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I do a bit of training at home. Problem is I can't increase my front squat because I don't have a rack. I don't clean the bar because I don't know how and I'd likely injure myself. So I was wondering, would it be a waste of time if I just did front squats with the same weight but increased the volume and decreased rest between sets? If I keep deadlifting and increasing weight, won't I hurt myself from an imbalance because I'm not increasing my front squat?
You could contemplate doing Zercher or Steinborn squats.
And to answer your last question specifically - no, that won’t happen
I'm what you'd call a weak lifter. That's because never in my life have I trained consistently and properly, regarding form and volume. On Monday I did 105kg deadlifts at 3x1, 100kg at 4x1, then 95kg at 3x1. One-rep sets, but it's challenging weight for me.
I know I can't keep 1RM training forever, but for now, it's working. People say you don't do one rep sets because of volume, but on strong lifts, you're only doing five reps of deadlifts in workout A and ten reps of deadlifts in workout B, not including warm-up sets.
I'm doing more volume in a fortnight this way (20-30 reps a week), as I plan on deadlifting 2x3 times a week. As the weight gets heavier (hopefully), I'm sure this will change.
I'm also going to start doing Zercher squats consistently and get my numbers up. Did them yesterday and felt great. I'll be doing five rep sets with those.
My question is, my deadlift numbers should keep improving even if I only do 1-3 rep heavy sets as long as the volume is adequate, right? Is there any reason why I can't keep training this way for now?
I'd love to be able to a 1RM 130kg on the deadlift. That's still novice level weight, and it isn't my endgame, but it's better than what I can do now, but I will change it up if there's a better way to get there.
The only other lift I do is the overhead press. Maybe I need to do more lifts to increase my deadlift and Zercher squat total, but hopefully not. I figure less is more, and I do some push-ups, sit-ups, and spin bike exercise for conditioning, I guess. I don't feel burnt out at all, but I shouldn't, naturally, because I'm not lifting much weight yet.
Wrap a towel around one end of the barbell if you want to protect walls.Haha.
Are there any alternatives to barbell rows, or are they a must? Not variations of rows, but an exercise I can do in replacement of them? I worry about my form, more than any other lift I've tried.
One criticism of strong lifts 5x5 is that you're not doing any exercise 8 days out of 14, assuming you follow the program to a tee and do nothing on the off-days, as advised. I want to do at least five days a week of exercise and maybe something light and comfortable on Saturday or Sunday.
My goal is to get stronger at squatting and deadlifting. As I've said, my 1RM deadlift is only 105kg, possibly 108kg, so I'd probably be able to get away with high-frequency strength training for now. Some of you can bench more than that. I'm currently working with only a barbell and a pair of dumbbells.
I'm sure I can Zercher Squat and Deadlift 3x a week without burning myself out because I'm not lifting heavy weights. Not sure what my 1RM for the Zercher is.
What I was wondering was if I can get to a 140kg deadlift, if I could get away with deadlifting twice a week. Same with heavier squatting. I want to do those lifts at least 2x a week. I want to get the volume that way as opposed to destroying myself in one high volume workout a week.
Thanks, guys, for introducing me to Meadow Soprano Rows. I'll go for one-arm dumbbell floor press for chest. I could do something similar to strong lifts, but 2x deadlifting and on at least two of my off-days, push-ups and the spin bike, because four days a week of no exercise can't be a good thing.
So, how does this sound?
I alternate Overhead Press and Dumbbell Floor Press on Monday, doing whatever one I do on Monday on Friday and the one I don't do on Wednesday.
I do Meadow Rows on Monday's.
Zercher Squat Monday and Friday.
Deadlift on Wednesday and Friday.
As the weight gets heavier, my deadlift Friday could be a light session - perhaps I could switch it to Saturday.
Either way, the only exercises I'd be doing twice a week every week are squats and deadlifts.
There's probably a much better way to do this, though.
Ultimately, less is more, and if doing only squats and deadlifts could make me progress well without doing any other lifts, then lead me not into temptation. Other lifts could come later when they need to.
As someone’s who’s been in a similar position - you’re well over complicating things.
In answer to some of your questions though;
- yes you can and should be squatting and deadlifting (or doing any single lift you want to improve at) at least 3 times a week at your strength level (many high frequency strength programs would have you doing both 4-5 times a week)
- to prolong your progress before worrying about a million percentages use a different rep range on each day eg Monday = 5*5@80% of previous Friday’s weight. Wednesday = 4*8 adding 2.5kg each week. Friday = 3*5 adding 2.5kg each week. If you want to do weights on a 4th day make it Saturday and something like 5*10@60% of Friday
- doing cardio on off days will help your strength as long as you don’t flog yourself (improved conditioning = better recovery between sets and weight sessions = winning)
- that said having 2-3 rest days won’t kill your gains
- if getting into Zercher position for heavier sets becomes problematic build yourself a couple of boxes to raise the height of the bar
Back to the gym after two weeks "off" on holiday.
I did a session on Friday arvo and nearly killed myself doing too much. The DOMS was a nightmare.
Now i intend to ease back in
I went hard on the pull day. Dreading WednesdayYeah I was pretty happy I took it easy the first few weeks back after a break haha.
So I think (hope) that when I get into my deadlift position and then set my arch that I should be feeling a little tightness in the hams. I used to lower my hips and bend my knees too much, which was because I felt like it was easier to keep my back straight. As I've said before, though, my one rep max is only about 105-108kg, so time is on my side before I end up hurting myself.
I would like to deadlift at least 150kg one day, but I've read that once you get to the 130s, you can't get away with half-arsed lifts. I mean, I've seen poor form lifts at a much heavier weight than I'm talking about, including videos posted in this thread, but that doesn't inspire me to throw caution to the wind haha.
If you’re strong enough you can get away with your lift looking like anything.
More that people over estimate their strength and get found out lol.
Generally though, humans are pretty self limiting so often we’ll just miss a lift/not be able to do something before we actually get hurt.
So I think (hope) that when I get into my deadlift position and then set my arch that I should be feeling a little tightness in the hams. I used to lower my hips and bend my knees too much, which was because I felt like it was easier to keep my back straight. As I've said before, though, my one rep max is only about 105-108kg, so time is on my side before I end up hurting myself.
I would like to deadlift at least 150kg one day, but I've read that once you get to the 130s, you can't get away with half-arsed lifts. I mean, I've seen poor form lifts at a much heavier weight than I'm talking about, including videos posted in this thread, but that doesn't inspire me to throw caution to the wind haha.