Deadlifts and Squats
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JustFindingMe
Posts: 390 Member
Good Morning! Im compiling a strength and lifting routine today and have a question regarding squats and deadlifts. Does personal preference come into play when choosing, say, between a clean deadlift or Stiff-legged? I've watched demos and there are slight differences and conflicting opinions on the sites.
And squats, I WISH I had access to a squat rack but Im left to choose between holding a plate/weight to my chest and variations of dumbbell squats.. possibly work my way up to across my shoulders with a barbell eventually?
Do you have recommendations or am I just to figure out what I prefer? Thanks SO much for any insight! :happy:
EDIT - In a nutshell -Are there benefits to either deadlift?
And.... When it comes to choosing a squat, are there better ones or does it boil down to personal preference?
And squats, I WISH I had access to a squat rack but Im left to choose between holding a plate/weight to my chest and variations of dumbbell squats.. possibly work my way up to across my shoulders with a barbell eventually?
Do you have recommendations or am I just to figure out what I prefer? Thanks SO much for any insight! :happy:
EDIT - In a nutshell -Are there benefits to either deadlift?
And.... When it comes to choosing a squat, are there better ones or does it boil down to personal preference?
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Replies
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Aside from possibly doing light front barbell squats, do you have dumbbell handles that you can use with the plates? If so, you could do skater, bulgarian, pistol or goblet squats.0
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Did I post this in the wrong place...?0
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Tagging0
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I love goblet squats and still to them in combination with my regular barbell squats.
just sharing.... :-P0 -
I love goblet squats and still to them in combination with my regular barbell squats.
just sharing.... :-P
I love them too. They really help not just with increasing strength in my legs, hips and knees, but also help me with working on my mobility there too.0 -
Did I post this in the wrong place...?
No. It just might take Sara and Sidesteel a few days to look at this because they are usually inundated with posts/requests/questions here and in PMs. Other users may not feel comfortable answering or haven't seen this post yet.0 -
What are your goals? That's the main reason why one exercise might be "better" than another.
I'm not sure what you mean by clean deadlift vs. stiff legged. I thought all the DL variation names were confusing too when I first started out lifting though. I like including some kind of variation from the floor (either conventional deadlift or sumo) and Romanian DLS (RDLs) where you lower the bar while keeping your back flat and just a slight bend in your knee until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings; usually around knee level or just below.
Squats are good. Any and all kinds. You can probably just pick the bar up and put it on your back for awhile but at some point you won't be able to press it overhead so you're pretty limited without a rack. But you can definitely do goblet squats, split squats, etc.0 -
In regards to deadlifts I think the traditional deadlift has more real world application. In addition a lot of people just don't do straight leggeds properly from a muscle activation standpoint.
Jeff0 -
YES! The names are overwhelming, not to mention multiple names and abbreviations for the same excersize lol
My goal is to develop strength as well as a nice asthetic, eventually. I hear what youre saying about the stiff-legged deadlift, I am one of the people who cannot get it right, Im sure, because Im feeling it in my hamstrings as well as having an achey lower back the next day.
As for squats, the more I read, the more I see that it is a personal preference as to which style. Maybe I should have asked for favorites and why.0 -
I hear what youre saying about the stiff-legged deadlift, I am one of the people who cannot get it right, Im sure, because Im feeling it in my hamstrings as well as having an achey lower back the next day.
Hamstrings is good, lower back, not so much. I used stiff-legged deadlifts specifically to strengthen my very weak hamstrings before I could do squats correctly and effectively. However, you've got to be careful and keep those abs tight to protect the back.0 -
You may be bending too far forward when performing stiff legged deadlifts. Also make sure to squeeze your glutes and hamstrings as you come up.
Jeff
My goal is to develop strength as well as a nice asthetic, eventually. I hear what youre saying about the stiff-legged deadlift, I am one of the people who cannot get it right, Im sure, because Im feeling it in my hamstrings as well as having an achey lower back the next day.0 -
I hear what youre saying about the stiff-legged deadlift, I am one of the people who cannot get it right, Im sure, because Im feeling it in my hamstrings as well as having an achey lower back the next day.
Hamstrings is good, lower back, not so much. I used stiff-legged deadlifts specifically to strengthen my very weak hamstrings before I could do squats correctly and effectively. However, you've got to be careful and keep those abs tight to protect the back.
If lower back is weak, should feel it there too, and better with SL DL at light weight than squat at heavier weight and collapse because of weak back core.
Really do have to feel the difference between bending at the hips keeping back static, and the back starting to bend itself near extreme range.
May have to start with bar higher if hamstrings are too tight to go all the way to floor without lower back bending.
Especially lighter weight plates that are so short.0 -
Great tips! Thanks so much :happy:
I will try your suggestions.0 -
I hear what youre saying about the stiff-legged deadlift, I am one of the people who cannot get it right, Im sure, because Im feeling it in my hamstrings as well as having an achey lower back the next day.
Hamstrings is good, lower back, not so much. I used stiff-legged deadlifts specifically to strengthen my very weak hamstrings before I could do squats correctly and effectively. However, you've got to be careful and keep those abs tight to protect the back.
You will definitely feel it in your lower back. As long as it is still in neutral that's fine. You have to strengthen those muscles too
First post re db options for squats summed that up.
I teach people full deadlifts as well as RDL's. I don't do stiff leg deadlift as I feel that most people can't get these right safely. RDL's being with a slight knee bend that stays constant. I like to do full deadlifts for lower reps and RDL's for higher reps. Cover all bases 0 -
I'm not answering your specific questions, but just giving a general suggestion. You're obviously a rank beginner, I would highly suggest picking a beginner's program and just doing it. There are dozens of beginner programs available out there, many are free. Obviously making a few adjustments for equipment availability along the way.
I would generally advise against making up your own program unless you have at least a few years of training under your belt. Then you'll have a better feel for what works for you and your goals.0 -
I hear what youre saying about the stiff-legged deadlift, I am one of the people who cannot get it right, Im sure, because Im feeling it in my hamstrings as well as having an achey lower back the next day.
Hamstrings is good, lower back, not so much. I used stiff-legged deadlifts specifically to strengthen my very weak hamstrings before I could do squats correctly and effectively. However, you've got to be careful and keep those abs tight to protect the back.
If lower back is weak, should feel it there too, and better with SL DL at light weight than squat at heavier weight and collapse because of weak back core.
Really do have to feel the difference between bending at the hips keeping back static, and the back starting to bend itself near extreme range.
Opps :blushing: Yes. I was thinking injury for some reason when I replied. Not soreness from strengthening muscles. But yes, makes sense that the lower back would need strengthening too... I don't remember that being an issue for me, but I'd already been doing conventional dead lifts for a while before adding in the SL DL... and honestly, I may have been doing RDL. I had a slight bend in the knees. Or maybe I was doing my own bastardized version of something that looked sorta like what I saw in a book.
Regardless, my hamstrings were horribly sore, and it accomplished my goal of balancing me out so I didn't land on my butt when trying to do squats.0 -
I'm not answering your specific questions, but just giving a general suggestion. You're obviously a rank beginner, I would highly suggest picking a beginner's program and just doing it. There are dozens of beginner programs available out there, many are free. Obviously making a few adjustments for equipment availability along the way.
I would generally advise against making up your own program unless you have at least a few years of training under your belt. Then you'll have a better feel for what works for you and your goals.
^Highly agree with the above.0 -
Cool and thanks
I've decided I'm going to do SL 5x5 . Its already laid out for me and any questions I have on form etc, I can find there ( I think )0
