Question About Deadlifts

Okay, this is how my workout schedule is like:


Monday - Legs (squats, front squats, calf raises, extensions, curls)

Tuesday - Chest (bench, incline, decline, cables)

Wednesday - Back (rowing, pulldown, single arm pulldowns, lower back machine)

Thursday - Arms (three exercises bi's, three exercises tri's)

Friday - Shoulders (military, dumbell raises, laterals (twi kinds), shrugs)


Now I want to add deadlifts to my routine, but both kinds. Stiff legged deadlifts AND the normal kind (where you bend the knees and go down).

Should I only do ONE of the kind of deadlifts? I was thinking about adding stiff legged dead lifts on "back" days, and adding normal deadlifts on "leg" days.

Does that seem good? Okay?

Let me know, thnx,
T>

I would not do them both of them each week, I think you should add them in on your back day or your legs which ever you decide and rotate them each week. If you do them right and do the correct amount of sets you should be sore for a couple days anway. Besides your lower back gets hit alot in many different exercises and body parts.

First off, I would put leg day in the middle of a 5 day split to give upper body a rest. I'm prioritizing legs myself and usually do them on tuesday. My 5 day split looks like this: Monday-Chest, Tues-Legs, Wed-Arms, Thurs-Back, and Fri-Shoulders. This seems to work good since each bodypart is not entirely affected by the previous day's training session. I would add stiff-leg deads in their with hams on leg day and regular deadlifts on back day. Not too put Warrior on the spot, but I'm sure he has some valuable info. on properly adding deadlifts to your program. Give it a shot.....Usualsuspect

Add deads on back day and straight legged deads on leg day. And put legs in the middle of the week likeusualsuspect said to give your upper body a break.

big texan is right on. thats what i have been doing.

The reason for this is regular dealift (although works many muscle groups) is a lift mainly for back and straight legged deads (again works different muscle groups) is mainly for hamstrings....or at least I've been told and that's what hurts like hell the next day!

Are you on gear?

dude.. I would only do one type of dead per week.. those are tough on your system.. doing them on the same day as squats is insane. Go to www.testosterone.net and look up Deadlifting. There is a kick ass article on how to properly deadlift and helped me put a lot of weigh on my deadlift..

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Originally posted by Eddyflash
dude.. I would only do one type of dead per week.. those are tough on your system.. doing them on the same day as squats is insane. Go to www.testosterone.net and look up Deadlifting. There is a kick ass article on how to properly deadlift and helped me put a lot of weigh on my deadlift..

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I agree, since you train so much in a short period of time with hardly any rest. And I bet you do many sets per workout.

Thnx for all the replies everyone.

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Originally posted by chinups
I would not do them both of them each week, I think you should add them in on your back day or your legs which ever you decide and rotate them each week. If you do them right and do the correct amount of sets you should be sore for a couple days anway. Besides your lower back gets hit alot in many different exercises and body parts.

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I like this idea. I think it's a good idea to alternate between them, and I'll do it every other week.

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Originally posted by usualsuspect
First off, I would put leg day in the middle of a 5 day split to give upper body a rest. I'm prioritizing legs myself and usually do them on tuesday. My 5 day split looks like this: Monday-Chest, Tues-Legs, Wed-Arms, Thurs-Back, and Fri-Shoulders. This seems to work good since each bodypart is not entirely affected by the previous day's training session. I would add stiff-leg deads in their with hams on leg day and regular deadlifts on back day. Not too put Warrior on the spot, but I'm sure he has some valuable info. on properly adding deadlifts to your program. Give it a shot.....Usualsuspect

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I would agree with you in terms of putting legs in the middle of the 5 day split. However, due to my university schedule, and my workout partner, this is the only way we can really workout together on the important days (chest, arms, shoulders). However, because I'll be starting my cycle soon, I don't think it would matter too much in terms of giving them a break. So far it feels okay doing it this way. Before it used to be: Chest, Back, Arms, Legs, Shoulders. But we also realize that doing chest on Mondays feels shitty. Not only is it the first week back, but you feel lazy from the weekend, and I have too many classes on Monday (makes the mood turn to shit!!).

I also have to disagree with you on the arms and back. I have noticed that when I workout, it's better to have a sore back and then workout arms the next day. If you workout your arms the day before back, your arms are too sore to be able to do heavy back exercises. For example rowing or pulldown, i feel my arms too weak, but that's just me.

Thnx again for all the replies, it helps!

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Originally posted by BIG TEXAN
Add deads on back day and straight legged deads on leg day. And put legs in the middle of the week likeusualsuspect said to give your upper body a break.

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I thought straight legged deads works the lower back, and normal deads work your whole legs and lower back. Should it be the other way around, put deads on leg days and straight legged deads on back day?

Either way, I like what "chinups" said about alternating them weekly, so I think I'll give that a try.

