Importance of Deadlifts

I just put SLDLs back into my weightlifting routine and I could see noticeable improvments in my speed and my squat. I think the key to deadlifting is to use relatively light weights(50-60%) and keep the reps fairly high( in the 8 - 12 range). I think deadlifts were frowned upon on this forum before because of the way they taxed the CNS when heavy weights were used. This need not be the case with the use of lighter weights. There are also studies that show sprinting speed improves with “non CNS taxing” hamstring work. I definitely agree with this. Thoughts?

I feel the point you just made about improvement of a “CNS taxing” ability through the complementary use of “non CNS taxing” means is truly a crucial ,and widely underestimated one.

I agree. I was a guinea pig myself deadlifting 550 and doing SLDL with 405 for reps and it DESTROYED my CNS for a few days and ended up with poor sprint results.

Learning from that mistake, I had my sprinters do fast romanian deadlifts (knees bent some) with 20%-30% at 20 reps and it was a totally different story (helpful rather than counterproductive).

You make a great point here. Hamstring work is so important when it comes to speed developement, but it is not the same strength needed in the quads or hip extensors (I know, the biceps femoris is a hip extensor). The hamstrings have the daunting task of deccelerating the lower leg at a high rate of speed. Bulking up the hamstrings is pointless, so I believe that you have the right rep range and I like the percentage.

I believe that traditional deadlifts are frowned upon by this forum because it is so taxing on the CNS, as you pointed out, and the benifits are virtually the same as those of squats. Straight leg deads, or Romanian deads, are a completely different exercise focusing on a different set of muscles that are not often worked.

How about for a bball player, would it help them to keep the reps higher (8-10) ? Or keep it slightly lower 8 and below because of all of the jumping demands of the sport.

Im doing 3RMs on deads and doing 90% 10RM on SDLDs for 6 sets and my CNS is not affected.
Maybe because I am a begginer?

Probably. The effects on the CNS become of more importance as the athlete becomes more advanced.

We see it that way as well. Twice a week, we use DLs for recruitment - followed by a similar or more specific exercise.

Ex. would be 1x3@90% followed by 3-5x9-12@45-55%. The response is immediately observed throughout the session. Some better than others.

Just as Speedkills, said.

Also, remember that 90% of your 10RM is completely different than 90% of your 1RM.

How are you determining this?

Back to the original post, I totally agree with what’s been said; hamstrings need more reps at a lower percentage!

I do not feel tired at all, no lack of power or will and my eyes arent abnormally sensitive to sun light.

Ok. I am gettin confused here. I realize how taxing traditional dealifts are to the CNS. But RDL’s and SDL’s are primaryily an isolated posterior chain movement so how can we even compare the two?
So are you guys sayin both needs to be done with moderate reps and light/moderate weight for both? Sorry I am lost.

You are not confused, you have everything right. I was not refering to traditional deads when talking about moderate reps and light/moderate load, but rather SLDL’s or RDL’s. To refer back to one of my original posts, I said:

Deadlifts and RDL’s should not be compared to each other in regards to CNS stress. A better comparison would be deads and squats. Deadlifts should be performed just as you would perform a squat (as far as reps, sets, and percentages).

Does anybody do this? and what were the results? I’ve normally stuck with squats, good mornings and bench for CNS taxing lifts and kept deadlifts at much lower percentages.

Deadlifts are/can be more CNS taxing -more motor units, I believe.

You could use either of the two (Deadlifts, or Squats) per two-three sessions without any of the exercises being negatively affected, but this has to be done from day one in order to work this way.

DLs can be more taxing is true —
in fact, if I pull with any kind of intensity, i’m usually pretty fried.
But I still love them.

I’ve heard that those who are “built to pull” tend to be able to pull more frequently, but I’ve only seen one person survive (who cannot squat b/c the docs wont let him) training the DL like a squat, and only he can do it for a few weeks at a time.

I think if you were to try a SQ program rote for DLs - you’d spike yourself.

less seems to be more in the DL. I Can however, train it more frequently, if the volume stays low enough.

do you mean choose either squat or dl and stick with it for the week, 3 weeks?

You would want to choose one or the other for sure. Doing both would fry the CNS pretty bad.

Or alternate between the two within a week, provided you are doing this from day 1 (e.g., Deadlift after acceleration and Squat after other sessions -just a suggestion).

Not the best option, but there may be times when this might be a choice (e.g., irritations from one exercise repeated).

Squat and Dead-lift (bent knees) are essentially the same (or there about), so, I believe, you have to act accordingly.

Westside barbell calls this style of fast deadlifting Matt Diemel deadlifts using 30% of your max deadlift for 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps in a balistic manner.