Deadlifts or squats first?

[Deleted member 33117]

Now that I am training at home again, my wife and I decided we are going to join 24 hour fitness this weekend (so that we can work out together at midnight when she gets home on her work nights, she is a nurse).

My overall game plan is similar to HST in that I plan on doing high intensity, low volume (2 working sets per movement) high frequency. I will be staying natural, and I am getting older, so 10+ sets per bodypart in going to overtrain me. While I will be doing upper body 3 times a week, my legs are absolutely massive still (thighs tape 28" cold after over 2 years of no training or drugs) and the other day I went to a gym with a friend and squated 225 x5 and stiff legged dead lifted 225 x 5 and didn't feel sore or tired afterwards. I would rather just focus on strength in my legs, and increase my testosterone production so I will be working in the 4-6 rep range.

I'm curious if I should do deadlifts before squats or maybe have a day where I come in and do only squats and stiff legged deads for thighs, and then another for deadlifts where I do all out deadlifts once a week, and then do my squats and stifflegged deads after. For me heavy deads are pretty demanding and doing them more than once a week may be too much. Any thoughts?

 

[bigred133]

In the "Starting Strength" book, and in the 5x5 programs on madcow's site, you do squats before deads.

 

[BiggT]

If you decide to do them on the same day, always squat first without exceptions. Of course separate days would work well too.

 

[future]

I wouldnt train them together but if you do squat first as stated.

 

[The Shadow]

split those dude.

I read a study that implies that:

1 - the perceived rate of work on subsequent exercises actually goes UP, when it tails off with further sets

2 - the actual force generated on subsequent exercises also drops when compared to doing the subsequent exercises first.


I personally cannot dead and squat on the same day - kudos to those that can


I have huge thighs as well........so I place more emphasis on deads than squats....if both are equally important - I would train the weaker lift first

 

[SgtSlaughter]

I'm curious if I should do deadlifts before squats or maybe have a day where I come in and do only squats and stiff legged deads for thighs, and then another for deadlifts where I do all out deadlifts once a week, and then do my squats and stifflegged deads after. For me heavy deads are pretty demanding and doing them more than once a week may be too much. Any thoughts?

Squat first, always.

You can squat multiple times a week too. Have a light day.

Light squat day and heavy deads go well together if you were to do both in the same day.

Heavy deads more than once a week, hellll no. Pull heavy every other week if your CNS says "fuck off" If you decided to go that route you could Clean pull (pull heavy from the floor... back and traps mainly) alternating weekly with deads.

 

[Protobuilder]

Light squat day and heavy deads go well together if you were to do both in the same day.

Agreed.

If you decided to go that route you could Clean pull (pull heavy from the floor... back and traps mainly) alternating weekly with deads.

Good point. You can stick in a less-taxing pull from the floor like powercleans, or SLDL, and alternate that w/ heavy deadlifts from week-to-week. Or hell, light squats w/ heavy deads on Monday, and then power cleans followed by heavy squats on Friday or something.

 

[al420]

So Cleans before Squats?

 

[crazycarwes]

Hell ya al especially if doing the full version of cleans. Power version not so much but I still would. Unless you are really pushing squats and using cleans as an assistance type movement.

 

[Tweakle]

IA's 5x5 varient might work for you

http://www.ironaddicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9758

 

[Protobuilder]

So Cleans before Squats?

FWIW, generally 'fast' or 'technical' movements would come first. Raw hard grinding exercises (heavy squats) later. So, behind-the-neck jerks would come before deadlifts. So on and so forth.

 

[Deleted member 33117]

Thanks for the advise. I will probably only be doing the following movements until I plateau.
Flat dumbell presses
Incline dumbell presses
Seated dumbell presses
One arm dumbell rows
dumbell curls
skullcrushers
Barbell quads
deadlifts
stifflegged deadlifts
barbell shrugs
Maybe some reverse curls and grip work

 

[al420]

FWIW, generally 'fast' or 'technical' movements would come first. Raw hard grinding exercises (heavy squats) later. So, behind-the-neck jerks would come before deadlifts. So on and so forth.

Did it today - did Power Cleans first then squats - my endurance needs work...lol

 

[Deleted member 33117]

Did it today - did Power Cleans first then squats - my endurance needs work...lol

Still your thigh development is excellent judging by your avatar.

 

[al420]

Still your thigh development is excellent judging by your avatar.

Yeah thanks. That is Tom Platz - not sure any Pro BB has beaten those legs -

Mine are about 28" but if I ever get that ripped (and big) I will change the avatar...........

He can squat 525x23 - I can squat 405x2 - almost the same..lol