Deadlift and Squat: Can We Train Them The Same Day?
A longtime debate since the golden era of weightlifting is can you train deadlift and squat on the same day?
Well, The short answer is Yes!
But basically, you would need some basic understanding as to how you can incorporate them into your program to be truly productive.
Because no matter what exercise or workout you perform at the gym it can bless you with awesome benefits and advantages to your body.
Guess What?
Both of the given compound workouts are good for your body and gives you a lot of benefits.
However, if you have to only choose one of the workouts which one do you pick?
The Deadlift Or The Squat?
There’s a lot of aspects at play.
That is why before answering what workout you should choose, you need to look at every angle which concerns both of the workouts.
Both the deadlift and the squat are great workouts!
And, it is very important to keep in your mind that both the deadlift and the squat are vital for all programs that focus on training your body, whether it’s with heavier loads to lighter ones.
But, if you’re only allowed to perform only one workout, then the deadlift can likely be the better option.
Why?
Compared to the squat, a conventional barbell deadlift works on your same leg muscles with only a bit emphasis on your quadriceps.
This fact alone has already shown that they’re equal to one another.
However, you then have to take into consideration all of the muscles on your upper body which is being employed for the deadlift workout compared to the squat.
The upper part of your body gets a far more tightening while performing the deadlift than with those of the squat.
It appears so because deadlifts is a combination of pulling and pushing simultaneously.
You’re going to develop more lean muscle gains into your whole body when you perform the deadlift.
However, the squat can have a big impact on your body as well.
If you are to target the lower part of your body, the squat can be of great help.
You want to practice safely without injury. You must use STRAPS, WRAPS & SUPPORT. Click here.
Both Workouts Are Compound Movements
Maybe you have heard of this term utilized quite often.
You might also have heard it being called something else like core lift or big lift for that day’s program.
Fundamentally, what the makers of training programs are demanding to assert is that it is going to be the type of workout which will use up 50 percent or more of your energy in training.
It is the energy which lasts from the utilization of carbohydrates stored within your body as glycogen mainly in your muscle and your liver.
The reason why you want to utilize so much energy just for a single exercise is that it offers a lot of benefits.
Compound lifts utilize multiple muscle groups and joints in allowing your muscles to contract in overcoming the resistance which will be loaded into your body.
Other muscle groups will be worked on simultaneously in keeping proper posture and balance.
Furthermore, you also have the ways of boosting your testosterone levels naturally while you are performing compound lifts.
Compound lifts are frequently connected with barbell motions because it will force your body to work simultaneously in keeping a proper body form.
Dumbbells are also great to utilize.
However, you might have issues when we are to talk about advanced muscular concentration.
For instance, contemplate about chest press.
While you are pressing both of the dumbbells up, one of your arms might not be moving simultaneous with the other, and you might cause yourself a strain in your muscle trying to lift your weaker arm upwards along with your dominant hand.
You do not want it to happen, don’t you?
Why not try the barbell instead.
The barbell can keep your whole body to be better balanced because you’re actually thinking about you needing to move both of your arms simultaneously.
Obviously, you can still be unbalanced when using the barbell.
However, that’s because of your improper body form, a definitely vulnerable side or because of the reason that the bar has so much weight to the extent that you cannot lift it any longer.
When we talk about choosing between the deadlift and the squat.
The 2 types of workouts in which you must be considering are the conventional barbell deadlifts and the back barbell squats.
Deadlifts And Squats, What Do Both Workout Have In Common?
Executing a proper and correct form means everything!
You’ll not be able to get some benefits from either workout if you don’t execute them with a proper form.
It is very important! The steps on deadlift or squat are clearly different.
However, specific portions are much like the same.
How So?
The parallel movements are there when we talk about form, technique, and posture.
There are several things that you must understand which applies to both deadlifts and squats.
For instance, dynamic stretches must be performed prior to the workouts.
Why?
They can further improve your performance. They are also good for a functional training.
