Dead lifts & Military presses

[bgm]

Just want to start by saying I enjoy using Cathe's tapes. I have been using them for about 6 years and have had great results.
My daughter who is a physical therapist assistant tells me that the Physical Therapists where she works do not recommend doing dead lifts or military presses. They say the position your body is in during deadlifts and presses puts you at a high risk for an injury.

Has anyone else heard this before, do we have any Physical therapists out there who could enlighten me.

Thanks for your help

 

[FitnessGoddess]

I have heard this not just from physical therapists but also 1 personal trainer.

From my own experience, I can tell you that even after having 2 trainers show me how to do dead lifts properly, I have all kinds of problems with back pain after doing them. I don't do them at all anymore.

 

[kathryn]

I know that many people are against doing military presses behind the neck, as it puts the shoulders in a very risky position (though you'll see them recommended in body-building books and magazines, those that are written by kinesiologists and physical therapists, and people who avoid exercises that can cause injury put them on their list of "not to do" exercises). I have had shoulder problems in the past, and my sensitive shoulder works much better doing overhead pressed with dumbbells, so I can change the hand position to one where the palms face towards each other a bit. I have completely given up doing military presses with a barbell, and my shoulder has never been better, even when I heavy-up on the dumbbells.

As for the deadlift, I think it IS a high risk exercise if done incorrectly. It takes perfect form to avoid risk (absolutely NO rounding of the back, going down no lower than you can safely do with a normally arched back, keeping the weight close to the legs, no bounce at the bottom of the move). For an example of BAD deadlift form, that will most probably lead to injury, just watch one of the Slim Series tapes. The instructor is very flexible, so she can go down far, but she holds the weights out from her body. Ligament-tearing, vertebra-crushing form is used by a background exerciser who rounds her back AND bounces at the bottom of the move.

 

[fox2star]

As one who suffered a herniated disc from doing deadlifts improperly, I too stay away from them now! After 10 months of contant leg pain ( sciatic nerve damage), and surgery, I am grateful that I am back using weights and the treadmill. I'll stick to leg curls, thanks!