I’m doing 5-3-1 my lower back is getting fatigued either on deads or squats and it takes me a few days off to feel back up to training squats or deads again.
I have injured my lower back many times before on squats or deads. So far I’m safe but I have eliminated squats and focus on deadlifts exclusively.
Is there a better option? Something I’m not seeing that would benefit me more? I’m hoping the deads will strengthen my back to the point where I will be able to handle heavy squats and deads in the same weak.
Personally, if I had to choose between them I’d keep the squats and drop the deadlifts.
Some other options:
Do a different variation for the supplement lift. For example, do 531 back squats and then front squats for FSL.
Do only 3’s for DL’s, regardless of the 531 week, and then do trap bar deads or rack pulls for the supplement. I actually needed to drop volume on the DL’s, and I did snatch grip high pulls for the 5x5 FSL supplement lift. I know this isn’t listed as an option in the 531 books, but I like them and they put no strain on my lower back.
Is it cumulative fatigue or the order of your days? I once programmed squats 2 days after deadlifts and my lower back hated me. I swapped the days around and I have no issues with recovering since the squats don’t tax it as much. If it’s cumulative then I got nothing for ya unfortunately.
I have had to tweak the order of my lifts to give my back the longest rest period I can. I could not find a good order with both squat and deads in the mix. If I’m going heavy like 5-3-1 has you going.
Previously I didn’t pay attention to what my body was telling me and what ever I was supposed to do was what I did and it caused me a lot of downtime due to back in juries
Either drop your TM waaaay down and start again working on ab and low back strength; or cycle squat and DL (squat one cycle, DL one cycle); or possibly do front squat and trap bar DL, which I understand are much back friendlier
I believe i have a strong core i know it doesnt mean shit but i max out our ab machine at 260 and do sets of 20 easy. My abs are strong, My lower back isnt necessarily weak just not much endurance plus i sit on my ass a lot when im not working or working out.
I tried to reply to all you guys before but i dont see my replies on here i must have messed it up.
Antiquity- I used to squat a ton and never deadlifted. I want the full body strength that comes with deadlifting. Plus i feel like in my job and life being strong at lifting things off the ground is more useful. I have decided to do the 3’s on squats.
I think its a bit of cumulative and the order. My new workout is going to have me doing deads on monday and squats friday for lower reps.