Always squat, deadlift and bench?

[gatorkong]

So I am reaching the point where I would normally like to mix up my work out a bit, just to keep things progressing by not becoming overly adapted to one particular movement. In the past, I have always changed everything in my split accept for my three main compound exercises; squats on leg day, deadlifts on back day and bench on chest day. I figured that they were important exercises and I should always be doing them. I was just wondering if this is wise or should I occasionally change up these three exercises as well?

[Big]

I sometimes do chest with no bench at all, but squats and deads are a must, imo

[gbrice75]

I definitely like all 3. As Big said, I think squats and deads are a must. Bench is very important IMO, but once in a while you can mix it up with dumbells or something. I would make that the exception and not the norm if gaining mass is your primary goal.

[Western Man]

I do all 3 every week, but I do box squats and when I deadlift I don't pick it up from the floor but from the second pin in the squat rack.

[deuce24]

I do them most workouts but not all

[ObviousDecoy]

I agree they should be the staple of every workout. I have tried to mix it up but I never feel like I'm getting the most out of a workout without those key lifts.

[goodlifting]

definitely keep all three movements as a foundation to your workout. i would be careful about training the squat and deadlift close together too often. squats work your legs but deads destroy your legs as well. so make sure your split allows enough recovery between the two exercises.

what i do is a squat emphasis cycle or a deadlift emphasis cycle. this way i can build the two exercises separtely with success and not have to worry about over training the lower body.

[graeme87]

definitely keep all three movements as a foundation to your workout. i would be careful about training the squat and deadlift close together too often. squats work your legs but deads destroy your legs as well. so make sure your split allows enough recovery between the two exercises.

what i do is a squat emphasis cycle or a deadlift emphasis cycle. this way i can build the two exercises separtely with success and not have to worry about over training the lower body.

Me too, I can't do both squats and deads in the same week. It's one or the other for me otherwise I over train my legs.

[cherrydrpepper]

All three or you need to hand in your man card jmo. Exception for injuries etc.

[BigBuck6]

I sometimes do chest with no bench at all, but squats and deads are a must, imo

agreed

[gbrice75]

definitely keep all three movements as a foundation to your workout. i would be careful about training the squat and deadlift close together too often. squats work your legs but deads destroy your legs as well. so make sure your split allows enough recovery between the two exercises.

what i do is a squat emphasis cycle or a deadlift emphasis cycle. this way i can build the two exercises separtely with success and not have to worry about over training the lower body.

Here's where i'm having a problem. I recently reintroduced deads back into my routine. I like doing them on back day but just don't have enough time to get them in that particular workout.

Instead, i'm doing them on my leg day now - along with squats. Do you think i'm just tearing up too much muscle and won't be able to recover/grow fully before the next workout (7 days later)?

My routine that day - Squats (smith machine, i'll blow my knees out otherwise), Deads, and Calf Raises. Once in a while i'll throw in some leg extensions. I try to keep the workout of those bigger muscles very basic. I used to do hamstring curls until I brought the deads back in - they sufficiently hit the hamstrings IMO.

[Noles12]

Here's where i'm having a problem. I recently reintroduced deads back into my routine. I like doing them on back day but just don't have enough time to get them in that particular workout.

Instead, i'm doing them on my leg day now - along with squats. Do you think i'm just tearing up too much muscle and won't be able to recover/grow fully before the next workout (7 days later)?

My routine that day - Squats (smith machine, i'll blow my knees out otherwise), Deads, and Calf Raises. Once in a while i'll throw in some leg extensions. I try to keep the workout of those bigger muscles very basic. I used to do hamstring curls until I brought the deads back in - they sufficiently hit the hamstrings IMO.

Im not sure about damage but i cant physically do both of those lifts in one day. My legs and back couldnt take that. It would definitely affect my lifts. I usually have a few days between my back and my legs day

[gbrice75]

Im not sure about damage but i cant physically do both of those lifts in one day. My legs and back couldnt take that. It would definitely affect my lifts. I usually have a few days between my back and my legs day

I'll have to monitor myself over the next couple of weeks and see how I feel, gotta let my body tell me I guess.

[sean_holland]

I do all 3, every week. No questions about it. The only things I change are the last exercise every few weeks.

Example: Chest

Bench (Barbell)
Incline (Dumb or Bar)

Flys or Cables or Decline or etc (You get the picture)

Some movements are a must for my body to respond.

[goodlifting]

Here's where i'm having a problem. I recently reintroduced deads back into my routine. I like doing them on back day but just don't have enough time to get them in that particular workout.

Instead, i'm doing them on my leg day now - along with squats. Do you think i'm just tearing up too much muscle and won't be able to recover/grow fully before the next workout (7 days later)?

My routine that day - Squats (smith machine, i'll blow my knees out otherwise), Deads, and Calf Raises. Once in a while i'll throw in some leg extensions. I try to keep the workout of those bigger muscles very basic. I used to do hamstring curls until I brought the deads back in - they sufficiently hit the hamstrings IMO.

it depends on how you approach your workouts. the only safe way i believe an athlete can deadlift and squat in the same training session is if it is kind of a max day: you're only doing up to 2 reps with heavy weight and have a ton of rest in between sets.

on normal training days it is most likely going to be too much on your body to get a good workout in for both of these exercises. what i like to do is spend 4 to 5 weeks emphasizing either the squat or the deadlift, not both. what suprises me sometimes is how much my squat goes up after a hard cycle of deadlifting. or how much my dead goes up after a cycle of squatting.

