Deadlifts: Low vs. High reps

[Ffactor]

A personal observation. Once a month I usually do 7 sets of deadlifts on a given day and nothing else. I've noticed that if I do high reps 8-12, the next day my hams and lower back are very sore but if I do low reps 1-5 with a heavy weight then I am not as sore. What does this mean? Do I have more slow twitch vs. fast twitch muscle fibers and are high reps better for me?

 

[spatts]

When you do 1-5, how much time do you spend on the eccentric phase vs when you do 8-12? The eccentric rips you up, so if you're doing 8-12 with a fair amount of control, vs a low rep rage with same/less control, you are going to be sore.

 

[Ffactor]

I would say that the higher rep workouts are shorter in duration. I am more careful with the heavy weights to keep strict form so I don't injure my back!

 

[bigstve12]

When you do 1-5, how much time do you spend on the eccentric phase vs when you do 8-12? The eccentric rips you up, so if you're doing 8-12 with a fair amount of control, vs a low rep rage with same/less control, you are going to be sore.

spatts...i remember you saying there is no eccentric phase to the deadlift??

 

[Scotsman]

ffactor- When you do high reps on deads your form usually suffers unless you drop the bar and reset each rep. The hams soreness may be more from leaning forward on later reps and using more low back and hams for lifting. When using high weight you probably keep more locked and spread the weight out to more muscles.

bigstev12- on a 1rm dead there is no eccentric but when you do reps you have to lower the bar each time therefore producing and eccentric phase from controling the weight on the way down.

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[valerie]

Scotsman is exactly right.

 

[spatts]

spatts...i remember you saying there is no eccentric phase to the deadlift??

Yep, that was my point. When I do them I do singles and don't control it down. Wouldn't you know it, I don't get sore. If you're doing 8-12, and you're doing any kind of eccentric at all, and if you're high repping you probably are, that will add up.

 

[bigstve12]

makes sense