deadlift causing lower back pain with perfect form?

[Axegrinder]

Is it possible that my muscles can pull weight my spine cant support? I had no problem moving 195 but when i tried 215 it was too painfull. What do you think it could be?

Thanks.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Perfect form is probably something that should be evaluated by someone other than yourself.

[Axegrinder]

Fair enough, but hypothetically, is it possible?

[weinstev]

It's definitely possible deadlift more with poor form than you can with good form. I went from 3x5@165 to an easy 3x5@285 in a period of about 4 months, only to do a real number on my back. I think that one of the real keys (and I obviously am no expert or I wouldn't have f***ed up my back if I was) is to make sure that you can stay tight throughout the lift, including on the way down.

I know that I could have pulled even more weight off of the floor, but clearly I wasn't doing it with good form. One of the indicators for me that I'm doing it correctly is the fatigue I feel both in my abs and my lower back as I work to stay tight. I also think that lowering the weight correctly is trickier than lifting it, but that's just my opinion.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Yes, it's possible to hurt your back deadlifting. It just usually doesn't happen with good form at 215. With shitty form you can hurt it at 135. And weinstev seems to think that lowering barbells is harder than lifting them; it can be if you haven't be taught how to do it correctly, but it's not inherently the more difficult part of the movement.

[Quintus]

And weinstev seems to think that lowering barbells is harder than lifting them; it can be if you haven't be taught how to do it correctly, but it's not inherently the more difficult part of the movement.

Obviously, lowering the barbell in a deadlift is easier than lifting it, but I still see plenty of people either drop the bar or lower it badly. I think there's a tendency for people to get to the top of a deadlift and just assume that the lift is over. They'll exhale, go loose and just let the weight pull them down - slamming their bar into their knees or pulling their back into a giant 'C.'

I just have to mentally yell at myself to remember that standing up with the weight is only half of the lift. At the top I need to stay tight, keep my breath set and lower the weight as quickly as I can while controlling the bar path. Once the weight's on the floor (and after the dizziness passes) - that's when the celebration starts.