Deadlifts on Alternate Weeks?

This bloke at my gym reckons that DL should be performed on alternate weeks. He justified it by saying some crap about legs and CNS requiring sufficient recovery.

Is this true?

Also, I use a overhand grip as oppose to the alternate grip when DL. In my last two sets, I use straps cos my forearms are shattered. Is this the correct approach?

TIA!

It’s personal preference. you can’t say it’s “true”, or not true. maybe he just can’t recover well enough to do DLs in back to back weeks. leave him alone. And again wtf do you mean is this the correct approach? What is correct? Bodybuilding isn’t a multiple choice question. Your forearms were fried so you used straps to hit your back well enough, good job. Others will not like straps. personal preference. shit.

I’ve been regularly deadlifting for the last 12 weeks and my numbers have gone up about 90lbs in that time. Getting enough sleep and food are the biggest factors.

Figure out what works best for you and do it.

Sweet, no worrie at all. I will discard the bloke’s recommendation and stick to doing DL on a weekly basis.

Well IMO doing squats AND DL in the same week is a bit much.

Seeing as in the lower back muscle has the LONGEST recovery time I do these on alternating weeks. When I DL I do it on leg day followed by front squat.

When I try and do Back squat and DL one of them usually suffers.

Try doing one and other ( DL, Back squat) back to back one of them will suffer, well in my case.

I feel that my lower back gets hit hard when I back squat anyway along with stiff leg DL.

Just my .02$

Good info - but I do DL on back days (Mon) and conventional squats on Wed. However, my lower back is still sore on Wed.

Man, it’s all about your recovery rate and how they affect your body.

I know people who get a lot of their leg work done on DL days, and then guys like me who won’t feel anything in their legs after a DL session.

Also, if you’re taking in enough calories, trying thinking of deadlifting less as “every two weeks,” and put it something like “every ten days” if once in a week is two much.

You also have the option of going with lighter volume if once a week is too much.

I do 3 sets of 5 reps every week, it seems to be just about right for me.

its gonna matter depending on how much weight you use. if you added 90 pounds in 12 weeks you probaly arent doing a ton of weight so this may not be a factor.

but if youre deadlifting 405 for multiple reps and sets you might want to alternate (although this doesnt nesecitate thats the only weight to use alternate weeks). because as mentioned earlier your lower back takes a pounding and so does your CNS.

i may try the alternate approach because usually when i add Dealifts back i get an anabolic spurt but after a couple weeks it turns into what feels like a CNS fatigue.

so just do what youre doing til it doesnt work then hit the drawing board, not the other way around :wink:

On the + side I just Pulled 5 plates each side 30 min ago :slight_smile: My all time best.

Squats and Milk

[quote]Cron391 wrote:
On the + side I just Pulled 5 plates each side 30 min ago :slight_smile: My all time best.

Squats and Milk[/quote]

what is your deadlift workout? I am progressing towards the 500 mark also.

My workout is 5x5 or 6x3, depending on the week. Today was 4x5 @ 335 and last set of 5 @ 405.

Also, 1 deadlift session per week is enough. I pull every Monday and my back is still sore until Wednesday. If you are pulling heavy(relative) weight…once a week is fine. Make sure you get after your protein shake when you are done with the workout!

If you’re worried about doing ‘too much’, and your recovery is an issue, try alternating heavy deads one with with a few light sets of DB deads the next. That way you’re erectors will still have some stress on them, but not enough to really tax your cns. (I’m always worried about not doing at least something for my lower back, I figure I put so much stress on it with my heavy shoulder presses and squatting sessions).

S

STU; If that is a picture of you have an impressive looking physique.

to the OP

I always dead every other week. I did not do this however when I was new to deadlifting. Training light is ok to pull every week or every 10 days. I have even tried 2 weeks on 1 week off. I squat heavy on tues and dead heavy every other sat. When you get heavy ( ie both squat and deads are around 90%) something will suffer as the CNS is just too taxed. This is my opinion however so you both could be right. If you are new to deadlifting or are working less than or around 80% of your max then its prolly no big deal.

Bigpull- Yeah, that’s me, thanks for the kind words.

OP- Maybe you could try alternating weeks with heavy deads and lighter squats, with heavy squats and lighter deads? That way you’re still getting the muscle stim every 7 days, but you won’t be a mess recovery-wise.

S