Geezer Deadlifts

[Bill Quick]

So I've been doing an A-B workout for a while now, finishing each workout with 1x5 deadlifts.

Rippetoe suggests Deadlifts on only one of the workout, and something like chins, lat pulldowns, cleans/jerks, whatever for the second workout. I don't do cleans, and I just started doing chins.

But I'm wondering, since I just changed my workout schedule to Sun/Thur, if I'm going to end up detraining on the deadlifts if I go to one set every two workouts - that's pretty much a six day recovery between the single set of 5 deadlifts. I've been managing to add ten pounds a workout with the twice a week schedule, going from 80# (yeah, really - I bike, never trained my legs otherwise) to 200# since February 18th, but I don't think I'm going to be able to keep on doing that much longer.

I'm reluctant to stop doing a set of deadlifts with every workout, though, as long as I still seem to be progressing at a decent rate.

Ideas? Suggestions? Comments?

Oh - 200#, 68 years old, fluffy middle.

[Mark E. Hurling]

FWIW, as lifters get up in weight in and pass beyond the novice stage, doing DL's once a week and even every other week. You may be at that point of lowering the frequency of doing them.

[Suwannee Dave]

You could probably keep doing them every workout but maybe only go up 10lb per week. When it feels like you are not recovering sufficiently then go to the A=B schedule.

[Bill Quick]

I thought about going to ten pounds a week, and have been wondering what would be the best strategy: Continue with two workouts including deadlifts, and adding five pounds at a time, or adding ten pounds the first workout, and none the second.

[kessg]

It probably does not matter. But if you like the satisfaction of seeing more weight on the bar every time you lift just split 10 lb between each sessions, so 5 + 5.

When the DL becomes too taxing to lift heavy in both workouts you could introduce a lighter DL. That's what a Starting Strength coach recommended to me when I was deadlifting only once a week and stalling. He suggested going heavy once a week (your regular top weight) and then doing 2X5 at 80% of top weight on alternate workouts. So you keep the volume up, but DL heavy only once a week.

Sounds like you like the deadlift so the above might work for you. But don't add volume unless you need to. I find volume DL pretty taxing, but it seems to have helped my DL get unstuck.

[Bill Quick]

Sounds like you like the deadlift so the above might work for you. But don't add volume unless you need to. I find volume DL pretty taxing, but it seems to have helped my DL get unstuck.

I was surprised to find that I do. I was always afraid of it because of a couple of ruptured spinal disks, but I've been paying a lot of attention to form, and so far - fingers crossed - not only no problems, but lower back pain has seemed to improve.