A functional training is executing the workout movements which resemble your daily movements like pick a box up from the floor (deadlift) or sitting on a chair (squat).
Both of your knees must never lockout fully.
You must strive to always maintain a slight bending of your knees.
That is performed in preventing future injuries.
Your feet must not be aligned with one another horizontally.
Your spine must be in a neutral position. It means that your spine is aligned from bottom to top vertically.
You must also maintain your chin to be gently tilted upwards for a better flow of oxygen.
You inhale through your diaphragm throughout the resting position.
Naturally, you breathe out throughout the pulling or pushing movement.
These modest tips will grant you a mac potential for your workout routine by performing both deadlifts and squats.
Everything which pertains to your training program must always be focused on your proper form, injury prevention, and overall health, looking great and lifting more weights than what you must.
Both Workouts Represent The Pull And Push Exercise
One dissimilarity that you should take not is that squats are a pushing workout.
Certainly, deadlifts are a push and pull exercise.
It only means that when you are trying to determine which workout might give you more benefits.
It’s fair to take note that your muscle groups worked throughout deadlifts are much greater than squats.
The squat will utilize mainly your core muscles and lower body.
Deadlifts are going to utilize your core, lower, and upper muscles.
Compound lifts mainly fall into the pull, push or both kinds of categories.
These 2 variants are the types which recruit more muscle groups in assisting you with your movements.
Other workouts that this has been applied to is lunges, over rows, bench press, overhead press, pull-ups, and push-ups.
There are lots of other workouts as well, however, the following workouts are being performed often.
Back Barbell Squats
This type of squat workout gets a slight exercise since you are needed to apply much downward force within your grip in keeping the barbell in its place.
This workout has been a long time favorite of many gym goers and it is frequently being posted almost every minute.
This squat variation will require you to have a bar to go across your traps.
And your feet must be spread a shoulder-width apart then you fundamentally squat as if you’re going to sit down on a chair utilizing a proper form.
It is considered as a compound workout so it fundamentally trains your body to be as one.
However, there are key muscle groups that will be contracted in which you must take note of.
Your quadriceps are the very first muscle group that will be tightened.
Obviously, after your quads, the next muscle groups are your abdominals, hamstrings, glutes, and spinal erectors.
The upper part of your body gets a slight exercise since you will have to keep the barbell in its place.
A firm grip will increase your arm’s strength and gives them an extra flow of blood for the nutrients to go all the way to the main source and allow your muscle grow along with fiber.
You’ll want to perform squats as the core or big lift throughout your leg training exercise program.
Barbell Conventional Deadlift
Deadlifts can be difficult to explain.
Why?
It is simple, there are many famous deadlift variation.
The main variation is what we’ll be discussing and that is the “barbell conventional deadlift.”
It is when the barbell is loaded into the ground and each repetition begins from the floor.
Naturally, Romanian deadlift is quite similar, however, you will have to stop just below both of your knees.
A deadlift variation in which both of your feet will be widely spread apart is called sumo squats.
The conventional deadlifts approach opens up tightening equally all throughout your whole body.
The key muscle groups that will be targeted by this workout are your spinal erector, lower back muscle, and lats.
Obviously, there are other muscle groups that will be targeted by this workout.
These include your abdominals, glutes, shoulder, arms, and many more.
Just like any other compound movement, you’re hitting much more muscle groups performing a deadlift than other simpler isolation workout.
With the deadlift workout, you are hitting the lower part of your body as well as the upper part of your body equally and that is why it cannot be ignored.
When you perform a deadlift, it has a couple of main phases or movements.
These phases are certain to the muscle which is being worked on.
Phase one happens when the barbell is on the floor and you’re about to do the deadlift exercise.
Your core muscles, glutes, hip flexors, and leg muscles are utilized the most to start the pull motion.
Phase two is when you have pulled up the barbell above your knee.
It is the point where more of your upper body muscles are being triggered to initiate your hips to go forward and lock out your body fully.
