real life practicality of squats and deadlifts

[rangers97]

ok a lot of you guys know that I won't ask stupid questions (most of the time anyway ), so don't treat this as one with a stupid answer.

yes it is about my nemisis of the past couple of weeks, squats and deadlifts. Doing the max-ot style workouts, my lower back cannot handle them both in the same week, that is unfortunately a sad fact for me right now, it just isnt going to work.

so with that in mind, I've wrestled over which one to use. My first thought was squats, because of the leg work involved, but just today I began thinking about it, and I am close to choosing the deadlifts now, for the reason being, I can see more real world use for a deadlift than a squat.

how many times are you bending over to pick something up in your life? Moving furniture, carrying things, etc, all lower back involved. How many times are you placing something on your back and squatting down with it in real life?

Obviously the muscle building implications of squats for the legs are infinite and immeasurable. But let's look at this from the standpoint of someone who in all reality doesn;t need huge legs because I will never have someone judge them....

I can choose deads to get the back benefits and a secondary stress to my legs, which will probably help me out more in my daily life than squats will. Or I can stick with squats, develop huge legs and get a secondary stress on my back.

when I look at it like that, it seems the choice should be deadlifts, along with secondary leg work like lunges, leg curls, etc. Am I being short sighted with this line of thinking? Unfortunately the answer, "Do both" cannot apply here due to my situation. I am not suggesting I skip a big, hard full body exercise, I just want opinions given what I wrote here on which would be more beneficial IN MY CASE....

[.V.]

You mentioned once before about wanting to do trap bar deadlifts. Looks like you now have an excuse to buy one. It's time to start doing them - get a little of both in the lift. Not the perfect lift - but it seems like it would be perfect for you in your situation.

And after you get one...let me know how you like it for shrugs. I'm thinking of getting one and the closest one to me is a 2.5 hour drive...I want the drive to be worth the effort. Not like my curling bar that I use for a prop to hold the door open on my gym.


Personally, each lift I do relates to a lift I have to do in real life. Well, except for tate press and skull crushers - but hey they help with the other lifts so I do 'em. Besides...I want triceps.

[Dan C]

I would go with the deadlift for the exact same reasons you mentioned. Welch brings up a good point too with the trap bar... you'll find that you can actually lift more like that as the weight is closer to your center of gravity. TBDL's, sometimes referred to as 'parallel grip deadlifts', are about as close as you get to a perfect exercise.

[luke.w]

guys get "farmers implements" over a trap bar, you'll get much more out of them!



Your problem rangers is you "think" you need a Max-ot workout for both squats and deads.

[rangers97]

I've thought about the trap bar deads, of course if I didn't have a lower back recovery issue, I would stick with the regular deads, but you are right, you can do more weight with these, and I remember the couple of times I did them that they are pretty tough on the legs...nothing like a squat, but definitely more involvement than on a regular dead...

You guys might be on to something here...of course Firehawk would disagree, lol, but then again, he doesn't have a bad back either

[rangers97]

Originally Posted by luke.w

Your problem rangers is you "think" you need a Max-ot workout for both squats and deads.

interesting point...are you getting at what I think you are getting at here???

[Dan C]

What do you think he's getting at? ...I'm lost :confused:

Luke has got a point too, farmers implements are more versatile. Do you train at home?

[rangers97]

Originally Posted by Dan C

What do you think he's getting at? ...I'm lost :confused:

Luke has got a point too, farmers implements are more versatile. Do you train at home?

I was assuming he was getting at not necessarily having to go max-ot style on those exercises. Do singles, doubles, triples, things like that with squats and deads perhaps, and train the other movements max-ot style...

The problem I have with that is, isn't there a good deal of muscle mass that can be achieved by repping out a big exercise like a deadlift?

And yes, I do train at home. Cost is an option...how much do the farmers implements go for?

[Dan C]

Originally Posted by rangers97

isn't there a good deal of muscle mass that can be achieved by repping out a big exercise like a deadlift?

how much do the farmers implements go for?

1. Yes.

2. Less than a trap bar. Google it, or if you can weld, or know of somewhere you can get it done, PM me and I'll forward you a blueprint.

[killerduck]

Its got to be deadlift man. You can work your legs with loads of other stuff but nothing works your lower back like deadlifts. simple

[luke.w]

squats are most likely needed (some type of squatting) they don't need to be back squats Max-ot all the time.

the squat or varation of it, is important for the deadlift.

I'm the same, I may not train max-ot but a train low reps close to a max effort, I can't do this with both squatting and deadlifts, I'd rather lift closer to my max in the deadlift, I need varations of the squat and squats to help my deadlift, I need them to keep my form good and improve my form and overall strength, the squat is important.

I don't need full ROM squats for muscle size in the legs, if I want bigger legs I "CAN" improve my platform deadlift, go heavier on my sled drags and yoke carries, after watching the "grip comp." I did I noticed for my build I have "tree trunks", I'm happy with that, the muscle size ain't that important, but I need squats or some type of squats if I want to get better at all of the above.

[smm3]

I see this differently from everyone else...

If your low back is giving you issues, SOMETHING'S WRONG. Do you have a diagnosis or does it just tighten up on you?

I've got back problems, spondylolisthesis, I've changed my routine to accommodate it. I squat twice a week and deadlift twice a week. Not goin' light either...

So I'm thinkin you've either got a muscle imbalance or technique issues.

What do you think???

[rangers97]

i was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was younger, very slight, I forget the amount....but I am thinking that shouldn't be a factor in your lower back?

[rangers97]

i know we all have different goals and all. right now, my goal is to successfully build on a max-ot program. that being said, if I considered replacing squats with deadlifts, my leg day might look something like this for a cycle:

Deadlifts 2 sets 4-6 reps
Barbell Lunges 2 sets 4-6 reps
SLDL 2 sets 4-6 reps
Leg Curls 2 sets 4-6 reps
Leg extensions 2 sets 4-6 reps

[smm3]

Straight legs don't bother your back?