Switching deadlift to once a wk (every 9 days).

[confuzzl3don3]

As a response to Sami's advice:
http://www.startingstrength.com/resources/forum/showthread.php?t=14892&page=2

I've decided to switch workout A to:
3x5 squats
3x5 bench
1x5 deadlift/an alternative

so that i alternate the deadlift with something. This will mean i'll be deadlifting only once a wk, and I'll aim for 2.5kg increases instead of the 1kg increases i'm now making (don't think i'll be able to do 5kg increases and hit all 5 reps with ok form). I was thinking of chucking in 3x5 rows and 3x failure pullups/chins (can only rep like 4 strict chins so i don't think there's a need to do weighted yet). Good?

[Sami]

Sounds good. Put the power cleans into A day and alternate deadlifts and cleans. Then on B day add in some sort of lower back exercise (good morning, SLDL, back extensions etc.).

[confuzzl3don3]

So i should alternate deads and cleans on bench day, and do my other stuff on press day? I was just going to add the variation to the dead day. And does rows count as a suitable alternative? I don't really have the equipment for back extensions, but i guess i can do GMs or SLDLs

[Tim Lofton]

I've done something similar in that I now do deadlift as part of my midweek workout, typically on Wednesday. This is also my lighter squat day, where I do 80% of Monday's weight.
So a somewhat lighter day for squats, then either bench or OHP, then deadlift. I'm still progressing them at 10# per week (though I'm only at 265#) and I switched to two sets of three reps. Seems to be working well for me.

[Sami]

Yeah, mine is similar. I've been on 10lb jumps as well, but I waited until I got to 308lbs (140kg) before going to once a week.

[confuzzl3don3]

Hmm, i have a light squat workout on wednesday too. Should i make a it fixed day on wednesday to dead regardless of if i'm benching or pressing like u guys? Or would it be ok leaving it so i still deadlift once a week, but it'll be more like every 9 days

[Sami]

I think if you do the DL alternating every other A day, you end up having a week where you don't DL out of a month. So you do 3 DL sessions per month as opposed to 4 if you do it on a fixed day of the week. That's why I did it this way so that I still get 4 sessions per month. If that gets to be too much, I'll drop it to every other week so it's 2 per month. But I want it to stay at 10lb jumps. It's better to do 10lbs every two weeks than 5lbs per one week, as Rip said.

[Mr.City]

I recently went from 3 times a month to 2 times a month. The change was prompted by a hard stall at 350 lbs. It was strange since I went from 285 to 340 rather quickly on the 3 deadlift per month scheme and then stall came out of nowhere.

[tennisgod]

I love DLs... love the soreness in the back and traps afterwards. I only progress once a week, so if the week calls for 2 DLs sessions (Mon/Fri), then I only try to progress on the Friday.
Confuzzle, why don't you try that? I don't think any of the alternative lifts you suggest will help you as much as DLs.

[confuzzl3don3]

Hmm, so should i do what tennisgod said? I was thinking that if Ripp was saying that it is better to progress on the deadlift more less frequently than less more frequently, i assume that it is because of the taxing nature of deadlifts. I just don't know if it would affect my ability to increase weight if i'm still doing a heavy deadlift 2x/wk even if it's not a PR.

If i was switching it, i was thinking of doing something similar to what you're doing sami but like this:

Monday
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench press / Press (Alternating)
3x5 Rows
Chins/pulls

Wednesday
Light Squat 3x5
3x5 Press / Bench Press (Alternating)
1x5 Deadlift
Pull ups

Friday
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench Press / Press (Alternating)
Power Cleans

[TartanEagle]

Why don't you just do the Onus Wunsler SS variation?
Workout A:
Squats
Press
Alternate Deadlift/Powerclean

Workout B:
Squats
Bench
Back Extension (you can anchor your feet under a loaded bar and use your bench)
Chins

[confuzzl3don3]

But if i do it like that, i would be deadlifting 3x a month and not weekly

[Mr.City]

What's the problem with that?

[confuzzl3don3]

Nothing really, but i think i could still benefit and progress with 1 deadlift session a week instead of missing a week every month.