48 hours between leg work and deadlifts?

[BlockBuilder]

So I'm just curious because I have my leg day and then a rest day and then I work back. I start off my back workout with an attempt of 15 deadlift singles in 10 minutes. If I hit my goal I move up in weight next time I Deadlift. Is 48 hours enough time or should I take another day between? I mean its only a max of 15 reps I honestly don't think my previous leg workout around 48 hours before is going to effect this lift since it's not a lot of volume right?!

 

[sparks2012]

So I'm just curious because I have my leg day and then a rest day and then I work back. I start off my back workout with an attempt of 15 deadlift singles in 10 minutes. If I hit my goal I move up in weight next time I Deadlift. Is 48 hours enough time or should I take another day between? I mean its only a max of 15 reps I honestly don't think my previous leg workout around 48 hours before is going to effect this lift since it's not a lot of volume right?!

Are you consistently moving up in weight for your 15 singles? How many days are there between your back and leg workout? I try and keep it at least 48 hours so I have legs at the beginning/end of my week, and hit back in the middle.

 

[puccah8808]

Sometimes I do it back to back without any issues.

 

[BlockBuilder]

Lol the soreness is actually becoming a bit unbearable at the moment I think I need an extra day for real. My CNS is kind of fried from leg day also. Sunday is a great day for deads too. Yea I'm consistently moving up but I've slowed to a snails pace getting 1 more rep each time. Back, biceps, traps, forearms, abs is the first day of the week. Legs is the last. Usually I have two days but I was forced to take an extra day off mid week and wanted to keep up frequency by eliminating my second rest day after legs if that makes sense. Mind you I'm also in PCT that's probably an important aspect. 4 weeks in. On a good note just took all my muscle measurements and have lost no size or weight whatsoever. Just gonna make today a cardio day I think. Thanks for input

 

[RegisterJr]

Then take an extra day.

I used to do legs, chest, back; and more often than not take a rest there before back. Now I do back/deads first because it's less taxing than the other way around.

 

[PaulBlack]

When you say "leg work", is that more iso stuff, like leg pressing and extensions, or is it squatting as well?

I know some people and or especially BBer's think in terms of parts. A deadlift and or squat certainly trains 80% of the body and hits hams, glutes, (lots of mass there) lumbars, erectors, lats (more static) to some extent, traps etc. So to think back, might be selling that lift short some.

Most routines that enlist heavy leg and back work ie: squats and deads, can show great gains by 2 W/O's per week. YMMV and sure at times, those frequencies can vary or be tweaked over periods as well.

If the lifts are going up and or you are adding weight, then you are most likely recovering and can be good to go, but if you get too beat up by it, then that might be a barometer to give it another day or so and be more 90%-100% recovered

 

[Aleksandar37]

Lol the soreness is actually becoming a bit unbearable at the moment I think I need an extra day for real.

Sounds like your body is answering the question for you. Try adding an extra day and see if that helps.

 

[kisaj]

Sounds like your body is answering the question for you. Try adding an extra day and see if that helps.

Basically this. There is no right answer and it depends on how your body is responding. I personally only deadlift evey 2 weeks because it is detrimental to my other lifts, mainly legs and core.

 

[Tank999]

It depends if you're going for strength or growth. For growth you need time off, and as everyone has been saying, you're body will dictate how much. If you train for pure strength you can force your body to adapt to shorter recovery periods. Checkout all the Smolov Squat people doing squats like 5 days a week. John Brozs who very successfully trains olympic lifters has his guys doing the same lifts 13 times a week!

 

[LDubs]

Sometimes I do it back to back without any issues.

^^^ this for me

 

[Rodja]

How does a deadlift not constitute as leg work?

 

[sparks2012]

How does a deadlift not constitute as leg work?

I don't think anyone has said that outright so far. It definitely does constitute as leg work, however, with most people's idea of a deadlift they don't see it as a lift that actively targets the legs like more "traditional" movements that primarily focus on the legs. I don't do deads on my leg days, aside from RDL's/SLDL's as a way to exhaust the hams/glutes all the while using a load that is more beneficial than what a machine or isolation movement could produce.

