Bigsteve, I've never been diagnosed with spondylolysis, but I know a few body builders that have had a similar diagnosis. The main difference being the amount of core reinforcement a powerlifter puts behind a deadlift, and the amount a body builder might put behind it...yes, this varies lifter to lifter. Alot of the core strength and recruitment patterns, and chaos recovery work that a powerlifter might do is in direct opposition to the goals of a bodybuilder, especially one woried about getting a thick waste. I know not every powerlifter trains the same, but I personally give more time to core strength, recovery, chaos recovery, flexibility, etc...specifically so that when I DO perform things like deadlifts, I am equipped to handle it.
It seems to me that this happens most often when the lifter can't control the eccentric phase, or when an athlete is doing something with forward force while twisting (like soccer, baseball, etc..) Another reason form and plane of action are important.
I don't know how often you witness, right here on the training board, people that don't know the difference between a deadlift, and its variations (RDL, SLDL, etc...). There is a large difference in injury potential. Someone like me who performs a max full ROM deadlift 4-6 times a year with perfect form after months of training for it, will have a different experience than someone doing RDL's at too high a weight, and is experiencing eccentric failure (WHICH DOES NOT EXIST IN A TRUE DEAD). A true deadlift is concentric...you pick it up. That's it. Also, a true deadlift is compound, and can involve many other muscles, as well as force factors like speed. Again, in opposition, someone doing high weight RDLs is likely isolating someting...like THE LOWER BACK, or hamstrings.
Sorry for the drawn out lecture. I want to stress that A> there may be a difference in definition here with regard to "a deadlift," and B> I don't think the deadlift is the problem, it's the lifter.
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