for my 2nd cycle of my weight program, I’m thinking about doing Squats once a week and oving deadlifts i and doing them 2 times a week. Would it be beneficial to me to bring in the deadlifts into my training program (seeing that I never really did them that much, I usually do them about once a year for a few weeks) Im trying to keep an open mind right now and wondering if my squat numbers would go down if I were to put the squat on the back burner and focus on the deadlift for about 4 weeks.
Never both at the same session -at least this is my opinion. The latter, however, as you say, is true. I don’t think you’ll lose anything in the squat, but in any case the balance between the two -in terms of training, not amount/load- is more important.
Hope it helps!
Others?
This is my opinion, but depends on your weak points… but I think that too much emphasis on DL is detrimental on your back wich is also worked with squat.
I think one could do both in the same session but then one of the lifts will not get justice as your body will be fatigued from the prior one. I’ve always found it helpful to split up training days as follows (I’m a sub-masters sprinter only training hard twice a week):
Workout A (after speed work):
Power clean variation
Squats or front squats
Bench Press
Some form of Row (e.g seated row)
Abs
Workout B (later in the week, again after Speed)
Power Snatch variation
Deadlift variation (conventional, Snatch grip, Trap bar)
Incline press or military press variation
chin-up/pull-up variation
Abs
In this manner, I am really never getting away from the productiveness of either movement but allow enough time in between workouts to fully recover from each.
Interesting…With me the order of the two lifts is what makes the big difference. If DL then squat, my squat just suck. However, if I squat the DL, I find the squat actually prepares me for a better DL. Also, the level of the athlete is to accounted for. I’ve done the same thing with younger track athletes (senior highshcool and collegiate aged). If the output gets up there I can see where there may be a problem for some athletes :rolleyes: .
The position of the bar is the main difference between the two and this can separate them into quad and hip dominant exercises, respectively. This also allows heavier loads with the deadlift, which might be more appropriate on acceleration days, for example. Placing squat on top it’s getting too much, IMO. It also depends on how hard you can hit each exercise and/or the severity of the track session.
Having said that, if no OLs -especially from the floor- are performed on the day and if you rotate the focus between the two with no negative effects on performance, or elsewhere, as you say, you may not face any problems.
I definately think you need an exercise other than deads and squat that works the hams at both the knee and hip at the same time eg. back hypers, reverse hypers, good mornings. When the foot is planted as the pull through begins in sprinting or when the front lower leg extends when cycling in the air, the ham is used at both joints and works in its entirety unlike when performing curls or squats or dl. The point at which my hams tore (both legs) was where neither ham curls nor squats affected but the back hypers, good mornings etc did. This was the lower part of biceps femoris.
I’ve had success with alternating squats and deadlifts as a main lift throughout the weeks as duxx suggests. I also incorporate SLDLs, reverse hypers, and Glute ham raises.
DL is also a lot more taxing on your CNS, and this is crucial since there are so many more variables to consider when putting together your training regimen.
I agree that heavy deadlifts can be more taxing on your CNS.
Also realize that deadlifts may be less taxing on your muscles compared to squats because there is no significant eccentric (lowering) or reversal of the weight.
I’m not sure of the exact firing patterns involved in sumo DL’s compared to regular but intuitivly i would think regular stance would be more appropriate the muscular development for a sprinter. I think the main thing is which feels more natural but i would bare in mind that regular stance probably involves a greater ROM and the primary goal is not pb’s in the weight room so maybe a more specific movement at the expense of load is best.
I wouldn’t consider using good-mornings for anything but an assistance exercise for athletes. Many people just believe the DL is extremely taxing on the CNS just because Louie says it is. Louie says a lot of things. You have to make a distinction between a powerlifter who uses gear with good squatting levers and a big gut compared to an athlete. I find many just push themselves way too hard on DL, because they have no idea of what they can actually pull and estimate their 1RM much higher than what it actually is. If you can only only squat 315 I doubt you could pull 450…
I’m not saying anyone here is guilty of using the DL irresponsibly but many people do.
You can move the emphasis away from the erectors and onto the hamstrings & glutes by keeping the head up, the butt back, and the weight balanced toward your heels during the conventional deadlift. Also make sure that you begin the movement evenly by extending your knees and back at the same time.