dead lifts only for back day?

[texasRUSH]

looking for alot of functional strength and power and a change from teh usual...coudl i do deadlifts ONLY on back day?

[sarcasm]

not if you want an impressive back.

[sarcasm]

What do you mean?

depends if you want a bodybuilding type back or a powerlifter back and even powerlifters do rows and pulldowns, deads are a great movement but they're only one small part of a good back workout.

[Jr. Yates]

yeah dude....what you could do is have a day just for Deadlifts if you wanted....but I wouldn't call that my back day.

[texasRUSH]

i train my back twice a week now..6-7 sets every tuesday and friday...if you'd like i'll post my new routine for you ladies... i just dont' do them..but want more functional strength besides just looking good.   

[JPM]

Feel free to DL's as the only back exercise. But you may also want to do several different pin settings in a power rack to take  advantage of the full benefits of that exercise. Like top position lockouts, middle range and knee starts. The total back should grow with power, thickness and increased muscle mass at a surprising rate of development.  Might try for a 6 to 8 week DL only back plan. But also expect to have to buy larger shirts sooner than you think.  Good luck.

[AVBG]

Feel free to DL's as the only back exercise. But you may also want to do several different pin settings in a power rack to take  advantage of the full benefits of that exercise. Like top position lockouts, middle range and knee starts. The total back should grow with power, thickness and increased muscle mass at a surprising rate of development.  Might try for a 6 to 8 week DL only back plan. But also expect to have to buy larger shirts sooner than you think.  Good luck.

Good post JPM.. don't be afraid to do things a bit differently from time to time.

[Eric15210]

just curious - I been doing my deadlifts from knee position (bad back) - 4 sets - 6/8 reps - wasting my time or good enough?

[sarcasm]

Would three sets of deads on back day hurt me from having a BBing back?  I normally do chins, pulldowns, BB rows and Db rows in addition.

oh i thought you were talking about doing DL's only, but yeah DL's in addition to those movements is great.

[JPM]

Eric: Most of my DL'ing time I will start from that knee position. Too many maybe's involved when over extending, for me any way, my back and trying to avoid my shins, when pulling from the floor. Your should be using at least 40 to 60 lbs over the floor pull from the knee position. If you ever pull from a set of pins about 4" or so below the top lockout position, than at least 100 to 150lbs+ can be used over the floor starting point. More weight lifted , from whatever position, in the DL will always insure power andmore muscle . In my view, pulling from the floor will always limit the ability of the DL to take full opportunity to use it's maxium lifting potentional & power. Which in return can equal pure muscle mass gained. If your a PL'er than pulling from the floor is a must. For a BB'er interested in max gains, it's not. Good Luck.

[Lil Diesel]

So DL from knee height is more beneficial to bodybuilders? It gains mass better than full DLs?

[Hedgehog]

So DL from knee height is more beneficial to bodybuilders? It gains mass better than full DLs?

Actually, I feel deadlifts from a box, or a couple of plates, are an excellent mass builder, due to the bigger range of motion.

To add to JPM's comments on different pin placements in the power rack when doing rack deadlifts, I think rotating deadlifts on a three week schedule is a pretty good idea:

week 1: regular deadlifts
week 2: rack deadlifts (pin placement of your own choice)
week 3: deep deadlifts (deadlifts standing on a box or a couple of plates, typically two old rubber Olympic plates)

repeat

It will give a nice change up with the back training, and also allow for proper neuromuscular recovery from the rack deadlifts.

YIP
Zack

[JPM]

If anyone is concerned about not hitting the lower back when doing DL's from knee height and above, you should be. Might want to throw in a few sets of GM'ings  or even SLDL's (off the floor) among the mix, at lease once a week. GM'ing are an exceptional exercise for improving the core (very over used word now  in the strength training world..for good reason) lower back strength and has been known to improve anyone's squating abilities. Another reward from including them can be much improved hams. That also goes for the SLDL as well. Always train the abs just as hard (heavy) as the total back area.  Very important for strength/muscle balance and also can guard against any potentional injury.

