Question about Deadlifts

[darksakura]

I've been out of the fitness game for a little while due to an injury and started back at the gym a month ago, but I'm trying to quit the machines and use free weights and my own body weight. I did my first set of deadlifts on Tuesday (today is Thursday). I was crazy sore yesterday, and I'm still pretty sore today, where squatting hurts.

 

Tuesday I did three sets of 15 reps with a 45lb bar, then did 30 squats with a 15 lb bar. All the rest was pretty much upper body (which feels sore, but not horrific today).

 

My question is this: If one is doing heavy lifting, especially deadlifts, how much time should one take between doing the exercise on another day? I've read conflicting information, so I wanted to see what you guys think. I'm just a lady that wants to get stronger.
 

Also: Jumping jacks actually hurt. Not the pain sore, just the worked muscle sore.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

48 hours before working the same muscle group. Are you looking for strength gains? If so you might want to bring the reps down to the 3-8 range.

[JakeJoh10]

If you're referring to how many times should you deadlift per week, I would stick to once a week. Some can get away with twice per week, but for recovery purposes and to prevent increasing risk of injury, once per week is probably best.

 

Jake

[darksakura]

Thank you! It was pretty fierce work! 

 

CoreyD: I do want to get stronger, but I have some fat to work off first. I was hoping if I focused on getting stronger, that the rest would happen right along with it.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

Thank you! It was pretty fierce work!

CoreyD: I do want to get stronger, but I have some fat to work off first. I was hoping if I focused on getting stronger, that the rest would happen right along with it.

Working fat off is done with diet and calorie burn from cardio. Lifting is for getting stronger and maintaining muscle during fat loss, which is done with heavy weights for low reps. We have a saying to reflect this: "Abs are made in the kitchen."

Unless you're doing HIIT circuits or crossfit type workouts, you'll benefit more from higher weights and lower reps. 15 rep dead lifts are just going to fatigue your back and put you in a position to be pulling with poor form.

[shiggles]

Muscles will take up to 72 hours before being rested.  However the CNS can take up to 7 days (or even more).  Deadlifts put a heavy burden on CNS so it's normally suggested to stick to once a week when going heavy.

 

Jumping jacks are stupid - if you can find something to substitute them with all the better.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

Muscles will take up to 72 hours before being rested. However the CNS can take up to 7 days (or even more). Deadlifts put a heavy burden on CNS so it's normally suggested to stick to once a week when going heavy.

Jumping jacks are stupid - if you can find something to substitute them with all the better.

This is for 1 rep maxes. Anything for 5 reps or more, especially as a novice, 48 hours is fine as long as you're eating and sleeping enough to support recovery.

[Guest Dirty Deads]

I sometimes like to take 10 days between deads. Work on assisting lifts in between. You can do one day heavy and one very light speed day w/o taxing your CNS.

[I-Jo]

you're using similar muscles- so of course jumping jacks will hurt- doing almost anything recruiting the ass end of your body will hurt. 

 

It's okay. 

 

I love lifting when I'm sore- it hurts so good.

 

But I agree- jumping jacks fall on the super low scale of "things i plan to work on"

 

I'll do a butterfly jack- which includes a knee to elbow move- and it elevates the heart about a million times faster- and also gets oblique work in there- and  works shoulder mobility (for me this is good)... but I don't do them THAT often. bleck- rather run toe touches on a ball or battle ropes.... or stairs.  or pretty much anything. 

[KingZora]

Working fat off is done with diet and calorie burn from cardio. Lifting is for getting stronger and maintaining muscle during fat loss, which is done with heavy weights for low reps. We have a saying to reflect this: "Abs are made in the gym, but revealed in the kitchen"

Unless you're doing HIIT circuits or crossfit type workouts, you'll benefit more from higher weights and lower reps. 15 rep dead lifts are just going to fatigue your back and put you in a position to be pulling with poor form.

I like everything you are saying here, but I made a few changes (in bold) to your quote just to clarify things, I hope you don't mind.  Didn't want to confuse people who saw this with the word weight in there too many times haha.

 

Abs are definitely made in the gym, but if you don't eat a good clean diet and throw some cardio in you will never see them!

[I-Jo]

I'm the ab girl at this point at the gym and "6 pack abs are made in the kitchen" is my apparent mantra- hysterically b/c I don't have a 6 pack- but the statement is truth and people assume I came up with it (amusing)

 

but yes- 6 packs- made in the kitchen- lol muscle built at the gym but made in the kitchen ultimately. 

 

GO ABS!  WOOT WOOT

[KingZora]

"Abs are made in the gym; but revealed in the kitchen"

-A Person on the Internet

[Anivair]

If you're deadlifting heavy (IMO you do 1 rep of a deadlift about 5 times with rest between) then you deadlift about once a week or so.  That's my recommendation. 

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

I like everything you are saying here, but I made a few changes (in bold) to your quote just to clarify things, I hope you don't mind.  Didn't want to confuse people who saw this with the word weight in there too many times haha.

 

Abs are definitely made in the gym, but if you don't eat a good clean diet and throw some cardio in you will never see them!

 

Yeah, I wrote that when half asleep and half the info was the exact opposite of what I meant. I just went back and editted my post.  Oops.

