My back loves deadlifting!

[Jimidasprinkla]

Why do our backs feel BETTER after deadlifting? You have mentioned your own experience with this phenomenon in you articles, and I definitely notice the same thing. In fact, my back may be a little achy for days if I only squat, but it immediately feels better, even great, if I squat AND deadlift during my next workout.

The only thing I can think of is a potential balance issue. Is it possible that squats tighten the front chain (e.g., quads), and deadlifting restores balance by tightening the rear chain (e.g., hamstrings)?

Furthermore, do you have any recommendations for mitigating the achy back on non-deadlifting or power clean days? Chins don't provide the same relief.

Thanks!

[Mark Rippetoe]

I think it has to do with moderating the inflammation, by mechanical mashing.

[Espen Lund]

Back extensions always does it for me when my back is complaining. But I would suggest to record your squat and check if your back flex during the lift if you experience pain.

[Mark Rippetoe]

My standard advice is to immediately STOP doing both situps and back extensions at the onset of back pain.

[Tiburon]

My standard advice is to immediately STOP doing both situps and back extensions at the onset of back pain.

What about KTE?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Man, you got me there. If we're now talking about KTE, well, KTE is a whole different basket of fish. A game changer. Fuck. KTE. Man, that's a great acronym.

[shanewilcox]

What about KTE?

I had to look this up. What does Knuckles the Echidna have to do with back extensions or deadlifting?

[Crimmy]

I had to look this up. What does Knuckles the Echidna have to do with back extensions or deadlifting?

You know Mark Chang and his awesome towel row? It's similar. It's when you grab a wall or pole and then deadlift horizontally. Really helped improve my ability to crawl up walls like Knuckles does. But it does mess with my a back a bit.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I don't know Mark, and what does a bodyweight row, however awesome or horizontal it is, have to do with a deadlift?

[indianagreg]

I had a similar experience: back felt fine during DLs, but was just destroyed during the squat. I tried back extensions, changing foot positions, and a few other things without success. The Untamed Strength guy has a good videos about squats that feel more like Good Mornings, putting a ton of strain on your lower back - exactly the problem I was having.

I finally hired a coach for an hour (SSC coach Karl Schudt) to fix my squat. While he found a number of areas I could improve, the one cue that fixed the back paid was "stay tight at the bottom" (or stay tight on the way down AND at the bottom AND on the way up). I was so focused on hip driving up that I was bouncing my ass when I got below parallel, basically relaxing everything to the point where my lower back was catching the weight on the way up. Thinking about staying tight solved it for me.