What are you guys' thoughts on squats and deadlifts in the same day?

[The Viking]

For instance, what would you say about squats and deadlifts, 4 or 5 sets each, on Mondays and Thursdays?

I've heard its bad to do them on the same workout, but was never told why. Anyone know?

Thanks in advance.

[kann]

Doesn't the 5x5 program have them on the same day? I would imagine the argument for not doing them on the same day would be that you would already have expended quite a bit of energy on one or the other, therefore not having full energy to put into the other exercise. However, I'll have to look again, but I really think they are on the same day withthe 5x5 twice a week. It's a proven program, so I would have to imagine it isn't as bad as some make it out to be.

Caveat is stiff-legged deadlifts, which are routinely done on leg day, for hamstrings.

[Mr Beer]

They're both really hard work, so you'll only get the maximum benefit from the exercise you do first. That's the theory as to why both on same day = bad idea.

[kronik85]

its fine.

[amber_stone]

I started doing the Bill Starrs 5x5 which has them both on the same day and had to cut out squats and just do deadlifts after about 3 weeks. Maybe its because I do sumos but I found I wasnt recovering properly - I'd miss a squat sessions later that week anyway because I was so sore. Plus I found it made me more prone to back injury (I have trouble anyway) because I was already fatigued when I had to do deadlifts because I'd already done squats. I suppose it just depends on how long you've been lifting and how you recover. If you're not on Starrs 5x5 where you are meant to do squats 3x a wk plus deadlifts it might be easier.

[Danimal]

I agree that you can't hit both lifts hard enough the same day. One will suffer. If you do want to try both, you should squat 1st.

[dbcb314]

I started doing the Bill Starrs 5x5 which has them both on the same day and had to cut out squats and just do deadlifts after about 3 weeks. Maybe its because I do sumos but I found I wasnt recovering properly - I'd miss a squat sessions later that week anyway because I was so sore. Plus I found it made me more prone to back injury (I have trouble anyway) because I was already fatigued when I had to do deadlifts because I'd already done squats. I suppose it just depends on how long you've been lifting and how you recover. If you're not on Starrs 5x5 where you are meant to do squats 3x a wk plus deadlifts it might be easier.

God... someone changing a program... your supposed to squat light on deadlift day, it shouldn't be hard at all....



To the original question, doing heavy for both squats and deads on the same day would be extrememly hard as one of them would suffer. Now if one was done light or dynamic that would be a different story.

[amber_stone]

God... someone changing a program... your supposed to squat light on deadlift day, it shouldn't be hard at all....

Um, yes I changed a program to suit me. Maybe I should just get a cookie cutter program out of a magazine and follow that instead yeesh.

[Minotaur]

I've tried doing them both in the same session, but after I do one I don't even have the energy to think. I can barely get through the assistance work afterwards.

Yet some of the guys at Monster Muscle seem to feel that it's quite doable to squat and deadlift in the same session.

I can't do it. In the same way that after I do serious chest, I cannot work shoulders in the same session.

[kronik85]

Um, yes I changed a program to suit me. Maybe I should just get a cookie cutter program out of a magazine and follow that instead yeesh.

it doesn't suit you, you just gimped it. wednesday is a light squat day and shouldn't be taxing to your cns. it's a hard program. i'm not saying you can't change the program at all, but by completely gimping it you take away the entire point of the program.

[UhhWhatever]

I don't squat and deadlift on the same day, as my back doesn't deal well with it. I think it depends a bit on your squat form - I use a lot of low back in my squats, so deadlifting in the same day is painful. If you highbar, close-stance squat, it's a little less strain on the lower back, and probably easier to deadlift on the same day. And in any case, you obviously should be going light on one, and heavy on the other - not heavy on both.

Um, yes I changed a program to suit me. Maybe I should just get a cookie cutter program out of a magazine and follow that instead yeesh.

Just ignore the retards. You did the right thing by listening to your body and adjusting your workout to avoid injury and keep making progress.

[BGSU1]

I do them both on the same day. Squats followed by DLs.
Everyone is different so do what feel comfortable for you. Some times, for ****s and giggles, I will start off with DLs just to max out.

[AndrewHale]

I squat 3 times a week, and deadlift once. On wednesdays, I both squat and deadlift, but the squats are lighter and I feel they don't affect my deadlifts.

I remember when I was doing westside and my ME would be squats, and for accesory I'd do some SLDL's... but my strength really suffered.

