Move deadlifts to Biceps & Back day

[RileyMartin]

Hi all,

I'm thinking of moving deadlifts to the day I do my back & biceps. Currently I'm doing them on the day I do my legs however I find it's too much doing the deadlifts after doing squats. I think I could get more out of both the squats and the deadlifts if I didn't do them on the same day. Initially I decided to do deadlifts on the day I do my legs because I thought they worked my legs more but found they actually work my back more than they do my legs. What does everyone else do?

Riley

[Cradler]

Can we see your routine as a whole? It's hard to know whether or not the move makes sense if we don't know how it changes the whole thing. Also, make sure your form on deadlifts is good. It's definitely true that they work the shit out of your back but you should feel them in your legs too - make sure you're lifting it right, it's an easy lift to hurt yourself with if you do it wrong.

[RileyMartin]

Thanks for the help. I'm going on my 6th month of lifting and I started out doing 10 to 12 reps and every two to four weeks I've incrased the weight and dropped the reps to slowly get into lifting heavier weight. I've been doing 4 reps/set now for three weeks. The routine that I've been doing for the last 4 months is as follows:

Sunday
-------
Bench Press - 3 or 4 sets of 4 reps
Incline Bench Press - 3 sets of 4 reps
Military Press - 3 sets of 4 reps
Standing Dumbell Side Raises - 2 sets of 10 reps

Tuesday
--------
Squats - 3 or 4 sets of 4 reps
Deadlifts - 3 sets of 4 reps
Lying Leg Curls - 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
Standing One Leg Calf Raises - 2 sets of 12 reps

Thursday
---------
Lat Bar Pulldowns - 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps
Bent Over Barbell Rows - 3 sets of 4 to 6 reps
Barbell Curls - 3 sets of 4 to 6 reps
Dumbell Curls - 1 set of 4 to 6 reps

When I do the deadlifts I start out by mostly driving with my legs first and then using my back. When I get tired I think I tend to not squat down as far and mostly use my back. The deadlifts really wipe me out, especially after doing squats, which pretty much wipe me out even before I get to the deadlifts. Those two exercises are the most difficult exercises I've ever done. When I do those exercises It takes so much effort it almost feels like I'm going to have a heart attack and die. Not litterally, but it certainly feels that way.

[hrdgain81]

I think its a good switch up personally. I have done squats and deads in the same workout, and one of the two always suffers, not to mention my lower back is fried by the time I'm done.

[Cradler]

^^x2, what hrdgain said

[iron_worker]

For me doing both in one day was a recipe for back injuries. I would definately seperate them.

IronWorker

[Ross86]

My back sucks, so I only do heavy deadlifts or squats once a week. Yesterday I did heavy squats. I might do some low intensity deadlifts later in the week. And next week will be heavy deads and low intensity squats. That's just what works for me.

[EricT]

When I do the deadlifts I start out by mostly driving with my legs first and then using my back. When I get tired I think I tend to not squat down as far and mostly use my back.

This sounds bad. First of all you do not "use your back" in deadlfits. You finish the lift with a hip extension not a back extension. The back is just playing a supporting role. Sometimes that role is harder than others but you do not use your back as a primary mover.

It sounds like you are both not performing the lift correctly and you are either letting form break down or changing the way you lift in response to fatigue. That is not how to do things. Form doesn't change. If you are so fatigued that form cannot be maintained...it is time to stop.

If you want to go for a certain volume then the weights will have to be lowered so you can get that volume with correct form. Otherwise stop when quality breaks down.

[RileyMartin]

Thanks everyone for the good advice.