Deadlifts are brutal

tomcornhole
tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I do a 4 day split of squat, bench, deadlift and overhead press. I feel spent after squats. Feel ok after bench and OHP. I feel dead after deadlift day. Everything is weak and shaky even the day after DL's. If there were only one lift I could do, it would be DL. Nothing beats up the body like a good day of DL.

Just thought I would share.

Tom

Replies

  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Personally, i want to feel strong the next day, so that i'm capable of handling life's challenging. That's why i lift - to be strong and ready. Feeling weak, shaky and overly sore the next day means i did too much. I like full-body workouts because they're less likely to overwork each body part.
  • SuperSexyDork
    SuperSexyDork Posts: 1,669 Member
    Personally, i want to feel strong the next day, so that i'm capable of handling life's challenging. That's why i lift - to be strong and ready. Feeling weak, shaky and overly sore the next day means i did too much. I like full-body workouts because they're less likely to overwork each body part.

    But the DL is basically a full body workout...
  • MaryJane_8810002
    MaryJane_8810002 Posts: 2,082 Member
    I must be doing them wrong because I feel okay after a deadlift. Maybe a little spent but okay to take on the day....
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Personally, i want to feel strong the next day, so that i'm capable of handling life's challenging. That's why i lift - to be strong and ready. Feeling weak, shaky and overly sore the next day means i did too much. I like full-body workouts because they're less likely to overwork each body part.

    But the DL is basically a full body workout...

    Right, but with a "deadlift day", the number of sets is much higher. That's what leaves you feeling wiped out. With full-body workouts, you do a set or 2 of DLs, then move on to something else. The "bodily damage" is spread out more evenly across the week.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
    Personally, i want to feel strong the next day, so that i'm capable of handling life's challenging. That's why i lift - to be strong and ready. Feeling weak, shaky and overly sore the next day means i did too much. I like full-body workouts because they're less likely to overwork each body part.

    Agree. I'm plenty strong right now to handle anything my life throws at me. The heaviest thing I lift are 40 lbs bags of salt for the water softener and I can do that even after a DL day. Certainly no application for deadlifting 400 lbs in my daily life unless I want to carry 10 bags of salt at a time. But I don't lift for daily function. I lift to challenge myself. Sometimes that means I am sore and spent. I'm ok with that. As long as I am progressing and lifting heavier weights each week.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
    Right, but with a "deadlift day", the number of sets is much higher. That's what leaves you feeling wiped out. With full-body workouts, you do a set or 2 of DLs, then move on to something else. The "bodily damage" is spread out more evenly across the week.

    I could never DL anywhere near the weights I am doing now if I were doing full body workouts.
  • TX_RattleSnake
    TX_RattleSnake Posts: 94
    Personally, i want to feel strong the next day, so that i'm capable of handling life's challenging.

    Do deadlifts and you wont "want to feel strong" you will be strong.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Word. And guess what today is? Deadlift day! I have to double it up today with OHP.

    And as for this...
    Personally, i want to feel strong the next day, so that i'm capable of handling life's challenging. That's why i lift - to be strong and ready. Feeling weak, shaky and overly sore the next day means i did too much. I like full-body workouts because they're less likely to overwork each body part.

    Like the saying goes, make progress, or make excuses.
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
    I'm with the OP on this one. Go heavy to stimulate adaptation.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Deadlifts > other exercises
  • SuperSexyDork
    SuperSexyDork Posts: 1,669 Member
    Word. And guess what today is? Deadlift day! I have to double it up today with OHP.

    And as for this...
    Personally, i want to feel strong the next day, so that i'm capable of handling life's challenging. That's why i lift - to be strong and ready. Feeling weak, shaky and overly sore the next day means i did too much. I like full-body workouts because they're less likely to overwork each body part.

    Like the saying goes, make progress, or make excuses.

    Looks like you're making progress AND making babies! They're adorable!
  • littlepinkhearts
    littlepinkhearts Posts: 1,055 Member
    thread has totally motivated me to get off me *kitten* and DEADLIFT :drinker:
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
    Lol yeah, deads are usually the first lift to get truely heavy, and my back needs a rest afterwards for sure. You probably shouldn't feel shaky though, but then you posted you're doing 400lb lifts. That's more than twice your bodyweight.

    Keep this in mind, even though our strength improves, heavy weight is still heavy weight. Our muscles get stronger but our bones don't necessarily, nor do our joints, at least not in the same way. So make sure you're being careful as the weight gets up there. Nutrition becomes a huge deal at the higher levels too. Take care of yourself.

