? on SLDL and squat...

[alexsmom]

For those of you who do these, how much weight are you using? I feel like such a wimp....I'm not even using a bar but two dumbells.
For SLDL's anything over 30lbs starts to aggrevate my back and I can go a little heavier on the squat but not much. My legs do get fatigued, but this sounds so light compared to what everybody else seems to lift. Am I just wasting my time? Should I just keep trying to lift heavier dumbells? Thanks to anyone who can offer some suggestions.

~KB

 

[Arioch]

Do you have any previous injuries to the back or pelvis?

Also, Spatts touched on form, and IMO this is the most important aspect. Maintain your arch at all times, not just the lower back, but the upper back as well. Many people will go lower than they should, as their lack of flexibility causes them to round, and this is a Very Bad Thing.

 

[Haz]

Form is very important when doing deads and squats. If you don't do them right you can put alot of stress on your back. So make sure you are doing the lifts correctly. Once you have the technique down, you'll be able to handle heavier weights easily.

 

[SteelWeaver]

How many reps are you doing? How long have you been doing them? It takes a while to build up the weights, because you're focussing so much on form. If your back is hurting there must be something wrong. Do you have someone who can check your form? Or you could have someone take a series of pics and post them here for folks to critique.

And I agree with spatts - dumbbells tend to swing around, making it harder to stay in control, especially if you don't have a lot of upper body strength.

I'm not so sure about wraps at this point, though. And I wouldn't recommend a belt either, right now, in case anyone suggests it - better to work on strengthening the lower back and rear chain. Are you doing hyperextensions, reverse hyperextensions, glute ham raises, good mornings, pull throughs?