it more in your hams than in your
> quads.

This is good advice. At age 54 I just set a new PB of 90kg ( I weigh
79kg) a few days back. Apart from screwing up my form in a lift many
months back, I never feel it in my back, a bit in my quads, glutes and
hams but mainly I know it was a deadlifting session because I sleep
like a log

--
Bob Volkmer
 >> Stay informed about: deadlifts feel strange 

"Gemini Jackson" <GJ DeleteThis @GJ.com> wrote in message
news:l3hev1l1k1rnhjrsb7i33c0g5g35p1c3sh@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 17 Feb 2006 23:14:32 -0600, Johan Larson
> <johan0larson8comcast0net> wrote:
>
> >
> >On the strength of recommendations in this newsgroup, I have been trying
> >deadlifts as a leg exercise. Best I can figure, given the motion, I
should
> >be feeling it in the quads, the glutes, and maybe the back. So far, with
> >about 200 pounds on the bar (a bit less than my body weight), I really
only
> >feel it in the back. Is that to be expected, or am I doing something
wrong?
>
> Most everyone here is far more knowledgeable than I on the matter, but
> to me starting at *only* 200lbs seems like a lot of weight. I'm
> paranoid though, I pulled/ripped something in my abs over a year ago
> doing DL's (probably due to poor form with too much weight) and I
> thought I'd NEVER get over it. Now the only things I do are DL's and
> squats.

How did you pull/rip something in your abs doing DL's?
 >> Stay informed about: deadlifts feel strange 

In article
<3j7Kf.428611$qk4.319819@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>,
"John" <y_tu_momma_tambien.DeleteThis@hotmail.com> wrote:

> "Gemini Jackson" <GJ.DeleteThis@GJ.com> wrote in message
> news:l3hev1l1k1rnhjrsb7i33c0g5g35p1c3sh@4ax.com...
> > On Fri, 17 Feb 2006 23:14:32 -0600, Johan Larson
> > <johan0larson8comcast0net> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > >On the strength of recommendations in this newsgroup, I have been trying
> > >deadlifts as a leg exercise. Best I can figure, given the motion, I
> should
> > >be feeling it in the quads, the glutes, and maybe the back. So far, with
> > >about 200 pounds on the bar (a bit less than my body weight), I really
> only
> > >feel it in the back. Is that to be expected, or am I doing something
> wrong?
> >
> > Most everyone here is far more knowledgeable than I on the matter, but
> > to me starting at *only* 200lbs seems like a lot of weight. I'm
> > paranoid though, I pulled/ripped something in my abs over a year ago
> > doing DL's (probably due to poor form with too much weight) and I
> > thought I'd NEVER get over it. Now the only things I do are DL's and
> > squats.
>
> How did you pull/rip something in your abs doing DL's?
>
>

I think it's called a "hernia", and you can get one from poor lifting
technique...
--
Peace, Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson
 >> Stay informed about: deadlifts feel strange 

John <y_tu_momma_tambien.DeleteThis@hotmail.com> wrote:

>How did you pull/rip something in your abs doing DL's?

Have you ever done heavy deadlifts? My max is 365 lbs., which although
not at all heavy for some is a gut buster (or so it seems) for me.

--
Curt
http://curtjames.com/
 >> Stay informed about: deadlifts feel strange 

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> "John" wrote:
>>"Gemini Jackson" wrote:
>>>On Fri, 17 Feb 2006 23:14:32 -0600, Johan Larson wrote:

>>>>On the strength of recommendations in this newsgroup, I have been trying
>>>>deadlifts as a leg exercise. Best I can figure, given the motion, I
>>>>should be feeling it in the quads, the glutes, and maybe the back.
>>>>So far, with about 200 pounds on the bar (a bit less than my body
>>>>weight), I really only feel it in the back. Is that to be expected,
>>>>or am I doing something wrong?

>>>Most everyone here is far more knowledgeable than I on the matter, but
>>>to me starting at *only* 200lbs seems like a lot of weight. I'm
>>>paranoid though, I pulled/ripped something in my abs over a year ago
>>>doing DL's (probably due to poor form with too much weight) and I
>>>thought I'd NEVER get over it. Now the only things I do are DL's and
>>>squats.
>>
>>How did you pull/rip something in your abs doing DL's?
>
> I think it's called a "hernia", and you can get one from poor lifting
> technique...

Technique may not be a factor. The more common Inguinal Hernias
are largely due to preexisting tear/flaw in the lower ab.
 >> Stay informed about: deadlifts feel strange