Deadlifts and Low Back Pain

Does your back “blow up” after heavy deadlifts, high-rep cleans or snatches, or heavy back squats?

This is a frequent complaint I hear, and while the low back is a complicated area, a good place to start is to check your “flat back”. Many athletes, admittedly more women than men, think their back is flat when it is actually in extension ( Picture 1). This puts undue stress on the smaller and weaker spinal muscles, making those the prime mover of the movement. For a deadlift, the main movers should be the glutes and hamstrings, larger muscle groups capable of moving large loads, and getting you that PR!

I have suffered from this exact issue. To fix it, I imagine I am tightening my core like at the start of a sit-up (Picture 2). This helps me keep my entire core engaged, front and back, and achieve an actual flat back.

Let me know if this cue helps you! Contact me to set up an evaluation for your lifting technique.