Opinions on Movements such as...

[MoreMassPlease]

Deficit DLs, Paused Bench, Deadpress, Ass2Grass Squats compared to squatting to parallel, etc. Do these movements truly make you stronger faster or no? Could you just do the exercise conventionally and use progressive overload to obtain the same results?

Go.

[300lb10yrs]

You can progress so far with the classical lifts until weakness forms. Once that weakness forms you can ignore it till you get hurt or train it and get stronger.

You have to find out where your weak points are in each lift and then train those with the appropriate variation.

Yes all those movements will probably be useful in building the strongest version of yourself. Maybe not right now but I can guarantee at some point if you continue this quest they will be.

That said if you arent doing stiff legged deads right now better get to it.

[somedude999]

Paused bench - I used to be scared of what would happen if the weight ever stopped moving. When the weight got heavy I'd touch and go with the briefest touch and sometimes would rep high because I was afraid of letting the bar go too low and/or having it stall. Paused reps made me comfortable with letting the bar sit on my chest and gave me the confidence that I could drive it off.

[koweanguy]

You can progress so far with the classical lifts until weakness forms. Once that weakness forms you can ignore it till you get hurt or train it and get stronger.

You have to find out where your weak points are in each lift and then train those with the appropriate variation.

Yes all those movements will probably be useful in building the strongest version of yourself. Maybe not right now but I can guarantee at some point if you continue this quest they will be.

That said if you arent doing stiff legged deads right now better get to it.

^Such a flawless answer!

Once I switched over to ATG Squats.. I never looked back
So give it a try OP!

[MoreMassPlease]

Thanks to all! Everyone got some reps. I have at least tried all of these variations. Currently, I do ass to grass squats, stiff legs OR romanians, and some paused bench. I don't do deficit deadlifts a lot. I've only even tried them once.

Another question I have (if you all don't mind answering it) is how much weight is respectable in the first year of weightlifting? Or rather, what kind of increase (percentage, weight, whatever) in this lifts is respectable? I know this is pretty much an impossible thing to answer because we are all genetically different and our nutrition, training, supplementation, etc. varies. However, I would just like a good guess so I know if I'm making the progress I should. Otherwise, I need to be training differently somehow.

Help a newbie out? I think I'm on the right track. If you want some stats here they are:

(I haven't changed my signature.)

Start:

140 lbs
5'8''

DL: 1RM unknown. I was doing 135 for one or two. It was an awkward movement for me but I love it now. It's my favorite.
Squat: 135 for about 3.
Bench: 1RM unknown. I was doing pyramids working up to 115 lbs for 1. Lol

~10 months later:

163 lbs
5'8''

DL: 315 x 2
Squat: 245 x 1
Bench: 185 x 1


Thanks again.

[Silentpoet]

What is respectable is whatever weight you give great or improved effort on. There is only one judge who matters on this count, you. Only you know if you truly gave good effort.

[MoreMassPlease]

What is respectable is whatever weight you give great or improved effort on. There is only one judge who matters on this count, you. Only you know if you truly gave good effort.

That's a good way to think about it. Progress is progress.

[HamburgerTrain]

Yes. But, no sometimes. But not all the time.

[adpowah]

Personally I love deficit deadlifts and RDL. But accessory lifts are accessory.

[scorpionsf]

what's a parallel squat??

[koweanguy]

what's a parallel squat??

When you squat down 90 degrees.. your legs are parallel to the floor

[scorpionsf]

When you squat down 90 degrees.. your legs are parallel to the floor

there is either depth or not. parallel isn't a thing

[ToniRadanov]

Squat for squat improvement, bench for bench improvement until you reach really high numbers.

As for the deadlift, there's more to be done than just deadlifting if you ask me. Deficit deadlifts and romanian (straight legged) deadlifts should be done 3 out of 4 weeks of deadlifting imo. I almost never pull regular DL, just romanian.... in fact romanian deficit Why? You overload the same muscles with way less weight and especially the hams and entire back while minimizing the risk of injury since you stick to 60% (max 70% really) of your DL weight. After that your DL will go bonkers and you haven't even deadlifted! I only deadlift once a month to keep my hands and calluses from getting girly, also to make sure the body remembers how to handle much heavier weight once in a while since deficit romanians are done with a much lighter weight.

But that's me.

[300lb10yrs]

Squat for squat improvement, bench for bench improvement until you reach really high numbers.

As for the deadlift, there's more to be done than just deadlifting if you ask me. Deficit deadlifts and romanian (straight legged) deadlifts should be done 3 out of 4 weeks of deadlifting imo. I almost never pull regular DL, just romanian.... in fact romanian deficit Why? You overload the same muscles with way less weight and especially the hams and entire back while minimizing the risk of injury since you stick to 60% (max 70% really) of your DL weight. After that your DL will go bonkers and you haven't even deadlifted! I only deadlift once a month to keep my hands and calluses from getting girly, also to make sure the body remembers how to handle much heavier weight once in a while since deficit romanians are done with a much lighter weight.

But that's me.

Not just you. The majority of my dling is stiff leg deficit off 3.5in. That and sumo double pauses. Never over 65% for sets of 6-8. The double pauses around 55% for 3's. I only deadlift heavy once every 2 months