Physician, Speaker, #1 NYT Bestselling Author of Outlive (The Science and Art of Longevity), Founder of Early, CoFounder of 10 Squared, and Podcast Host of THE DRIVE
When should you stop deadlifting? | Stuart McGill, Ph.D. This clip is from episode # 287 of The Drive which was rebroadcasted on 9/1/25. In the full episode, we cover: -The difference between acute and chronic back pain, and the mechanics behind each -How the spine adapts to bending, loading, and different athletic activities -The pathology of bulging discs and their impact on pain -How psychological trauma from back pain can be eased by understanding its mechanical causes -More Watch or listen (Ep. # 287 rebroadcast) to the full episode on my website (https:/https://lnkd.in/gjsgJ68v) or your favorite podcast player.
The older I get the more listening to my body I do.
Deadlifts don’t have to be in your program, but hip hinging does. Pair it with backwards sled drags and you’ve got one of the most effective combos for strength, resilience, and longevity.
Excellent insights from Dr. McGill here — his work on spinal mechanics has guided so many of us in training smarter, not just harder. I’ve trained daily for over 40 years, and I believe longevity isn’t about abandoning load, it’s about adapting it. Maintaining muscle mass and bone strength is the insurance policy for men in their 40s and 50s. Prioritising protein, recovery, and intelligent exercise selection makes all the difference. Heavy training still has a place — provided it’s done with wisdom, not ego. Curious, Peter — when you look at training through the lens of longevity, where do you see the sweet spot between maintaining strength and avoiding unnecessary risk?
Great information. Older men and women have no business doing deadlifts. Its a very unforgiving exercise that has the potential to hurt you seriously! Rick Duplantis, MD, DC, MA
Thanks for sharing this insightful clip, Peter. Understanding the mechanics behind back pain is so important—do you recommend specific guidelines for when to intentionally pause deadlifting? I value your vision let’s connect
The risk-to-reward just isn't worth it IMO. RDLs are a standard practice, however.
Functional fitness > your desire to slam a bar with weight plates on the gym floor while grunting loudly…impressing nobody.
Is never an option? I'm all about getting rid of the 1 rep max. But I'd like to be able to lift heavy stuff off the ground for a long time.
I love playing with my granddaughter - throwing those 13kgs around and picking her up a 100 times a day are the best workout in the whole world.
Founder & CEO @ Central Institute for Human Performance and Curious Gap Labs | Author of "The Power of Doing What Matters" | Performance Coach | Resilience Advocate
2wone of the best at helping people see what matters. It is fascinating how hard it is to accomplish this message. Our internal models fool us. Stu is laser focused on helping people become self efficacious. Brilliant