Thread: Deadlift

Singles help with strength. I do reps too, 3-8

I do 135x20, 225x15, 315x8-10, 365x6, 385x4 then i try 415 for 1-2 reps then i go lay down because im spent.

I know they help get you stronger but so do low reps too, but i mean would you just do singles all the time or at the end of a few sets of deads? How much back development would you miss out on if you just stuck to singles?

I always rep out my deads.

reps it out cuzzy but try your max for singles, aim a little higher every week.

I suppose it depends on what you're trying to get out of the deadlift.

If you're cutting fat, there isn't much need to go above 5 reps or so as one isn't going to be getting any significant hypertrophy on a relatively low cal diet.

If the particular session/mesocycle/training phase is centered around strength, sticking with 1-5 reps, as one's periodization dictates, is a pretty good idea.

If you are looking to bring up a bodypart, one would probably be well served to go for a more specialized movement but 5-15 rep deadlifts do well for overall posterior chain growth and are terrific for the forearms and grip strength.

As usual, pick rep ranges and movements based on goals.

I use deads in the 5-6 rep range, however, for rows which i do directly after deads i use higher reps for a bit of hypertrophy. From what i gather so far then, im not missing out on too much from not using singles but maybe putting a couple in every few weeks at the end of my deads sets could be a usefull gage of if im getting stronger! My goal is to get bigger but i realise i need some lower rep stuff in there too to keep making strength gains, which is why deads, bench and Military press are all in the 5-6 rep range for me.

By the way i have standing BB rows and seated rows in my back workout, do think i need them both or just focus on one after having done deads first?

Ideally, you want to pull as much as you push. So keep that in mind with your exercise selections.

You mentioned that your goal is hypertrophy. If you're growing currently, why make changes? If you feel that you aren't growing at the rate you think you should be (this is kind of a shaky principle but whatever), make a change. Check your diet -- if you aren't eating enough, you aren't going to grow regardless of what you do in the gym (I'm sure you know that, I'm just covering all bases). Then you can remove exercises or add exercises -- sometimes you may need more rest, sometimes you may need more stimulus. Just play around with it. I don't think I can really make the call for you.

Good points well made, thanks Marat.

Have you tried kroc rows? If you check out Gaz's journal, I posted a picture/diagram recently that depicts a variation of the movement that I enjoy doing. It's especially effective if you exaggerate the excentric/lowering portion and squeeze intensely as you go to the top (similar to a properly done cable lat row). Works even better if you were to not pause at the end of the concentric and go directly into lowering the weight again after you hit the top of the movement. One will generally have to select a slightly lower weight than a traditional row but it's certainly effective for many lifters.

Yes, i have saw them in Gaz's journal and your diagram, ive been thinking about doing them. They look brutal though, so not sure i could handle them and deads on the same day.

I do/did 5/3/1 and I have them on my bench day.

I have been doing 315x8 365x6 405x4 and 455x2. When I switch it up I lower the rep range but start a little heavier. This works good for me and I am slowly getting back up in lbs after hernia surgery a year ago.

On deadlifts, I pretty much always stick to 1-3 reps per set. I train it to make it stronger, not for back development, I do good mornings, rows, pullups, hyper extensions, shrugs, face pulls, etc for that (and as general assistance).

I pyramid it for now. But right now Im cutting

135X5 x2 for a warm up
225X10
315X10
405X5
315X5
225X5
135 to failure


Bulking I do 7-8 sets of 1 in a pyramid and try to max everytime.

Mostly, I will do 4-6 for reps, unless I'm doing 531. If I'm using it as an assistance exercise, and use dumbbells, I'll do 6-8.

i do both...well actually i tend to stay away from all 1 rep maxes. but i do a a cycle of
week 1 10 reps
week 2 8 reps
week 3-5 5 reps
weeks 6-7 3 reps
weeks 8-9 2 reps
week off, reset my weights with a rep calculator and start again added about 30 lbs to my dead last cycle from 405 for 2 to 435 for 2

350 for 10 reps each leg day.

I'm more of a singles guy and only DL every 3-4 months..... Better yet I only DL when I have a upcoming meet. Every time I DL after the long layoff it's a bigger number. It works for me so I'm not gonna change it unless I have to.

Most of the time it's like this
135-10
225-6
315-4
405-2/4
500-1 then every set after is with more weight for 1 rep. Up to640 raw, pull well into the 7s suited