Quick Question

STurbs33

I'm currently doing an upper/lower split but I had a question about lower body days. I want to incorporate squats into all of my lower body workouts. However, I was finding that if I squatted heavy every workout, then my deadlifts would suffer (I do them once per week). So I started doing deadlifts before squats on those days. Then my squats suffered, so I cut squats and deadlifts down to once per week. Now I'm finding that my squats aren't progressing as quick as I'd like ( I'm stalling again at once per week) and want to put them back in on deadlifts day. But I'm unsure of how to do that.

Should I do my regular heavy squat workout after deadlifts, knowing that they may suffer because I'll be tired from deadlifts, or should I do something else, like slightly higher reps with lower weight (3x8 instead if 3x5) so I still get the benefit of doing squats but without screwing up progress from my heavy days. Or does the rep range even matter as long as I'm going as heavy as I can on either? I've started doing the latter in the last two weeks and my squats haven't stalled since but that could be just a coincidence.

I'm definitely overthinking this somehow haha. I hope I didn't completely confuse everyone, but any help I could get would be wonderful.

Gwyn1969

If you find you can't recover with what you are doing now, squat on deadlift day, but just do about 80% of what you would usually do for three sets of five, and only do two sets of five.

Sarauk2sf

Always put squats first. I agree with Gwyn that if you are finding recovery an issue, drop the sets and/or weights down a bit. I would not increase the reps.

Are you doing 5 x 5 or 3 x 5 currently? You mention 3 x 5 but I am not sure if that is what you are suggesting or what you currently do.

You should also look at your food intake on those days and possibly up it a bit.

Martucha123

Why increasing reps is a bad idea? I am lifting 3x5 and due to recovery issues on the ohp and deads day I squat 3x8 with 80% of weight that I use for 3x5 on the squat and bench day. Should I stick to 3x5 80%?

ilovedeadlifts

I prefer to devote a day to each.

One day squat heavy, and do a deadlift variant w/ a lesser percentage for some reps.

On your other lower day Deadlift heavy and do a squat variant (SSB squats, Front squats, olympic squats, wide stance squats) for reps.


You don't have to go heavy on squats both days.

Sarauk2sf

Why increasing reps is a bad idea? I am lifting 3x5 and due to recovery issues on the ohp and deads day I squat 3x8 with 80% of weight that I use for 3x5 on the squat and bench day. Should I stick to 3x5 80%?

Lighter weights are less less taxing on the CNS but adding reps is still fatiguing - it's not a bad idea per se, but I suggested to keep the reps the same if the weight is dropped to help with recovery. However, If you are recovering fine, then stick to what you are doing.

Martucha123

thanks!

STurbs33

Thanks everyone. I'm currently doing 3x5 working sets with 2 warmup sets for squats. I'll likely drop the weight a bit next time, as per your suggestions. This helps a lot!

Sarauk2sf

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