Deadlift question

[Ivan]

I'm going to maintain my difference of opinion by stating that you're going to have a hard time getting very strong with only two sets of a lower body lift per week. That may not matter for your goals though.

From what I gather the idea is to build up to multiple work sets over time, rather than jump in to 3-5 sets right away.

@Ivan, while you're building up your DL volume, don't be shy about filling your empty training time with KB swings, pull-ups, pistols and the like. As per Tango and Grouchy, take your time building up to it but try and aim for 5-6 sets (DL) per week in total. Don't be afraid to be "wavy". If you're having a rough week, go back down to one set, if you're on fire then bump up to 3 or even 4 or 5 as long as you've got suitable recovery time afterward.

That's what i've done these week. First workout 5x5 bench, 2x5 deadlifts and 3x5 pullups.
Second, 4x5 bench 3x5 deadlifts and 3x5 pullups. I want Just to see, how i recover when the weight goes up

[Blackmetalbunny]

Don't be afraid to be "wavy". If you're having a rough week, go back down to one set, if you're on fire then bump up to 3 or even 4 or 5 as long as you've got suitable recovery time afterward.

I do this regularly. 60% of the time, I can afford to spend 1.5 hours every evening on my training, so I run an Operator (SQ/OP/PU) cluster and tack on 2 ~ 4 sets of deadlifts at the end. I found that I can handle 4 sets of DL 3 times a week with no problem, but there are times when life gets busy and eats into my recovery time - so I reduce it to 1 set, or just outright drop it altogether. I've not seen significant decreases in my DL numbers (-10kg at the worst so far).

From what I understand about trends in the fitness world, the big lifts have come back into vogue recently. However; unless you're a competitive powerlifter or have a strongman competition with a deadlift focus, there's no real need to always have the deadlift in your program all the time. It's probably fine to occasionally drop the DL, relegate the movement to conditioning days, use alternative hip hinge lifts etc.

The deadlift is an awesome exercise and develops global body strength, but unless your objective is to consistently move an inhuman amount of weight in the DL, training it consistently at near-max weights for the sake of training it probably won't serve your objective.

[Barkadion]

It's probably fine to occasionally drop the DL, relegate the movement to conditioning days, use alternative hip hinge lifts etc. The deadlift is an awesome exercise and develops global body strength, but unless your objective is to consistently move an inhuman amount of weight in the DL, training it consistently at near-max weights for the sake of training it probably won't serve your objective.

True. I am thinking of doing DL on a separate day (Saturday) for 1 set every other week i a future.. Just for a fun/ego sake.

[grouchyjarhead]

I'm actually using RDLs as part of my strength-endurance work right now since I'm hesitant to start pulling heavy while I recover. They are "fun".

[Barkadion]

I'm actually using RDLs as part of my strength-endurance work right now since I'm hesitant to start pulling heavy while I recover. They are "fun".

My grip usually gives up first with the RDLs.. Have you used mixed grip or straps with it?

[grouchyjarhead]

Very light RDLs right now so no grip issues. Just my 24kg kettlebell but done slow. When I did heavy RDLs in the past, I typically used a hook grip.

[Josh]

I like alternating deadlifts with paused deadlifts every other workout. I pause the bar about three inches up from the ground, hold for 2 seconds, then finish the rep. This helps me to really think about keeping my back from rounding. I use about 60-70% of my conventional weight and do 2 sets of 5-8, as opposed to one set of five when I'm doing it conventional. I've been doing this for about a month and love it.

[Blackmetalbunny]

Very light RDLs right now so no grip issues. Just my 24kg kettlebell but done slow. When I did heavy RDLs in the past, I typically used a hook grip.

How many reps are you pushing now?

Another thing; do you do RDLs with dumbbells / kettlebells or do you use a barbell. I'm just curious if you're seeing similar numbers and reps for comparable wieights (DB vs BB), since conventional wisdom says that the additional stabilization required for DBs will limit your rep numbers.

[grouchyjarhead]

40 per session right now. I've only done single leg DLs with DBs/KBs, first time really doing it with them as a conventional RDL so no real data to compare it to.

[Jefferson]

It also depends on how much you deadlift. There is a huge difference between pulling 3x5 @315 vs 495+. I can only deadlift heavy a few times a month without it affecting my other activities. Heavy deadlifts also require an extra hour or so of sleep for a few days. But I include deadlifts as part of conditioning and feel fine. One of my favorites is:

10 rounds
225x10 deadlift
25 cal airdyne

I really focus on accelerating the bar as fast as possible, as if I was pulling much heavier.