New to Deadlifts

OK, I've just got back from the gym, having done deadlifts for the first time. I was going to ask, why it is that EVERYONE recommends them, but nobody (well, not at my gym at any rate) seems to do them?

I think that I've answered my own question. After 4 sets I had to spend 10 minutes flat on my back, just getting into a state where I could even function as a human being. It's a feeling of complete and utter exhaustion However, there appears to be no 'centre' of exhaustion. I couldn't point to any single muscle or part of the body that feels overworked. It's an all over feeling, like I've wrestled a grizzly bear for 2 hours and just managed to escape with my life. Anyway, that's my perception. The muscle ache will probably hit tomorrow. Right now I just feel immensely tired.

What changes can I expect to see over the coming months with this 'new' exercise?

Thanks in advance. This forum is a great place for tips and advice as lurker and poster.

Your lower back will 'thicken' quite rapidly.

Btw, I'd love to hear how you feel when you wake up tomorrow.

People don't do them because #1 they hurt like hell if done right. You'll be sore and in pain. That is also the reason they are one of the best exercises.

I agree wholeheartedly about your lower back thickening quite rapidly. Take your time and ease into them. I try not to do them more than once a week; sometimes only once every 2 weeks if I'm hitting my max). I try and do only one work set. In other words, I work up to my top weight, do a set (usually no more than 3 reps) and stop.
You might be sore, incredibly sore, in the next few days. Take a tylenol. Not many people do deadlifts for the same excuse they don't squat - it's hard damn work. In addition, the DL doesn't develop those beach muscles. It is a pure strength movement; probably the most functional exercise there is.

Deadlifts are awesome. I'm not sure if I love them more or less than squats, but probably a bit more.

The most important thing about DLs is form. Please be really careful. The back should never be less than straight. You can really ************* up I bet lifting such heavy weight with your back.

Other than that, DLs will you give you a really sexy lower back - and they will make your posture excellent. I get compliments on these things occasionally, and they can be yours as well for the low price of weekly deadlifts.

Deadlifts are really rough at the beginning, but after a while you won't be that sore the next day. For a while, the most sore part on you will be your lower back and you will be wondering if the whole exercise is just about the lower back. But it's a movement that works your whole posterior chain, so it is only as strong as the weakest link. In most people, the lower back has to catch up. Just take it slow and keep good form. I'm sure you will enjoy the exercise.

Originally Posted by MetroStyles

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Deadlifts are awesome. I'm not sure if I love them more or less than squats, but probably a bit more.

The most important thing about DLs is form. Please be really careful. The back should never be less than straight. You can really ************* up I bet lifting such heavy weight with your back.

Other than that, DLs will you give you a really sexy lower back - and they will make your posture excellent. I get compliments on these things occasionally, and they can be yours as well for the low price of weekly deadlifts.

Deadlifts are really rough at the beginning, but after a while you won't be that sore the next day. For a while, the most sore part on you will be your lower back and you will be wondering if the whole exercise is just about the lower back. But it's a movement that works your whole posterior chain, so it is only as strong as the weakest link. In most people, the lower back has to catch up. Just take it slow and keep good form. I'm sure you will enjoy the exercise.

That's a great point! For a while, my lower back would be very sore after heavy DL's. I could get the weight no problem, but it was as if my body could DL more than my lower back could handle.

Taking acetominophen for soreness is pretty dumb.

Check out the videos on www.crossfit.com They are big into deadlifts.

Originally Posted by why

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Taking acetominophen for soreness is pretty dumb.

When I'm very sore from heavy deadlifts, it's painful. Tylenol is a pain reliever. Works for me. YMMV.

