Left Lat Strain

[69cyclerider]

Question for the smart guys in here. Every time I go and start deadlifting ( warming up ) my left lat gets strained. I'm using an overhand grip on both hands. Would switching to an underhand grip on my left hand alleviate the problem or no ? My right lat never bothers me and it's getting frustrating not being able to deadlift.

Thanks in advance

 

[getbiggest]

Well personally I’d try to get to the root of the problem. Maybe something is off with your form or some imbalance of some sort. Sounds like you have the bar too far out in front of you during the lift causing your lat to strain keeping it against your body. So maybe a video of you doing them would help ? That being said I partially tore my left lat doing pull-ups and was able to keep pulling over 700lbs without hurting it worse and that is my underhand while pulling. So maybe it’ll work ? Not sure. I’d still try to trouble shoot and get to the root of the issue so you don’t hurt yourself more in the future.

 

[69cyclerider]

I've had people look at my form and they say it's good. Bar rides up my chins so it's not out far at all. Just bewilders me.

 

[chinaboy]

Your scapula stabilizers are probably fatiguing allowing your lat to pick up more of the work. Are you doing dead before or after your back workout?

 

[johnjuanb1]

Question for the smart guys in here. Every time I go and start deadlifting ( warming up ) my left lat gets strained. I'm using an overhand grip on both hands. Would switching to an underhand grip on my left hand alleviate the problem or no ? My right lat never bothers me and it's getting frustrating not being able to deadlift.

Thanks in advance

I tore my left lat on deadlifts. That was the last time I did that stupid exercise.

 

[Reno911]

Are you training for powerlifting? If not, I think when you get to a certain age and/or level of development the risk/reward ration just isn't there for the deadlift.

Your disks will thank you in your 40's for ditching it early in your training career. Now, if you don't care about training into your 40's or 50's then have at it!

 

[maldorf]

Are you training for powerlifting? If not, I think when you get to a certain age and/or level of development the risk/reward ration just isn't there for the deadlift.

Your disks will thank you in your 40's for ditching it early in your training career. Now, if you don't care about training into your 40's or 50's then have at it!

I agree. Back in my late 30s I did a compromise, I only deadlifted every other week at most. Eventually I just phased it out altogether. if you are bodybuilding it is my opinion that you really don't need to do them. Squats are so similar, just a bit less work on the low back. You can work the low back with something like stiff leg deadlifts.

I just did stiff leg deads in my late 30s and up. Builds up the hamstrings well and low back. Allows you to squat better too since your low back isn't overly fatigued. Have to go a lot lighter weight with stiff leg.

 

[69cyclerider]

Your scapula stabilizers are probably fatiguing allowing your lat to pick up more of the work. Are you doing dead before or after your back workout?

Before

 

[maldorf]

Prior injury?

Was that lat injured prior to this issue? It might just be that you aren't resting the area enough so that it heals fully and you keep reinjuring it. You may need to stop doing deadlifts for at least 1 month or so to let it heal. If other exercises are causing the pain to come back youll need to stop those too. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The chain is going to snap at the weakest point.

 

[danieltx]

Are you training for powerlifting? If not, I think when you get to a certain age and/or level of development the risk/reward ration just isn't there for the deadlift.

Your disks will thank you in your 40's for ditching it early in your training career. Now, if you don't care about training into your 40's or 50's then have at it!

Totally agree. I switched from floor deadlifts to rack deadlifts 3-4 years ago and my overall back development is much better plus my lower back feels much better than when I was floor deadlifting every week.

 

[275bills]

How wide is your grip? I would use shoulder width if not already doing it. Do you do pause or bounce reps? Also what rep range do you warm up with?

 

[Fa Seeshus]

It might actually be a trigger point in your Teres Major, not your lat. This can happen if that side is constantly internally rotated. I bet on the left side your shoulder rolls in more?

 

[69cyclerider]

I will try the rack deadlifts and see how that feels.
I have a shoulder width overhand grip
I use a pause, come within an 1" of the ground controlled with no bounce.

Thanks you all for the comments and recommendations.

 

[AllLoadedUp]

This is my process for floor deads. I do several light sets of lat pulldowns before I go deadlift.

I pull off the floor once a month usually.

I use a double overhand grip, with straps obviously.

Last week I pulled 625x1. I will be 46 this year.

My advice is try warming up first with a few sets of pulldowns to get blood flowing in that area first.