Switch up DL's and squats?

[Blue09]

I know I know, we all love deads. However, first rule of lifting is listening to your body. I used to do both squats and deads and was doing well in both, but when I wasn't lifting, my lower back was always aching or fatigued. On a whim, I decided to cut out deads and lo and behold, my lower back feels brand new. However, I'm thinking of incorporating deads for 2 reasons:

1. I miss them. I was never a huge deadlifter, but there's nothing that gets you hyped up like a set of big deads. I can squat as much as a DL, but that's also a not too shabby 550lbs.

2. Been doing cardio now, and having very slight knee problems. Nothing major, just when I squat it hurts a little. It goes away once I get warmed up, but I think that switching out squats every other week with deads will help out the ol' knees.


Now for some concerns. Squats are my #1 priority. I BB row twice a week (one heavy/less reps, one light/more reps) and can get up to 405 x 3, so my back is still getting a good workout. However, do you think rotating squats and deads will hurt, help or not effect my squat numbers? I would do both, but walking around every waking moment with some sort of back pain is not something I want to go thru again. Call me a b*tch or whatever, I'm just listening to how my body responds to that kind of split. Anywho, what do you folks think? Thanks for any insight.

 

[Girth]

Nothing wrong with it at all. In fact, if you want to take a lesson from the WSB crew, you could focus on squats and their variations for 3 weeks. Then switch to deads for a few weeks.

If you want to do both at the same time, I think you'll have to use one for your heavy day, and the other for a light day. I've tried the heavy dead/light squat one day, followed by a heavy squat/light dead, and it just wasn't quite enough recovery.

The only other tip I'll offer is a volume one on deads. I always find that multiple sets of deads are too much of a system drain. Thus I tend to stick to 1-2 sets for them.

 

[Blue09]

Nothing wrong with it at all. In fact, if you want to take a lesson from the WSB crew, you could focus on squats and their variations for 3 weeks. Then switch to deads for a few weeks.

If you want to do both at the same time, I think you'll have to use one for your heavy day, and the other for a light day. I've tried the heavy dead/light squat one day, followed by a heavy squat/light dead, and it just wasn't quite enough recovery.

The only other tip I'll offer is a volume one on deads. I always find that multiple sets of deads are too much of a system drain. Thus I tend to stick to 1-2 sets for them.

Yea, I think I will try this scheme out (switching squats and deads). Also, I am thinking of doing a "volume one" on both squats and deads as well from now on. Instead of doing sets of 495 for 3x10 for squats, ramp up from 405 to 455 to 495 to 545. Think I'll try the same thing for deads, ramp up to a weight that I can at least get 3 reps out.

Thanks for the input ... glad to have the deads back in the routine ... hopefully my back will share my sentiments, lol

 

[Girth]

One other thing, although I will say I don't think it applies to you. How is your stretching regimine? Every back problem I've had has either been from tight glutes and hams, OR working out with 1-5RM's at 5 AM. Which of course would be when the glutes and hams are tightest. The figure 4 stretch which really stretches the glute has been a god send for me, numerous times. Admittedly, I just skip it too often or until it's too late.

 

[role model]

On deadlift week I do legpresses, otherwise I do squats. because I have the same problem.