    I was at the orthopedist a couple days ago, and his assistant made a good point. Our bodies are meant to handle our own bodyweight and a bit more. If you weigh 200lbs, and your dead is at 400lbs, you're effectively lifting most of your bodyweight plus the poundage. The stress on your body is huge, so again, take care.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    Right, but with a "deadlift day", the number of sets is much higher. That's what leaves you feeling wiped out. With full-body workouts, you do a set or 2 of DLs, then move on to something else. The "bodily damage" is spread out more evenly across the week.

    I could never DL anywhere near the weights I am doing now if I were doing full body workouts.

    Are you doing Wendler 5/3/1? If so, how're you finding it? Thinking of moving onto this when I stop progressing with SS - would be interested to hear what you think of it (or whatever your programme is, as it sounds similar).

    Oh, and I feel how you feel about dead lifts about overhead press - kills me! :/
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
    Are you doing Wendler 5/3/1? If so, how're you finding it? Thinking of moving onto this when I stop progressing with SS - would be interested to hear what you think of it (or whatever your programme is, as it sounds similar).

    Oh, and I feel how you feel about dead lifts about overhead press - kills me! :/

    I started SS in March and switched to 5/3/1 in June. I like 5/3/1 a lot better as it gives me better recovery. It hits each lift once a week vs. 3x a week on SS or SL. If I were younger, I would have stuck with SS longer. But I gotta tell ya, 5/3/1 works like a champ. It is weird because you never really go "heavy" but that 5/3/1/deload progression seems to work well. If I have a day that I am feeling awesome, I'll do joker sets (Jim describes them in his follow on book "Beyond 5/3/1"). Joker sets just keep adding weight until you feel like stopping. That keeps me motivated and convinces me that 5/3/1 works. I do those once a month or so. Every time I do the joker sets, I set a 1RM PR. Sometimes by a boatload. Then I just go back to the same 5/3/1 schedule I had before with the confidence that it works. I love it and trust it.

    If you still think you have newbie gains and are progressing nicely on SS or SL, I would stick with that until you stall. Then consider 5/3/1. I also think 5/3/1 works better for those in a deficit because the lower volume facilitates recovery better, IMHO. And if you are feeling large that day, just add the Joker sets and Boring But Big accessory sets and that will take care of that. I have yet to be able to complete BBB on DL day.

    Tom
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Personally, i want to feel strong the next day, so that i'm capable of handling life's challenging. That's why i lift - to be strong and ready. Feeling weak, shaky and overly sore the next day means i did too much. I like full-body workouts because they're less likely to overwork each body part.

    Like the saying goes, make progress, or make excuses.

    I think the saying is, "make progress, but don't get overtraining injuries." ;-)

    I don't lift just to watch numbers go up. Progress for me means i can accomplish more outside the gym, not less. If i'm weak and shaky while i'm hauling heavy stuff around or perhaps fighting someone, my performance suffers, which could have tragic consequences. So i train to feel strong the next day, not dead and useless.
    I respect that not everyone has the same goal.
  • Stage14
    Stage14 Posts: 1,046 Member
    I am all about feeling sore and fatigued the next day, but the only times I've felt week or shaky the day after a workout have been days when I've done too much and it takes multiple days to recover. I am personally not a fan of that, but I do love deadlifts!
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    Cheers for that. Sounds perfect, I'm on a deficit too. Going to browse amazon right now :)
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    In for deadlift <3:love:
  • cingle87
    cingle87 Posts: 717 Member
    Im all about the deadlifts, no better feeling in the gym than lifting that last rep to best you personal best. However i do like to be able to walk for the rest of the day so shaky shaky is a no no for me.
  • jstarz002
    jstarz002 Posts: 176
    Barbell squats are much more exhausting imo... I am talking at least parallel and ideally full squats; not quarter squats like most people do.
  • jlclabo
    jlclabo Posts: 588 Member
    on my deadlift days i also like to add some very heavy rack pulls to the mix. usually last working set on deadlifts is 405 for 6-10 reps depending on how i feel, then ill start with 405 rack pulls for 8 reps and keep going up to 495 for 6 reps, 545 for 4 reps, 565 for 2 reps. i feel like a beast when i get done, but pay for it later, lol.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Barbell squats are much more exhausting imo... I am talking at least parallel and ideally full squats; not quarter squats like most people do.
    99% of the people pulling big deadlifts know how to squat too.
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
    Cheers for that. Sounds perfect, I'm on a deficit too. Going to browse amazon right now :)

    Make sure you buy to second edition of 5/3/1 and read that, before you read Beyond 5/3/1. Beyond is a supplimental book that adds to the original program. Wont make sense to you if you don't read the original first.

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