I agree with HedgeHog on all points except for the deep DL's. Though a supplemental exercise for PL'ers (and strongmen) who are well versed in the bio-mechanics and form of the lift, most BB'ers will not have a clue as to how to correctly preform this deeper version.. The DL it's self take a lot of time to just learn the basic's of the lift. Most BB'ers (and others) don't seem to want to bother with that, from what I've seen of them. Or else they will think their doing in right, which chances being, their not. This advance version, in my view, should only apply to experience lifter's or people who have a hand's on coach or trainer around to show the correct style of preformance.

Quite a few BB'er will complain about how they hurt their back from doing DL's. Or it's a dangerious exercise, the back get's too worn out too soon, back pain, etc. Fact being,in most cases, they just do not know how to preform this highly rewarding exercise ( not to cast any negative vib's on a few BB'ers I've seen workout, but some would have trouble chewing gum and walking at the same time). There starts the potentional for injury. Of course their are some trainee's who have defective muscle/spine problem to begin with and can be bette off avoiding the DL all together. The DL is not meant for everyone. Good Luck.

Glad to learn that those rubber bumper plates are used world wide. They can also boost the confidence because it looks like your lifting railroad wheels. Also great for doing Hooper Dl's and the like. Good Luck.

[texasRUSH]

my current back days are looking liek this..and it's why i asked


wide grip pull downs: 12x145x1,10x160x1,10x175x1
t bar rows: 12x3platesx1, 10x4platesx1, 10x7platesx1
closed grip cable rows..12x240x1


i mix it up with other exercises but that's what i went with yesterday..i feel like that hit my back hard but i'm missing thickness..yes i'm getting THICKER but not competitive bodybuilder thick... 

[texasRUSH]

that's what i'm looking for right there! thankyou guys!

[lilwoday09smb]

hyperextension 3 x warm up the back
weighted chins 4 x 8-12
barbell rows 4 x 6-10
t bar rows from corner 3 x 6-8
dumbbell rows 3 x 8-10
cable rows 3 x 8-10

is this a good back workout. i do deadlifts on my leg day i rotate squats 1 week and deads the other week. i usualy max out at 455 on deads. ill do 4 sets working up to that weight

[Hedgehog]

Something I noticed:

I usually use the Deep deadlift for those who starts out with the deadlift, as it actually helps them keep focus on keeping the back erect during the lift, as well as sticking with moderate weights during the initial phase, until the lift is mastered.

I agree fully with JPM's assertion on how important form is when it comes to DL.

YIP
Zack

[brianX]

You don't need to do a dozen different back exercises to build a good back. Deadlifts develop the entire back, from the spinal erectors to the traps. I would actually keep any additional back work to a minimum if you're going to do deadlifts.

[jpeso]

In my view, pulling from the floor will always limit the ability of the DL to take full opportunity to use it's maxium lifting potentional & power. Which in return can equal pure muscle mass gained. If your a PL'er than pulling from the floor is a must. For a BB'er interested in max gains, it's not. Good Luck.

Interesting point.  I've always had in the back of my mind that this was almost a form of cheating yourself out of lower back work...but thats a great perspective on it...next workout, I will try one fo the pin settings.

An a similar note, what kind of pause do you think is best at the bottom?  I can't imagine deads like Ronnnie does in his vids are safe for the average trainer.  I like to almost pause and reset at the bottom.

Sorry to Hijack this thread   

[JPM]

Common sense  back training from BrianX. The only supplemental exercise I might do would be a direct pulling movement like the chin. Where the body is pulled up from a arm's overhead, outstretched start to a fully contracted, bar to the chest,  position.

Usually when working from a set of pins, on DL's for example, the starting point of the exercise is off the pin's. Returning the bar back to the starting point (setting of the pins), a dead stop of one or two seconds is can done. There are, on occasion, times when a slight to heavy non stop bounce off the pins is done. Mostly this allows more weight/reps to be done. Feel free to try both styles  and see which suits you the best. 

This type of power rack dead stop starts can apply to BP'ing, Hi-pulls, rows, etc.  Of course, also great for heavy squating. Good Luck.