[I-Jo]

slacker. :-P

[bigm141414]

If you're deadlifting heavy (IMO you do 1 rep of a deadlift about 5 times with rest between) then you deadlift about once a week or so.  That's my recommendation. 

 

^This is good advice. There is an age old saying "To get better at dead lifting, don't dead lift" 

 

While good advice, I don't follow it. Because I <3 DLs. But yeah once or twice a week when you are starting out is plenty. 

[I-Jo]

"To get better at dead lifting, don't lift dead"

 

lol- I like it with a twist.  he he hehe

 

 

[darksakura]

Thanks everyone! I did the deadlifts on Tuesday and didn't remotely start feeling better until yesterday. My brain ached from not getting to the gym because my body was so dang sore. It was one of the trainers at the gym that suggested doing so many reps, so that's why I did it. 

 

Today, since I'm actually STILL somewhat sore, I'm working out at home, all body weight stuff and using my dumbbells. Tomorrow I'll get back in and do the 5x5 like you guys suggested.

 

As for what I eat, I eat about 115-125g protein daily (most of the time) and avoid grains (especially since I have a legit wheat allergy) and around 1300-1400 kcal on a non-training day. I'm usually quite sated by that amount and don't like to eat after I'm already comfortably satisfied.

 

For some history, I went from weighing 255 to 185 in a year by eating high protein and walking daily a few years ago, but I had surgery on my hand and gained back a bit of it. I'm 5'3" and a size 14 now at 225 lbs (I do have a dense muscle ratio and look the same size as my 185 lb friend) so clearly I don't care about the scale; I just want to be stronger and get to a size 10 (which I feel comfortable at). 

 

If any of you have more advice for the relative n00b here, I'd appreciate it.

[Guest Dirty Deads]

When I'm sore I like a little hair of the dog training. Go back in, work the same muscles with lighter weight to get that blood flowing through there. ALWAYS helps.

Of course. Hair of the dog is just what I call it. Charles Poliquin would call it sarcoplasmic expansion. Flex magazine had a mass program years ago that had you lift upper body heavy one day then hit it light the next and same w/ lower body. Not that anyone here is interested in bodybuilding

[darksakura]

When I'm sore I like a little hair of the dog training. Go back in, work the same muscles with lighter weight to get that blood flowing through there. ALWAYS helps.

Of course. Hair of the dog is just what I call it. Charles Poliquin would call it sarcoplasmic expansion. Flex magazine had a mass program years ago that had you lift upper body heavy one day then hit it light the next and same w/ lower body. Not that anyone here is interested in bodybuilding

 

That's actually very helpful and along the lines with what I had planned. Here's what I did today:

• 10 minute warm up on ArcTrainer (Strength Mode)
• 5x5 Assisted Chin-ups (150 lb assistance)
• 5x5 Deadlifts (45 lb bar)
• 3x10 Weighted Squats (22 lb bar)
• 2x10 Bicep Curl (22 lb bar - I was bored and it was there)
• 3x5 Dumbbell Row ( 2 sets with 15 lb, 1 set with 12 lb)
• 2x10, 1x5 Assisted Dips (150 lb assistance)
• 2x10 Shoulder Press (12 lb dumbbells - only did two because I was already fatigued)
• 10 minutes of Yoga for stretching and cooldown

My goal tomorrow is to work similar groups with all body weight instead of adding heavy weights and do a good thirty minutes of yoga.

 

Thoughts?

[Guest Dirty Deads]

Looks good. I can't praise yoga enough for recuperative purposes. I like adding it to active rest days, just a few poses here and there. I won't do warrior pose after leg day though...I just fall down.

Your goals for tomorrow are gonna make you feel much better, even stronger I'd wager. All seems legit too me.

[darksakura]

Looks good. I can't praise yoga enough for recuperative purposes. I like adding it to active rest days, just a few poses here and there. I won't do warrior pose after leg day though...I just fall down.

Your goals for tomorrow are gonna make you feel much better, even stronger I'd wager. All seems legit too me.

 

Thanks! I totally appreciate the feedback!

[Undecided]

Hello just figured I would add my 2 cents from what I've read.  How often to lift depends on how advanced you are, if you are just starting and doing 50% of your bodyweight you can probably get away with lifting every 3-5 days however once you start lifting more and more you will need more time in between, some powerlifters who are DL'ing 7 8 or 900 pounds lift about every 10 - 14 days.  It also depends on you personally everyone is a little different.  Also some coaches of elite athletes find after said athletes hit a plateau after about 6 months or so to take a month off completely and let the muscles completely heal.

 

For help with DOMS ( Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) try eating a little bit of "good carbs" within a half hour of working out something like a medium sized sweet potato or maybe a half cup of rice if you don't have anything against it. It helps the muscles absorb glycogen and heal a little faster.

 

It might help to keep a meticulous log and see what works for you. Hope it helps and i don't start any flame wars

[weirdquark]

Make sure you don't do too much tomorrow even if it's body weight exercises especially if you're planning on lifting the day after that-- you still need time to recover.

 

The 5x5 program has you doing just one set of five for deadlifts because they're hard to recover from when they get heavy.