Effect of ibuprofen and acetaminophen on postexercise muscle protein synthesis
T. A. Trappe1, F. White1, C. P. Lambert1, D. Cesar2, M. Hellerstein2, and W. J. Evans1

1 Nutrition, Metabolism, and Exercise Laboratory, Donald W. Reynolds Center on Aging, Departments of Geriatrics and Physiology and Biophysics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and the Central Arkansas Veterans HealthCare System, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205; and 2 Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-3104

We examined the effect of two commonly consumed over-the-counter analgesics, ibuprofen and acetaminophen, on muscle protein synthesis and soreness after high-intensity eccentric resistance exercise. Twenty-four males (25 ± 3 yr, 180 ± 6 cm, 81 ± 6 kg, and 17 ± 8% body fat) were assigned to one of three groups that received either the maximal over-the-counter dose of ibuprofen (IBU; 1,200 mg/day), acetaminophen (ACET; 4,000 mg/day), or a placebo (PLA) after 10-14 sets of 10 eccentric repetitions at 120% of concentric one-repetition maximum with the knee extensors. Postexercise (24 h) skeletal muscle fractional synthesis rate (FSR) was increased 76 ± 19% (P < 0.05) in PLA (0.058 ± 0.012%/h) and was unchanged (P > 0.05) in IBU (35 ± 21%; 0.021 ± 0.014%/h) and ACET (22 ± 23%; 0.010 ± 0.019%/h). Neither drug had any influence on whole body protein breakdown, as measured by rate of phenylalanine appearance, on serum creatine kinase, or on rating of perceived muscle soreness compared with PLA. These results suggest that over-the-counter doses of both ibuprofen and acetaminophen suppress the protein synthesis response in skeletal muscle after eccentric resistance exercise. Thus these two analgesics may work through a common mechanism to influence protein metabolism in skeletal muscle.

deadlifts are great! Its a compound movement which pretty much works most muscles in your entire body. deadlifts = greater muscle = more fat loss.

One piece of advice, don't over do it on the weight until you master your form. If not, you can seriously injure yourself.

Originally Posted by why

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Effect of ibuprofen and acetaminophen on postexercise muscle protein synthesis
T. A. Trappe1, F. White1, C. P. Lambert1, D. Cesar2, M. Hellerstein2, and W. J. Evans1

1 Nutrition, Metabolism, and Exercise Laboratory, Donald W. Reynolds Center on Aging, Departments of Geriatrics and Physiology and Biophysics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and the Central Arkansas Veterans HealthCare System, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205; and 2 Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-3104

We examined the effect of two commonly consumed over-the-counter analgesics, ibuprofen and acetaminophen, on muscle protein synthesis and soreness after high-intensity eccentric resistance exercise. Twenty-four males (25 ± 3 yr, 180 ± 6 cm, 81 ± 6 kg, and 17 ± 8% body fat) were assigned to one of three groups that received either the maximal over-the-counter dose of ibuprofen (IBU; 1,200 mg/day), acetaminophen (ACET; 4,000 mg/day), or a placebo (PLA) after 10-14 sets of 10 eccentric repetitions at 120% of concentric one-repetition maximum with the knee extensors. Postexercise (24 h) skeletal muscle fractional synthesis rate (FSR) was increased 76 ± 19% (P < 0.05) in PLA (0.058 ± 0.012%/h) and was unchanged (P > 0.05) in IBU (35 ± 21%; 0.021 ± 0.014%/h) and ACET (22 ± 23%; 0.010 ± 0.019%/h). Neither drug had any influence on whole body protein breakdown, as measured by rate of phenylalanine appearance, on serum creatine kinase, or on rating of perceived muscle soreness compared with PLA. These results suggest that over-the-counter doses of both ibuprofen and acetaminophen suppress the protein synthesis response in skeletal muscle after eccentric resistance exercise. Thus these two analgesics may work through a common mechanism to influence protein metabolism in skeletal muscle.

This study was for the effectiveness of pain relievers after doing knee extensors. Do you have any that study the effectiveness after heavy deadlifts?

Use what you like, but... every person I've ever trained with recommends Ibuprofen for muscle and joint pain related to working out. From what I understand, Acetaminophen is much harder on the stomach, kidneys, and liver, and does not deal as effectively with swelling associated with muscular and joint pain.

Aleve apparently works quite similarly to Ibuprofen in the way it attacks pain, so may be a good option for some, but it is not as universally accepted.

Originally Posted by kaxixi

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Use what you like, but... every person I've ever trained with recommends Ibuprofen for muscle and joint pain related to working out.

+1 Ibuprofen is the way to go.

I have no input on the scientific merits of ibuprofen for soreness, but it does seem like a bit of a weak move. I mean you are deadlifting for chrissakes, you should relish the pain.