Deadlifts are a powerhouse when it comes to strength training, targeting multiple muscle groups, including your back. So, feeling them in your back isn’t weird — it’s expected!

If you've ever finished a set of deadlifts and felt that your back was notably sore, you're not alone. This experience is not only common but expected. Deadlifts are a powerhouse when it comes to strength training, targeting multiple muscle groups, including your back. So, feeling them in your back isn’t weird — it’s expected!

There is so much fear mongering when it comes to deadlifts that would have you believing feeling any sensation in your back at all means you’re going to herniate a disk. However, the soreness you feel is typically just a sign of your muscles being engaged properly, not of impending doom. It’s crucial to recognize the difference between this normal muscle fatigue and the sharp pains that could indicate an injury.

In my personal experience, back soreness does for sure feel “crankier” than soreness in other muscle groups. And I think it’s this sensation that makes us freak out disproportionately about back soreness.

Your back is working super hard when you deadlift to maintain rigidity through your entire posterior chain. Your spinal erectors, scapular stabilizers, and lats are working isometrically to prevent rounding. An isometric muscle contraction means that there is no change in muscle length. If your back muscles weren’t firing, the weight of the bar would pull all the slack out of your back turning you into a hunch back who couldn’t effectively lift the weight.

But that’s not what happens is it? Nope! You pack your lats, create intra-abdominal pressure, and move the weight. It’s okay for our backs to be fatigued, sore, or even achey!

If you’re experiencing sharp, persistent pains during or immediately after lifting, it might be time to reevaluate your form and/or load. Improving your deadlift technique can help minimize undue strain and prevent injury. Here are a few tips:

Warm up properly: Engage in dynamic stretches and light, related activity to prepare your muscles.
Perfect your form: Always ensure your back and core are engaged, shoulders are stacked over the bar, and shins are vertical to the ground.
Progress gradually: Increase weights incrementally to avoid overloading too quickly
Rest adequately: Give your body time to recover between sets and heavy sessions to prevent overtraining.

Experiencing some back soreness after deadlifting is usually a normal part of strength training. So friendly reminder if you feel deadlifts in your back… good — you should!

Train With Moxie