Personally, I wouldn't do them the same day, unless the squats were lighter/dynamic squats.

[amber_stone]

it doesn't suit you, you just gimped it. wednesday is a light squat day and shouldn't be taxing to your cns. it's a hard program. i'm not saying you can't change the program at all, but by completely gimping it you take away the entire point of the program.

Yes it is a hard program. I ended up hurting my back by doing the squats and deadlifts on the same day so it was a choice between stopping the program completely or changing it. I found even though it was meant to be a light day because I squat wide and do sumo deadlifts it was like doing a heavy day anyway because I was working the same muscle groups. Also I just wasnt recovering well - I was sore all week. So how is that 'gimping' it? I learnt my lesson from it and write my own now.

[randall_truscot]

i have no problem doing heavy squats and deads on the same day. ive been doing them since i started powerlifting. you have to if your gonna squat 2 times a week.

[RobertForbes]

I love doing squats and deadlifts in the same workout.

After squats my back is warmed up nicely to go onto deads.

[SlammaJamma]

Yes it is a hard program. I ended up hurting my back by doing the squats and deadlifts on the same day so it was a choice between stopping the program completely or changing it. I found even though it was meant to be a light day because I squat wide and do sumo deadlifts it was like doing a heavy day anyway because I was working the same muscle groups. Also I just wasnt recovering well - I was sore all week. So how is that 'gimping' it? I learnt my lesson from it and write my own now.

dbcb's point was that you changed the program by going heavy with squats on Wednesday. The squats shouldn't take anything out of you at all. For example, I would use 185 on squats on Wed. for sets of 5 (as per the program), but I at the time I could probably get 20+ reps with that weight.

[amber_stone]

dbcb's point was that you changed the program by going heavy with squats on Wednesday. The squats shouldn't take anything out of you at all. For example, I would use 185 on squats on Wed. for sets of 5 (as per the program), but I at the time I could probably get 20+ reps with that weight.

I didnt go heavy - When I started it I downloaded the spreadsheet that worked all my numbers in advance. Having said that though, maybe because I squat bugger all it affected it - eg, Last comp I squated 75kgs (165lbs) and the spreadsheet had me doing 55kgs (126lbs) for 5 on the wednesday.
I honestly dont know why anyone cares anyway -I'm not telling anyone to do what I did, I'm not complaining that I didnt get as good a results as I may have by doing squats 3x a wk. All I said is that I cant do squats and deads on the same day without back troubles and longer recovery.

[GoJu]

some people like to scream OVERTRAINING whenever they hear about squats and deadlifts in the same workout, STOP IT! in reality, it's really not that tough, so if you want to I say go for it, one might lag behind the other because they work similar muscle groups and plains of motion., but they're the same EXACT exercise. Plus they complement eachother nicely, so it's fine to do.

[RavensFan2k3]

Madcows variation of Bill Starr's 5x5 does have squats and deadlifts on the same day, but that day is a light day for squats while its a heavy day for deadlifts...

[The Abomination]

some people like to scream OVERTRAINING whenever they hear about squats and deadlifts in the same workout, STOP IT! in reality, it's really not that tough, so if you want to I say go for it, one might lag behind the other because they work similar muscle groups and plains of motion., but they're the same EXACT exercise. Plus they complement eachother nicely, so it's fine to do.

I agree...I think about overtraining when you're doing them on separate days...both tax the nervous system pretty hard.

[TAT 70]

I do squats & deadlifts on the same day.
It is taxing but i manage.
As for the myth that you`ll only improve your
first lift i personally haven`t found that.

[bodybuilda]

For instance, what would you say about squats and deadlifts, 4 or 5 sets each, on Mondays and Thursdays?

I've heard its bad to do them on the same workout, but was never told why. Anyone know?

Thanks in advance.

I just started doing them a couple weeks ago and it is working great for me.
My current split is this.

Day 1 Squat
GoodMornings
Bench Pressing
Shoulder and Tri Pressing

Day 2 Rest

Day 3
Squat
Deadlift off a plate or rack pull after every other session day.
Rows
Lat Pull Downs
Shrug
Curls

REPEAT

This has been working great for me. A lot of you will definitely say thats too much squats per week but so far its been working great.

[mark prater 123]

well im a football player so what should i do about that? i have to have a day a week where i work on running so i probably shouldnt put a heavy squat or deadlift on that day. i was thinking heavy both one day and dynamic both the other in which i will also do cardio. that sound good?