Do Squats and Deadlifts Work for You?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
21

[quote]Chi-Towns-Finest wrote:

[quote]chillain wrote:
It took some trial-and-error but eventually I learned that trap bar deads, front squats and DB split squats work best for my frame, levers etc

More generally, I’d say that any exercise that allows one to go hard and heavy without getting hurt will definitely “work” for that person
[/quote]

Out of curiousity what’s your height (obviously torso/leg length comes into play also), but I find front squats work great personally. Although I haven’t given trap bar deads a fair chance, but I do find it’s easier to go heavier while keeping my back tight and not hyperextending.

I’m 5’10.5 and currently ~198 lbs–my pant length is 30 inches which might be less than most? I think I’m symmetrical overall. [/quote]

I’m 6’2, long legs, long arms, long torso etc - works well for all deads, and that trap bar seems to allow for the most “mileage”

Never was able to get comfortable with back squats though, and it was good decision to stop trying

22

I’m 6’3" and have been regularly incorporating squats and deadlifts into my routine for the better part of the last 6 years. For me, there’s no excuse and I can’t afford not to include them. Imo, unless you suffer from a past injury or a biomechanical deficiency/disadvantage, I see no reason to neglect these movements.

23

[quote]skwasny wrote:
Imo, unless you suffer from a past injury or a biomechanical deficiency/disadvantage, I see no reason to neglect these movements.[/quote]
I think that has absolutely nothing to do with what the thread starter brought up.

Nah, scratch that.

That point of view indeed does have everything to do with the thread.

It’s drilled into everybody’s head that squats and deads are essential (as you successfully reiterated), but the query is: as an individual, do they WORK for you?

Just because shit is a bodybuilding staple doesn’t mean one should do it for the sake of doing it when it’s of zero benefit to your growth.

The idea that a legitimate reason for an exercise not being done is strictly limited to injury and bio mechanics is flawed.

I see reason to avoid these movements (and all others) if they don’t give you the desired musculature.

That’s all…

24

How can squats and deads NOT work if you get retarded strong with good form? :slight_smile:

25

I have never once got sore traps or upper back from deadlifting. The only thing thats sore after deadlifts is my lowerback. Do you think this means they won’t do much for me in terms of upper back thickness?

On the other hand, trap bar deadlifts always makes my traps and upper back sore as shit.

26

[quote]punkguitarist wrote:
I have never once got sore traps or upper back from deadlifting. The only thing thats sore after deadlifts is my lowerback. Do you think this means they won’t do much for me in terms of upper back thickness?

On the other hand, trap bar deadlifts always makes my traps and upper back sore as shit. [/quote]

How much do you deadlift?

Soreness doesn’t have to mean anything. Your upperback muscles has to work hard to keep your shoulders in place whether you feel it or not, when deadlifting heavy weight.

27

[quote]punkguitarist wrote:
I have never once got sore traps or upper back from deadlifting. The only thing thats sore after deadlifts is my lowerback. Do you think this means they won’t do much for me in terms of upper back thickness?

On the other hand, trap bar deadlifts always makes my traps and upper back sore as shit. [/quote]

I’ve found that performing deadlifts as explosively as possible increases the recruitment of my traps.

28

My squats and deadlifts were stalled for a long time regardless of the variation I was doing. Suddenly a few months ago both my SLDL/RDL and front squat have gone up 30-40lb while gaining weight. So I checked my thigh measurements…no change :confused:

29

[quote]ev1bl wrote:

[quote]punkguitarist wrote:
I have never once got sore traps or upper back from deadlifting. The only thing thats sore after deadlifts is my lowerback. Do you think this means they won’t do much for me in terms of upper back thickness?

On the other hand, trap bar deadlifts always makes my traps and upper back sore as shit. [/quote]

How much do you deadlift?

Soreness doesn’t have to mean anything. Your upperback muscles has to work hard to keep your shoulders in place whether you feel it or not, when deadlifting heavy weight.[/quote]

Not that much (yet). I usually work up to one set in the 4-6 rep range and then do a back off set of 8-12 reps.

Last workout I did 385 x 6 and then 325 x 12

30

[quote]punkguitarist wrote:

[quote]ev1bl wrote:

[quote]punkguitarist wrote:
I have never once got sore traps or upper back from deadlifting. The only thing thats sore after deadlifts is my lowerback. Do you think this means they won’t do much for me in terms of upper back thickness?

On the other hand, trap bar deadlifts always makes my traps and upper back sore as shit. [/quote]

How much do you deadlift?

Soreness doesn’t have to mean anything. Your upperback muscles has to work hard to keep your shoulders in place whether you feel it or not, when deadlifting heavy weight.[/quote]

Not that much (yet). I usually work up to one set in the 4-6 rep range and then do a back off set of 8-12 reps.

Last workout I did 385 x 6 and then 325 x 12[/quote]

It’s pretty silly to expect a big upper back from just deadlifting, no matter what your leverages are.

That’s what fuckin heavy row variations, rack chins, pullups, and pulldowns are for. I thought that was common knowledge…

31

[quote]get_ate wrote:

[quote]skwasny wrote:
Imo, unless you suffer from a past injury or a biomechanical deficiency/disadvantage, I see no reason to neglect these movements.[/quote]
I think that has absolutely nothing to do with what the thread starter brought up.

Nah, scratch that.

That point of view indeed does have everything to do with the thread.

It’s drilled into everybody’s head that squats and deads are essential (as you successfully reiterated), but the query is: as an individual, do they WORK for you?

Just because shit is a bodybuilding staple doesn’t mean one should do it for the sake of doing it when it’s of zero benefit to your growth.

