[machinehermiter]

I have lifted for 35+ years now. The only thing I don't like is how popular powerlifting has become.

Everyone I know that has been into powerlifting for a long time including myself is paying the price with disc herniation, bad knees, etc.

We really need gyms to get belt squat machines or pit sharks so people stop balancing barbells on their spine with huge weights and move up and down. Kind of obvious what is going to happen over time.

Lifting heavier weights than you have previously is super addictive.

I don't think it really helps my mood nearly as much as hard conditioning or even long walks but I don't really know what it is like to not lift at this point.

[matwood]

I'm going to push back a bit on the no powerlifting. Like any other sport or exercise, risk vs reward needs to be looked at, but increasing strength is almost always useful. I would tell everyone to power lift, but also tell them there is zero reason to ever do 1RMs (use 3RM or 5RM and just calculate). And if people are really conservative, then set sane maxes like no more than 2x BW for squat/DL.

I powerlifted for many years, and have only had major injuries from sports - a torn ACL (wakeboarding) and disc herniation (basketball). In both cases, my doctors/PTs said my base strength accelerated my recovery.

[bradleyjg]

Runners screw up their knees too. Tennis players their elbows. I guess maybe we should all be swimming but personally I hate laps.

[mikestew]

“Every runner you know”, as with OP and powerlifting? Or just a few? Because there’s a wide gulf between a subset being injured and injury being a foregone conclusion. To miss that is to miss OP’s point.

[samatman]

Powerlifting is an actual competitive sport.

My anecdotes (to go with OPs) is that the competitive powerlifters I know have injuries, and the 'gymbro' types who use the big lifts for health and some light bodybuilding, for the most part do not.

Chasing that new ATH is addictive, and a great way to exceed what your body can safely handle.

[atomicity]

I think the larger problem is that everybody expects that they have to get better, and they have to get better quickly. That's why people injure themselves doing pretty much anything requiring physical exertion.

Recovery is important. Maybe it will be better if people see exercise as a secondary tool for improving their health/recovery rate, rather than the primary tool for becoming more powerful.

[lottin]

Loading your back with progressively heavier weights will make your back stronger and your spine more resilient to injury.

[ardit33]

unless you start overloading it too fast, and lift too close to failure and with bad technique...

I love deadlifts, but It is very easy to mess up your back with them. On the other hand, whenever I didn't deadlift, eventually started getting random back pains (from sitting too long), and wrists pains (from typing) as those muscles were getting weaker.

TLDR: Deadlifting, powerlifting and such are great for your back and posture, as long as you don't push yourself to your limits (keep it within 80-85% of your max) and watch your technique.

Most people want to push their personal envelope, and that's where they get injured.