 

[soflo561]

It all depends on how you feel listen to your body no one can tell you how your body feeling. Some people are able to squat everyday and some people are able to squat once a week. For mei I deadlift twice a week squat twice a week and bench twice a week. Once a week heavy low reps once a week light High Reps it works for me

 

[Rodja]

I don't think anyone has said that outright so far. It definitely does constitute as leg work, however, with most people's idea of a deadlift they don't see it as a lift that actively targets the legs like more "traditional" movements that primarily focus on the legs. I don't do deads on my leg days, aside from RDL's/SLDL's as a way to exhaust the hams/glutes all the while using a load that is more beneficial than what a machine or isolation movement could produce.

May not have been expressly said, but it's clearly implied by the title. Deadlifts are more of a thigh and glute lift than anything else.

Caveat: when they're done correctly.

 

[sparks2012]

May not have been expressly said, but it's clearly implied by the title. Deadlifts are more of a thigh and glute lift than anything else.

Caveat: when they're done correctly.

Yeah man, I agree and I see what you're saying. I assume you pull sumo? I pull strongest conventional, and I use sumo to finish off deads, sometimes I'll use sumo the whole session if feel like it. I don't feel the legs as much pulling conventional, unless I'm doing it wrong. If that's the case then your caveat rings truer than ever.

 

[Rodja]

Yeah man, I agree and I see what you're saying. I assume you pull sumo? I pull strongest conventional, and I use sumo to finish off deads, sometimes I'll use sumo the whole session if feel like it. I don't feel the legs as much pulling conventional, unless I'm doing it wrong. If that's the case then your caveat rings truer than ever.

I pull sumo in competition, but use conventional to build. Even conventional, the primary movers should be the hams and glutes. IME, most only engage the lumbar at the end via hyperextension, which actually causes a flex in the knee and doesn't end in locking out the weight.

 

[sparks2012]

I pull sumo in competition, but use conventional to build. Even conventional, the primary movers should be the hams and glutes. IME, most only engage the lumbar at the end via hyperextension, which actually causes a flex in the knee and doesn't end in locking out the weight.

I wouldn't be surprised if I am pulling wrong, or at the very least, not using optimal leverages and queues. Whenever I start a pull, I feel like my back is working more than anything else. Also, if I fail an attempt, it's always right off the floor or it doesn't come off the floor at all. Possibly my hips are too high? I don't really know because if I consciously lower them it feels like my trunk is too low.

 

[RegisterJr]

I feel my pulls almost exclusively in my glutes, though higher rep pulls I do feel in my hams and lower back.

 

[Rodja]

I wouldn't be surprised if I am pulling wrong, or at the very least, not using optimal leverages and queues. Whenever I start a pull, I feel like my back is working more than anything else. Also, if I fail an attempt, it's always right off the floor or it doesn't come off the floor at all. Possibly my hips are too high? I don't really know because if I consciously lower them it feels like my trunk is too low.

Without video, it's a guess. There are some usual suspects, but nothing that can be definitively said.

 

[sparks2012]

Without video, it's a guess. There are some usual suspects, but nothing that can be definitively said.

Tomorrow is when I'm deadlifting next, so I'll get some videos in if you don't mind critiquing.

 

[Rodja]

Tomorrow is when I'm deadlifting next, so I'll get some videos in if you don't mind critiquing.

Don't mind at all.

 

[sparks2012]

Don't mind at all.

?

 

[ryox82]

I pull conventional and I feel it in the hamstrings and glutes, back being secondary. Maybe when people think of legs they are thinking mostly about quads? I don't know. It's a flawed logic if so. Everyone has different leverages too so how it feels might be different for me, than for someone who is 6' 5" and all legs.

 

[kisaj]

It's all glute and back for me. Other than split squats, nothing gets my ass hurting more.

 

[BennyMagoo79]

I pull sumo in competition, but use conventional to build. Even conventional, the primary movers should be the hams and glutes. IME, most only engage the lumbar at the end via hyperextension, which actually causes a flex in the knee and doesn't end in locking out the weight.

IMO the extent to which individual muscle groups bears the load is dependent upon individual biomechanics. Proportionately shorter femurs = greater quad involvement whereas long femurs = greater posterior chain involvement. Long femured lifters can (like myself) require less rest between "leg day" and deadlift since posterior chain generally recovers more quickly than quads, and quads are not greatly taxed during deadlift. I generally highbar back-squat twice per week and front squat as an accessory movement after deadlift, depending on volume.