I've always felt like straight legged deads worked my hamstrings more than anything else and I feel it in my back after regular deads. I know you use your legs for regular deads but it never bothers my legs, just feel it in my back.

I say go with Big Texans advice

Stiff Leg Deads are usually used for hamstrings. Get a full stretch by standing on a block if needed.

Also like Big Texan said, Deads are great for a back day. If anything for the mind set you get from them. Heavy pulling exercises like Barbell Rows seem so much lighter after heavy Deads. Do 4-5 sets of 2-5 reps Deads then some Barbell Rows. The Barbell Rows will seem much lighter in comparison... that mental set of "this is pretty heavy" can be relative... and compared to Deads - everything is relatively light. :D

Example of a strength Back day that would also add a lot of density:

Deadlifts, 4-5 sets, 2-5 reps, 4-5 minute RI's.
Barbell Rows, 3-4 sets, 6-10 reps, 2-3 minute RI's.
Dumbell Rows, 3-4 sets, 10-12 reps, 2 minute RI's.
Dumbell Shrugs, 2-3 sets, 10-12 reps, 2 minute RI's.

If you don't bust ass (literally) doing Deads - you are going too light :D But always remember to let out the pressure by breathing correctly.

Thanks for the advice Warrior, for now however, I have put deadlifts AND squats aside actually because my lower back seems to have problems when I do them (I don't know why, I'm pretty sure I do proper technique and all).

Right now, my back workouts look like this, let me know what you think (actually lemme just post my WHOLE workout so I can get some feedback from you :).)

Monday (Legs):

Leg Press - 4-5 sets (10-12 reps)
Calf Raises - 4-5 sets (15-20 reps)
Extensions - 4-5 sets (8-10 reps)
Curls - 4-5 sets (8-10 reps)

Tuesday (Chest):

Flat Press - 5-6 sets (6-10 reps)
Incline Press - 4 sets (8-10 reps)
Dumbell Flyes/Press - 2-3 sets (10 reps) <-- usually just for a stretch
Decline Press - 3 sets (10-12 reps)
Cables - 4 sets (10-12 reps)

Wednesday (Back):

Seat Row - 4-5 sets (6-10 reps)
Seated Pulldown - 4 sets (10-12 reps)
One Arm Standing Pulldowns (cable) - 4 sets (8-12 reps)
Lower Back Extensions (if it feels okay) - 4 sets (15-20 reps)

Thursday (Arms):

Barbell Curls - 4 sets (6-8 reps)
Close Grip Bench - 4 sets (8-10 reps)
One Arm Cable Curls - 3-4 sets (10-12 reps)
One Arm Cable Extensions (tri's) - 3-4 sets (10-12 reps)
Cable Curls/Tri's (really fast sets (burnout)) - 2 sets each (till failure)

Friday (Shoulders):

Military Press - 4 sets (6-10 reps)
Dumbell Press - 3 sets (8-12 reps)
Side Laterals - 4 sets (12-14 reps OR failure)
Shrugs (on smith) - 4-5 sets (15 reps)


THAT is my workout routine (about), PLEASE give me feedback about it, how you think it looks, etc. All I can say is i've been doing this routine for almost 2 months now and it feels great, I usually am DEAD tired after it. Cycle is helping out too :D

Let me know,
T.

Wow, thats alot of volume. But if it's working and you are getting stronger and putting up more weight and more reps each time at the gym, it must be working....

IMO -

I always mention that you should never divide your split into days of the week. You should instead think of it as Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 - not Mon, Tues, Wed, ... the reason being that what happens if you have external commitments? Or you need an extra day for recover because you have been feeling under the weather? Would you skip that bodypart until the next week? No, you would pick right back up in sequence.

Split looks good. I assume you designed it for your training level... the bottomline is progression.

A few things I will mention...

Because of the slow-twitch/fast-twitch make up of the quadriceps they need more time under tension. Don't be affraid to use rep ranges up to 15-18 for growth. For strength you can go as high as 10-12 (on the other side, hamstrings are predominatly fast-twitch and are worked with the traditionally lower rep ranges).

Do extensions after Leg Press to keep blood localized. Don't jump from one bodypart to the next unless you are supersetting opposing groups.

Chest volume looks unbalanced (too much) when compared to what you are doing for even larger muscle groups - legs.

Again for arms, don't jump around unless you are super/giant setting the opposing groups. Otherwise, fatigue one muscle group at a time.

BTW - Machines are made for one reason: To be melted down into more dumbells :D - Machines have their place but free weights are much better. Personally, if I were to pick two excercises for quads... I would not pick Leg Press and Extensions - but Leg Press and Hack Squats. Or Biceps... not barbell curls and cable curls - Barbell curls with Incline Dumbell curls. Free weights are a more natural movement and give you better resistance in the negatives.

Thanks for the tips, i'll look into it.

What would you recommend for chest then, when you say it is too much?

Thnx,
T.