The idea that a legitimate reason for an exercise not being done is strictly limited to injury and bio mechanics is flawed.

I see reason to avoid these movements (and all others) if they don’t give you the desired musculature.

That’s all…[/quote]

That’s a very good point and well said, especially the one about just because a movement is a bodybuilding staple does not mean it should be performed simply for the sake of performing it when there is no growth benefit. I like to think that most movements will stimulate muscle, (especially tried and true ones) thereby enabling the potential for growth, but we all know some movements simply don’t “feel” right or as effective as others. Again, good post.

32

Hmm, do DLs and squats work for me?

<-----------
You tell me

J/K

33

deadlifts = yes.

squats = no. Since my shoulder surgery I can’t reach back far enough to hold the bar properly. Too much strain on my wrist and shoulder. Plus, it has always destroyed my lower back and hams, while leaving my guads unscathed.

34

[quote]hungry4more wrote:

[quote]punkguitarist wrote:

[quote]ev1bl wrote:

[quote]punkguitarist wrote:
I have never once got sore traps or upper back from deadlifting. The only thing thats sore after deadlifts is my lowerback. Do you think this means they won’t do much for me in terms of upper back thickness?

On the other hand, trap bar deadlifts always makes my traps and upper back sore as shit. [/quote]

How much do you deadlift?

Soreness doesn’t have to mean anything. Your upperback muscles has to work hard to keep your shoulders in place whether you feel it or not, when deadlifting heavy weight.[/quote]

Not that much (yet). I usually work up to one set in the 4-6 rep range and then do a back off set of 8-12 reps.

Last workout I did 385 x 6 and then 325 x 12[/quote]

It’s pretty silly to expect a big upper back from just deadlifting, no matter what your leverages are.

That’s what fuckin heavy row variations, rack chins, pullups, and pulldowns are for. I thought that was common knowledge…[/quote]

Me too.

I don’t do barbell squats or deadlifts.

I do want more size on my legs but what I’m doing is working.
[photo]28758[/photo]

35

what are you doing x?

36

[quote]ucallthatbass wrote:
what are you doing x?[/quote]

Lately, warm up on calf raises and leg extensions. Then unilateral leg presses for about 3 sets and then as many sets of the squat machine as I can handle going up in weight.

I’ve had to back off of the weight used since my accident. Hopefully I can train them hard this week.

37

Nice bro.

38

[quote]get_ate wrote:
Just because shit is a bodybuilding staple doesn’t mean one should do it for the sake of doing it when it’s of zero benefit to your growth.

The idea that a legitimate reason for an exercise not being done is strictly limited to injury and bio mechanics is flawed.

I see reason to avoid these movements (and all others) if they don’t give you the desired musculature.

That’s all…[/quote]

[quote]skwasny wrote:
That’s a very good point and well said, especially the one about just because a movement is a bodybuilding staple does not mean it should be performed simply for the sake of performing it when there is no growth benefit. I like to think that most movements will stimulate muscle, (especially tried and true ones) thereby enabling the potential for growth, but we all know some movements simply don’t “feel” right or as effective as others. Again, good post.
[/quote]

Agreed, but this does assume one has already built a base, mind-muscle connection etc

Lacking that, squat/deadlifts are incredibly valuable simply because they allow one to move the most weight

39

Consistency in working squat variations and deadlift variations have helped me both for my legs and overall muscularity over the past 6 months. The variations for squat that I’ve used are front, back and DB split squat. I feel I have real potential for the front squat.

For deadlifts it’s RDL, Stiff Leg using DB and conventional deadlifts. I don’t know what my height is geared for, just that I keep working at it, changing exercises, increasing weight and sensitive to when I feel pain. I tried leg presses and leg extensions too (yesterday and today), just to mix it up, both those are not my staple leg exercises. For the squats I should add, acting heel elevated has helped as is doing them bare feet or now with Five Fingers on.

40

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]hungry4more wrote:

[quote]punkguitarist wrote:

[quote]ev1bl wrote:

[quote]punkguitarist wrote:
I have never once got sore traps or upper back from deadlifting. The only thing thats sore after deadlifts is my lowerback. Do you think this means they won’t do much for me in terms of upper back thickness?

On the other hand, trap bar deadlifts always makes my traps and upper back sore as shit. [/quote]

How much do you deadlift?

Soreness doesn’t have to mean anything. Your upperback muscles has to work hard to keep your shoulders in place whether you feel it or not, when deadlifting heavy weight.[/quote]

Not that much (yet). I usually work up to one set in the 4-6 rep range and then do a back off set of 8-12 reps.

Last workout I did 385 x 6 and then 325 x 12[/quote]

It’s pretty silly to expect a big upper back from just deadlifting, no matter what your leverages are.

That’s what fuckin heavy row variations, rack chins, pullups, and pulldowns are for. I thought that was common knowledge…[/quote]

Me too.

I don’t do barbell squats or deadlifts.

I do want more size on my legs but what I’m doing is working.
[photo]28758[/photo][/quote]

I can’t recall if mentioned this before X…but if you haven’t really focused on them for a while, I really could envision you getting more “sweep” if you focused on front squats. Just my $0.02, dunno if you’ve already given them a good try recently.

As far as squats/DLs go, quite simply, if people have proportionately long femurs/torso, it should be pretty clear, from a leverage perspective, those exercise will NOT be optimal for you for well-rounded leg growth. Having said that, If people opt to not squat and deadlift…they better be getting damn strong at whatever exercises they ARE using for legs. Strong is strong, the only questions is which tools you use to get there.