It's All In The Butt ...
Got a good question from a subscriber as a comment on my “Deadlift Lower Back Pain – How To Start The Deadlift With Your Legs and Hips, NOT Your Lower Back” post …
“hey man, great advice… cant wait to check it out.i did deadlifts yesterday and feeling some soreness today. so cant wait to implement this advice! you got any comments on lowering during the deadlift process… i was slowly lowering the bar back to the floor slowly and read this is not good and to make it a smooth quick action. i think this part is also where some of my soreness has come from… any thoughts? thanks bro”
– Rick
This is a GOOD Question. Much unlike this comment I got from a guy named “Mac Fall”:
“You look like a perfect example of how to double a gain. A gain of zero. Stick to your video games man”
Awww, come on then Mac — that’s not very nice! So, yes! I won’t answer Mac’s comment … but … I will delete it and give everyone here his email address — please spam him if you’re into that type of thing: macfall@msn.ca
“But Caleb, You’re not supposed to post people’s emails if they’re being idiots on your blog?! It’s Not right!”
Really?
REALLY?
What do you think this is? A Democracy?
Nope!
This is the United States of Mothaf*ckin Caleb when you’re on this blog. So act accordingly.
Onward!
How To Lower The Deadlift
I’m going to let my commie comrad, Pavel, take care of this one:
“The proper way to get the bar home is to quickly push your glutes back—sitting in a chair, remember?—and let the bar nearly fall to the floor. Sticking your butt out will move your knees out of the barbell’s way. Stay on your heels all the time and do not look down!
“There is scientific data suggesting that controlled lowering of the weights is more important than lifting them for making the muscle grow. Deadlift is one of the few exercises which enables you to safely drop the weight after you have lifted it. One more reason to deadlift if you want to get stronger and harder without getting husky!
“Do not purposefully drop the bar, however! Your hand or hands might get stuck and might get injured. Dropping with the bar is safer. Ditto for a time when for some reason you could not make the lift. Ideally it is ‘never’.”
So there you have it sir, simply stick your butt out — the same way you did as you when you were starting the movement and reaching down for the bar — and let gravity take its course.
And the bit about the slowly lowering the weight being better for hypertrophy is because it can cause more actual “micro-damage” to the muscles … so to answer your original question … yes, slowly lowering the deadlift can cause you to get more sore than normal.
