Deadlift injury....well, it had to happen eventually...

[Gammmmo]

Current PB is 147kg with a hex bar and 145kg IIRC with a straight bar. Have noticed fewer "repercussions" i.e. general back fatigue/niggles, with the hex bar c/w the straight bar now I've gotten more used to the hex bar. Anyway, went to try 152kg with a straight bar and couldn't even get it moving, so stupidly I dropped back to 150kg and this time got it off the floor. About 6 inches from the floor I felt something strain in my right hand side glute area towards the top middle....not the spine itself. I immediately dropped the bar. I had some general dull pain but iced it over the next 24hrs fairly diligently. The session was on Wednesday and by Thurday night no pain although I can tell things are healing and not 100%. Wake up call? I suppose it had to happen at some point.

Moral: don't test your deadlift max every 10-14 days!! And maybe stick to the hex bar for PBs from now on and use the straight bar for work of say up to 90% of 1RM.

[Quatroux]

Injury is inevitable when training. That's especially true when someone trains as hard as you must with your solid erg times.
Before I dig into my thoughts, let me tell you that I wish you a speedy recovery.

I would like to provide a rebuttal to this pervasive myth that the hex bar is a safer movement or that it is even a type of deadlift.
The hex bar (or trap bar) is unstable at the lockout position. It also better resembles the mechanics of a partial squat.

I also find that there are some coaches, individuals paid to teach weighted movement to others, that move athletes to the hex bar because of their own inability to teach the correct movement.

In addition to lobbying that you drop the hex bar in favor of the conventional deadlift, I ask if you approach your barbell training with the same seriousness as your rowing. Film yourself or get a coach (that knows how to teach the movement). Form creep is real and all of us suffer from a breakdown in technique over time.

Again, best of luck to you on your recovery!

[G-dub]

Tough break Gams. Keep deadlifting with light weight while you are healing. Keep it moving. It will heal

[hjs]

It can happen...

Hopefully its nothing overly serious.

Re testing instead of doing a 1 rep max you could do a rep test with a certain weight. Thats less risk and certainly not weekly.
You are in for serious gains, so testing every 1/2 kg is not needed at all. Only test when you clearly got stronger.

You can also do uni lateral work with the less, does train your strenght, but very doable on the spine.

[Dangerscouse]

Current PB is 147kg with a hex bar and 145kg IIRC with a straight bar. Have noticed fewer "repercussions" i.e. general back fatigue/niggles, with the hex bar c/w the straight bar now I've gotten more used to the hex bar. Anyway, went to try 152kg with a straight bar and couldn't even get it moving, so stupidly I dropped back to 150kg and this time got it off the floor. About 6 inches from the floor I felt something strain in my right hand side glute area towards the top middle....not the spine itself. I immediately dropped the bar. I had some general dull pain but iced it over the next 24hrs fairly diligently. The session was on Wednesday and by Thurday night no pain although I can tell things are healing and not 100%. Wake up call? I suppose it had to happen at some point.

Moral: don't test your deadlift max every 10-14 days!! And maybe stick to the hex bar for PBs from now on and use the straight bar for work of say up to 90% of 1RM.

Sorry to hear that Paul, but to be pulling 150s is great progress. Hopefully it will be sorted fairly soon. Hex bar every time for me.

[bob01]

I always find the Trap bar places my hands too wide... adding stress where I don't want it

[Anth_F]

Ughh sorry to hear Paul.

I'm pretty cautious what i do with deadlifts, maybe too cautious, and should probably load up the bar a bit more tbh. But i stick to weight that i can maintain decent form and posture, of course, this training involves no 1RM attempts however. Do you warm up good enough for this?

This video maybe of some help to you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QRdA7gl8mk

[Gammmmo]

Thanks guys, I reckon (hope) I've gotten away with it fairly lightly...nothing "popped". Did an easy 5K on the erg yesterday and no pain but I could tell the area had been "worked"....who knows, maybe that is a good thing by getting some blood into the area. Anth - yeah, when I did 1x147kg I started with 6x67 (the hex bar weighs 17kg), 6x87, 6x107, 3x127 and then went for the 1RM. Sometimes I do a "back off" set.

I always find the Trap bar places my hands too wide... adding stress where I don't want it

Never a limiter for me; it's always getting the bar moving initially that stops me completing all 1RMs to date. Infact I'd say the top 1/3 of the movement at 147kg was comparatively easy.

I honestly reckon too, the reason why my deadlift is alot better than either my bench or squat is that I've got long arms and short torso relative to my height.

[Adam_Evans91]

The trap bar deadlift is far more of a quad dominant movement than a deadlift with a traditional straight barbell which puts far more force on your posterior chain.

Any niggles with the back I would be avoiding the straight bar completely.

[Gammmmo]

Tried some squats today and all good....phew!

[blues_]

The trap bar deadlift is far more of a quad dominant movement than a deadlift with a traditional straight barbell which puts far more force on your posterior chain.

Any niggles with the back I would be avoiding the straight bar completely.

I would argue that it is not quad dominant but does involve the quads to a greater extent than straight bar deadlifts.

I only use the trap bar for deads, (squatlifts, if you will), these days as I'm no longer (at 66) worried about achieving Herculean lifts, and the trap bar allows me to get quad and posterior chain activation more safely in my home gym. The rest of my exercise movements are performed with olympic bars and dumbbells.

[hjs]

The trap bar deadlift is far more of a quad dominant movement than a deadlift with a traditional straight barbell which puts far more force on your posterior chain.

Any niggles with the back I would be avoiding the straight bar completely.

I would argue that it is not quad dominant but does involve the quads to a greater extent than straight bar deadlifts.

I only use the trap bar for deads, (squatlifts, if you will), these days as I'm no longer (at 66) worried about achieving Herculean lifts, and the trap bar allows me to get quad and posterior chain activation more safely in my home gym. The rest of my exercise movements are performed with olympic bars and dumbbells.

Very much depends on build, no matter what style I use, its always the back that takes the bulk of the load. I have a long torso. Squats ditto, always the lower back thats doing most.

[Quatroux]

maybe that is a good thing by getting some blood into the area.

Glad you're back at it!

[Gammmmo]

maybe that is a good thing by getting some blood into the area.

Glad you're back at it!

Yeah cheers....no deads Saturday but 6x60kg, 6x70kg, 6x80kg, 6x90kg, 6x100kg today felt all good. Easing myself back in.

[Dangerscouse]

maybe that is a good thing by getting some blood into the area.

Glad you're back at it!

Yeah cheers....no deads Saturday but 6x60kg, 6x70kg, 6x80kg, 6x90kg, 6x100kg today felt all good. Easing myself back in.

Good to hear mate