[BgMc31]

Bench isn't very important. But I say that because it all depends on your goals. As a strongman, there isn't much bench pressing in competition so I focus more on overhead pressing. I also compete in powerlifting, so when preparing for a powerlifting comp, I will incorporate lots of benching but not much overhead pressing (overheads are usually an assistance lift, rather than a focus).

When training high school and college football players, I de-emphasize the bench because it doesn't help them on the field. Inclines are overheads are more beneficial.

With that said, squats and deads are essential. BUT, it's easy to overtrain or overwork you CNS if you squat and dead heavy in the same week. I actually don't do full deads (heavy) but every 3 weeks, but I do variations of the dead (rack pulls, deficit pulls, romanian deads, stiff legs, etc), but never very heavy. I do squat multiple times a week and its always heavy.

Sorry to be so long winded, but the bottom line is, it depends on your goals. There are many bodybuilders who don't squat at all. As a matter of fact, I used to workout at the same gym as Cutler here in Vegas and I think I've seen him squat maybe twice in the 5yrs I worked out at that golds.

[gbrice75]

it depends on how you approach your workouts. the only safe way i believe an athlete can deadlift and squat in the same training session is if it is kind of a max day: you're only doing up to 2 reps with heavy weight and have a ton of rest in between sets.

on normal training days it is most likely going to be too much on your body to get a good workout in for both of these exercises. what i like to do is spend 4 to 5 weeks emphasizing either the squat or the deadlift, not both. what suprises me sometimes is how much my squat goes up after a hard cycle of deadlifting. or how much my dead goes up after a cycle of squatting.

Interesting, so are you saying that you'll go 4-5 weeks doing squats but no deads, and then vice versa?

[goodlifting]

Interesting, so are you saying that you'll go 4-5 weeks doing squats but no deads, and then vice versa?

no i wouldn't do that. squatting maybe every other week for reps is okay during a deadlift cycle, and vice versa. when i say deadlift emphasis, there is a ton more focus on the deadlift than the squat, but you can still squat every once in a while. just keep in mind what you are currently building strength for (either the squat or the deadlift). so if you're deadlifting don't go into the gym to destroy yourself on squats.

the huge back strength you build during the deadlift cycle is awesome when you switch over to squats for the next cycle. you feel much more confident with the bigger weights and usually end up getting new maxes.

the huge leg strength you build during a squat cycle kicks ass when you switch over to deads. that leg strength makes your pull much more powerful.

this works pretty well for me and other people that i've watched use it. it's effective and you also avoid the overtraining.

[danimal79]

feel free to take time away from them, and vary it up! as long as you're working hard, and pumping the shit out of those muscles, you'll be fine. it's actually good to drop your regular exercises for a few weeks from time-to-time.

[mario_ps2]

I sometimes do chest with no bench at all, but squats and deads are a must, imo

Yes like Big say's you got to do squats and deads.. although you can substitute bench presses for dips, military press.

Of what I've experienced, dips and military presses give you better results than bench presses and they don't f**k up your rotator cuff.

[B-HALL]

I do all three as well, Deads are my favorite though, nothing makes my back feel more worked than deads. I bench but whenever I feel it sticking, I switch to db's for a couple of weeks and it usually fixes it.

[B-HALL]

Yes like Big say's you got to do squats and deads.. although you can substitute bench presses for dips, military press.

Of what I've experienced, dips and military presses give you better results than bench presses and they don't f**k up your rotator cuff.

I've seen tons of people have problems with benching, quite often though shoulder issues were nullified while benching by changing the arm angle, keeping shoulder blades together and keeping bar placement low, no higher than the lower chest(nipple line). I've had an issue with my left shoulder, doing internal and external rotations with a 2.5lb plate before benching can work wonders.

[Gaspari1255]

One thing that aggravates me when discussing training (whether its for Athletics, On stage competitors, powerlifters, strong-men, etc ...) is when people say you HAVE to do 'this this this this this and this'. Why do we HAVE to do certain exersizes to grow? Some people respond to different techniques and exersizes better than others. I had a friend who was recently chatting with Phil Hernon, he explained to him that not only are two arm DB rows and alternative to deads, but also a much more beneficial, compound movement. There are sevral BBers who rely on the decline bench as their primary compound movement for chest and some don't even bother with the flat bench at any point in their routines. Maybe I am just ranting, but the point I am trying to make is to do what is best for YOU. Listen to your body, if you can grow without squatting, dead lifting, or benching, then so be it and use the three best alternative exersizes that work for you.



DC Training really made me realize what exersizes work wonders and which ones don't do jack shit for me.

[Dan111]

I agree with this^

I used to do deadlifts but I seriously did not find them beneficial really. My back is one of my strong points and I have not done deadlifts in well over 6 months. I don't neglect my lower back though. Sometimes I will do hyperextensions while holding a DB and it also gets worked when doing bent over rows and straight-leg deadlifts. (And before anyone says this, yes, I know deads don't just work lower back)

Just for me it didn't really do a whole lot, as ****** said do whatever works for you.

*Preparing to get flamed now, lol*

[Akron45]

I believe a day dedicated to the overhead press is just as important as any of the other core lifts.

[Damienm05]

I sometimes do chest with no bench at all, but squats and deads are a must, imo

This. I saw better growth and an easier time on shoulder day when I started doing mainly DB bench, implementing BB only occasionally to mix things up.

[sprinter911]

Squats and deads are a must for me. I do bench 90% of my chest days but I switch it up once and a while. I will alter my incline on bench though.

[powerliftmike]

Alot of powerlifters will deadlift every other week. Its just too much to recover from. Always a good idea to switch up the cores. Front squats, DB bench, inclines, rows, etc, etc