 

[herderdude]

IMO the extent to which individual muscle groups bears the load is dependent upon individual biomechanics. Proportionately shorter femurs = greater quad involvement whereas long femurs = greater posterior chain involvement. Long femured lifters can (like myself) require less rest between "leg day" and deadlift since posterior chain generally recovers more quickly than quads, and quads are not greatly taxed during deadlift. I generally highbar back-squat twice per week and front squat as an accessory movement after deadlift, depending on volume.

Spot on with the biomechanics, for sure. I have a very leggy conventional deadlift.

You feel posterior chain recovers more quickly than quads? I hadn't given it much thought until you brought it up. My personal experience is different, though I have had gifted quads my whole life and I train my posterior chain with Mich more volume.

 

[BennyMagoo79]

Spot on with the biomechanics, for sure. I have a very leggy conventional deadlift.

You feel posterior chain recovers more quickly than quads? I hadn't given it much thought until you brought it up. My personal experience is different, though I have had gifted quads my whole life and I train my posterior chain with Mich more volume.

When I started lifting (only 3 yrs ago) I think my posterior chain really copped a beating, but since learning to brace more effectively and incorporating progressively more advanced mobility routines, my posterior chain has become a better responder to training than other muscle groups, particularly quads, which literally ache for a couple days after heavy back squats.

But yeah i avoid a lot of PC volume by highbar squatting.

 

[compudog]

I think deads work the spinal erectors (lower back) pretty hard if you do them right. Check me out. I just learned to do a yoga headstand last week and had my daughter snap a pic. When I looked at it I realised my erectors are actually bigger than my lower traps.

 

[compudog]

I wouldn't be surprised if I am pulling wrong, or at the very least, not using optimal leverages and queues. Whenever I start a pull, I feel like my back is working more than anything else. Also, if I fail an attempt, it's always right off the floor or it doesn't come off the floor at all. Possibly my hips are too high? I don't really know because if I consciously lower them it feels like my trunk is too low.

I've said it before, if your hips are "shooting up" it's because they were too low to begin with. When the weight is appropriate (heavy), your body will adjust to the right geometry for a heavy pull. For a lot of people that means their hips "shoot up". Their hips aren't going into the wrong position, they're going into the *right* position. I think if your shins are vertical before you start to pull your hips will be in the right position. If they're not, when you start to pull something heavy, your hips will move up until the shins are vertical. A lot of people disagree with that but I have a pretty good pull and I'm not a big guy and I'm old too, nearing 50.

 

[herderdude]

I've said it before, if your hips are "shooting up" it's because they were too low to begin with. When the weight is appropriate (heavy), your body will adjust to the right geometry for a heavy pull. For a lot of people that means their hips "shoot up". Their hips aren't going into the wrong position, they're going into the *right* position. I think if your shins are vertical before you start to pull your hips will be in the right position. If they're not, when you start to pull something heavy, your hips will move up until the shins are vertical. A lot of people disagree with that but I have a pretty good pull and I'm not a big guy and I'm old too, nearing 50.

This is very true. I see it all the time with inexperienced pullers or if it hasn't clicked for the person yet. I also see it when the person doesn't understand the concept of loading and tightening the lower body during setup. Usually coaching to the geometry teaches the loading, though.

Also saw still photos of the 30 biggest conventional deadlifts captured on camera as the bar left the floor in a Bret Contreras article. Every single one had vertical shins as the bar left the floor.

 

[PaulBlack]

Also saw still photos of the 30 biggest conventional deadlifts captured on camera as the bar left the floor in a Bret Contreras article. Every single one had vertical shins as the bar left the floor.

And pretty much all of them, had their hips still a bit lower than the shoulders.
No, you can't squat the weight off the floor for maxes, and starting like a "number 4" which some have advocated, is probably too (hip set low) for many, I'd agree.
I think where lifters/novices especially, run into trouble with the hips shooting up (first, leg straighten and loss of power), is the legs are then too straight to get the entire leg muscle structure into the lift and follow proper order (even for their body type) to help complete it to lockout.
What one doesn't want, is for it turning into the "paratrooper pull", with a fully rounded lower and upper back, bar swinging forward and hips as high as the shoulders with the legs nearly completely straight with bar barely moving.