1x5 or 3x5 deadlifts?

[JJinSS]

what do ya think? i do 3x5 every back day, every week. unless i have to miss for some crazy reason. And i really like to deadlift, and afterwards i do seated cable rows, and lat pull downs.

but i always hear. 1x5 is plenty for the deadlift. and idk which way to go with this one.

some inquiry please?

[Anthony21]

Don't over complicate it. Go with what is providing you steady strength gains with your pull. If that is 3x5 stick with it.

Eventually if you want switch to 1x5 and see how that works for you.

Personally I don't see how a single set is going to be beneficial at all but that's just me.

[abendm]

Don't over complicate it. Go with what is providing you steady strength gains with your pull. If that is 3x5 stick with it.

Eventually if you want switch to 1x5 and see how that works for you.

Personally I don't see how a single set is going to be beneficial at all but that's just me.

The idea is that the single set is heavier than your weight for 3x5. I actually go 2x5 and then drop the weight and do a set of 8-10 where I do touch and go. If I want to be able to do 3x5 I find I have to drop the weight substantially. I.e., I can do 2x5 with 405 on straight bar, but if I keep the 405 on there I end up only getting like 2 reps on the third set. If I want to do 3x5 I have to go down to like 370.

[Rasputin4]

I definitely prefer 3 sets of deadlift, 1 set just doesn't feel like it's enough work.

Do what works best for you. Here's what I've been doing lately, with really good gains: I'll do something like 3x8, upping the weight by about 10 pounds every week, until I hit a weight that 3x5 is maximal effort. Then I reset, lowering the weight to something I can hit 3x8 (which tends to be much higher than the first cycle), progress in 10 pound increments each week until I hit 3x5 maximal effort, rinse and repeat.

What ends up happening is for a few weeks I'll hit the 3x8 with close to maximal effort because my deadlift is getting stronger, then the reps will decrease for a couple of weeks until 3x5 is equally hard to what the 3x8 was. When this happens, I estimate based on the numbers and reset to what I think my 3x8 max will be.

[9inchcalves]

do whats right for YOU... just because it works for someone else doesn't mean it will work for you... this all comes with time and experience and really learning how your body reacts... that's the beauty of bodybuilding

[JJinSS]

yea. i like 3x5. lol ok thanks guys

[strengthgainr]

Is your goal strength or hypertrophy?

Choose 3-5x5 for hypertrophy.
And 5-6x2 for strength (weight has to be near or at your 1RM)

1 set sounds like a bro joke.

[pyaarawala]

It's up to you. Since you like 3x5 go for it. I do 1x5 heavy deadlift following 5x5 squats.

[abendm]

Is your goal strength or hypertrophy?

Choose 3-5x5 for hypertrophy.
And 5-6x2 for strength (weight has to be near or at your 1RM)

1 set sounds like a bro joke.

1x5 is also based on SS/stronglifts, where you'll be deadlifting 3 times in two weeks on the same day you're squatting. If you have a "back day," and deadlift is the only major movement you're doing. then it makes a lot less sense to only do one set. I do two near max sets of deadlifting on my "lower" day, but I also squat heavy for 3 or 4 sets in the same day. If the only major lifts were deads and rows, I'd say one set is prolly dumb.

[JJinSS]

1x5 is also based on SS/stronglifts, where you'll be deadlifting 3 times in two weeks on the same day you're squatting. If you have a "back day," and deadlift is the only major movement you're doing. then it makes a lot less sense to only do one set. I do two near max sets of deadlifting on my "lower" day, but I also squat heavy for 3 or 4 sets in the same day. If the only major lifts were deads and rows, I'd say one set is prolly dumb.

yea thats where the 1x5 came from. i used to do SS for 3 months when i first starting lifting. I will continue to do 3x5. I looked into 5/3/1 but its just too much cycling. I just like doing the same stuff everyday... i just do 3x5 for main lifts. if i hit 3x5 with good speed and form i move up, if i can do more reps that day i do more. When i move up, i won't hit 3x5 most likely. and i work back up to 3x5.

Than i do 3-4 accessory exercises

EX:

deadlift 3x5
seated cable close row 4x10 and 1 drop set, basically. I kill it.
Lat pull downs, 4x10. no drop set... kinda pointless by this time. lol.
Barbell curls 3x5-8 and 1 drop set

Thats about it for back day lol. Any bent over rows. i cannot do after deadlifts. Other than a DB row, and its really hard for me to "feel" it in that exercise. Just can't... and really dislike it.

The Chest supported T bar rows are great, i really feel them alot in the upper back. But its hard to breathe and theres so much pressure on my ribcage, or stomach. So i also dislike that exercise... i just do the wide attachment on the seated rows instead and pull to the chest, upper stomach. I might also do the close attachment pull downs as well.

Other than those 2 additional exercises. i don't really like much else... And i don't think i even need them yet. Once i can do enough weight on the lat pull downs, ill start doing pull ups. Until i can do the entire rack for lat pull downs... i won't be doing pull ups for a while... Cable rows are bomb, gunna hit the entire rack soon... dunna what to do afterwards...

Oh and my goals are hypertrophy. I like to think of myself as a hybrid type? But when im on a complete strength program it really makes me focus on the Barbell lifts, on the numbers. Its so little and few and simple. And since i worry about the numbers so much, i start to obsess. And you can see that in my anxiety to make sure i sleep alot, and to eat alot. So thats why i like it. it brings the motivation back.

bodybuildings not the same... especially when your not cut yet... and i know it... i see guys so ripped and so jacked. My height and they only weight 170. i weight almost 30 more lbs than them at times. So i know. i know the truth. The only thing that keeps me going is that im a pure amateur and only been lifting for 2 years and i have a surgically ****ed up left forearm. If it weren't for these 3 excuses i woulda quit along time ago. . . God i saw a 18 year old bodybuilder on truestrength.net. After i saw him, i wanted to end my life.