Two weekends ago I dropped in on John Rusin’s Pain-Free Performance Specialist course at AMP Fitness in Boston. My friend David Otey—currently #7 on my list of Top 10 man crushes—was in town to teach. It was great to catch up after months apart, and after a long gap in in-person education, it was eye-opening to be among a group of fitness professionals in a learning setting for a few hours. I left with plenty of insights, but one analogy in particular really stuck with me.
The idea that “Do Not Cross” doesn’t really mean you can’t cross: fitness in a nutshell. If you’ve spent time in a big city, you’ve seen the wall of “Do Not Cross” signs. Pedestrian life runs on a countdown of when it’s safe to go, and the signs are there for safety and the public good. Usually people cross anyway, and it’s fine most of the time—but you still need to stay alert.
The same theme shows up with lifting. In his talk on squat assessment and technique, David noted that people can back squat with a straight bar—often seen as one of the more advanced variations—but it only takes one moment of too much load or overzealousness for something to go wrong. The conventional deadlift, especially when pulled from the floor, is arguably the most advanced variant: the axis of rotation is farther from the bar, there’s more shear on the spine, and it demands a solid amount of mobility (hip flexion, thoracic extension, ankle dorsiflexion) and favorable body proportions (short torso, long arms) to maintain a safe spine position.
Note: Dr. Stuart McGill has suggested in his research that a large portion of people he’s assessed could not perform a floor-based conventional deadlift without compensating through the lumbar spine (i.e., through some loaded spinal flexion). Note II: Some estimates hover around 87% to 93%. The point is still the same: back squats and conventional deadlifts can be fine, but many trainees cross the “do not cross” line when using them.
Bottom line: these lifts work for many people, but most trainees are crossing the line when they perform them without individual assessment. It’s crucial to tailor any program to the person—considering injury history, goals, ability, and even body proportions—rather than forcing the lift to fit someone. Safer alternatives that fit a broader range of people include the trap bar deadlift, front squat, or an SSB squat. It’s still squatting and deadlifting, just with a lower risk of derailment.
On a lighter note, in Germany people really do wait for the walk signal before crossing. I love it. The doors there are pretty cool, too.
