How are Deadlifts Different...

[FitFossil]

How are regular deadlifts (the old-fashioned kind - not stiff-legged or Romanian type) so different from other leg exercises?

I just did them for the first time this AM and didn't even go all out with it being a new exercise for me. Now my legs feel like rubber. I can barely walk. (Mind you I am NOT complaining!)

My legs have never felt this SPENT, even when I absolutely murder them doing every other exercise imaginable. So, what's so special about deadlifts?

Anybody else do these kind of deadlifts? I've always done the stiff-leg and/or Romainians, which are great for the butt and hams, but these have me quivering all over! I'll definitely be doing them again!

 

[sysopt]

They are extremely taxing and demanding on the whole body. Think about it, you're probably using 60-70% of your beef to pull that bar up. The first time I do any exercise, the target muscle turns into noodles . The first time I deadlifted, I was couldn't walk normally for about 5 days. What's interesting though, is that I took on stiff-leg deads recently to bring up my hams and they were sore for 6 days!! (and that was with active recovery). One way there are different is movement at the knee. Both of these are excellent movemets and I believe every routine should have at least one of them.

 

[freak daddy]

Deadlifts are king! When you are more experienced, try doing them standing on 45's with a close stance. AWESOME!

 

[Iron God]

Deadlifts are awesome. Only downside is they tend to thicken the lower back and obliques which is not a problem but if want to bring down your waist or you got narrow hips I wouldn't do them more than once (at most twice) per month.

 

[tripleV]

really? i did not know that.....ive been doing stiffs for hams and deads for back primarily each week........

hmmmmm is this a bad thing if i want symmetry

 

[TheManHimself]

Nope...

Not a bad thing at all... Contnue to deadlift, bent leg on back day and stiff legged on leg day...Works wonders for symmetry!

 

[Iron God]

I would definitely not do them every week, unless your going very light.

 

[tripleV]

OK I go VERY heavy......and once a week for each. Now im confused......please discuss those who know. THX guys

 

[FitFossil]

Why are they so special?!?! I can sum it up in one word: BECAUSE.

That 's just the way things are. Sort of like asking why is water wet....

Did you do the wide stance, or traditional? Opposing grip, or both palms facing in?

We have this weird apparatus that looks like a metal rectangle with posts on the two short sides for the weights. It has handles above the weight posts that make your palms face inward. You stand inside the rectangle and can vary your foot placement. I guess the reason for this design is you don't bang your shins. Works well for lots of exercises - deads, sl deads, even shrugs.

 

[Iron God]

Triple V..

No offense but if you were going VERY heavy (in relation to your body weight) every week on Stiff and deads you would be experiencing SEVERE joint seperation in your elbows and wrists after about 2 months.

To give an example. A female BBer I train at 148lbs does deads at 250lbs-325lbs for her working sets. Stiffs at 225-250lbs and squats 225-315lbs.

Unless your doing just powerlifting singles. Doing Heavy deads and stiffs on top of the rest of your BBing work load every week is detrimental to growth for 99.9% of people. Worse yet if you include squats on top of that workload.

What I do is alternate my compound movements on weeks I do squats I skip deads. Do deads..skip squats.