Then, your spinal erectors experience more stress when controlling the gravitational pull which is being produced by the weight and goes back into the floor.
Benefits Of Performing Deadlift Exercise
Deadlift is considered as the quintessential weight-lifting workout.
According to a personal trainer, and bodybuilder named David Robson deadlifts are the most effective workout.
Yes, a lot might argue in which the squat workout is being considered as the “King of exercise”, and will be a factor to more size and strength gains than another type of workouts.
1/ Prevents Injury
Deadlifts can help in preventing injuries by boosting your muscle’s strength around critical ligaments and tendons.
Supporting your joints with a strong muscle which is crucial in preventing injury, specifically in your lower back and hamstrings, according to the Outlaw Fitness.
2/ Increased Cardio
Whether you believe it or not, performing 10 reps of deadlift will boost your cardiovascular ability.
You may want to ensure that you have a place to sit on when you are done with it.
3/ Easy And Cheap
Many workouts require a lot of workout equipment, special shoes and whatsoever.
Not with the deadlift. Just use a barbell with weights. Pick the barbell up.
Simple. You can normally find a bar and free-weights at an economy store – or being shared by your friend – making it so cheap.
4/ Increases Hormones
Do not worry now, these are not the hormones in which will make you feel more emotional.
Instead, by performing at least 8 – 10 reps of the deadlift with a significant weight.
You can boost your testosterone levels and growth hormones which are produced by your body.
Your testosterone improves muscle regeneration and increases muscle growth while growth hormones that are being produced by the pituitary gland stimulate fat loss, muscle growth, bone strength, and tissue healing.
5/ Improves Grip Strength
Deadlifts are famous for its ability to develop the massive quantity of grip strength and with a good reason.
Your fingers are factually the only things which connect you to the barbell’s weight.
Your forearms should have to incredibly work very hard as you progress advance in weight in keeping the barbell from slipping out of your hands.
Your hand’s grip strength subsequently grows by bounds and leaps.
6/ It Is Safe
Deadlifts are considered the safest exercises to perform in weight-lifting.
You are not going to get pinned down underneath the barbell or have to distress about it pulling you backward.
If you’ll get in trouble, you can drop it, it’s that simple…
Making for a vulgar bang, without a doubt, but there is no damage done.
You also do not have to get yourself a spotter in performing this workout.
7/ Increases Your Real-Life Lifting
Whenever you perform other lifting workouts, for example, bench press, you are not performing anything you may really perform in real-life.
When are you going to have the necessity of laying down on your back and press something into the air – unless you are giving your 2 years old flying lessons?
Deadlifts develop and build the muscle groups that you will be needed to essentially carry something such as your neighbor’s television.
Heavy bags in the grocery, and other materials.
8/ More Muscle Group Worked
Deadlifts works on more muscle groups than other weight-lifting workouts which include the squat workout.
The lift will engage in all the key muscle groups, based on the statement given by Kevin Farley a physiologist.
If you are needed to perform only one exercise, deadlifts are the workout you that you must perform.
Deadlifts work on the upper and lower part of your body, which includes your back muscles.
9/ Better Posture And Stance
The deadlift workout greatly increases the strength of your core and adds to the stability of your core muscles.
Deadlifts will target all of the muscles which is responsible for your stance and posture and it will enable you in keeping your back straight throughout your everyday activities.
10/ Increases The Burning Of Fat
Lifting resistance and heavy weights can help you to burn more of your body fat than just having a diet plan along with some cardio exercises.
Benefits Of Performing Squat Exercise
Are you looking to develop strong and big legs, develop your overall muscles and improve your body’s balance?
Then you must add a more compound move into your workout regimen.
The squat workout is considered as the best compound workout, according to those who perform this exercise.
It builds and develops the strength of your lower body and promotes growth hormones within your muscles such as human growth hormone and testosterone.
Whether you perform sumo squats, goblet squats, front squats, back squats and simple squats.
This workout must be a primary workout in your fitness regimen.
1/ Improves Lung And Heart Capacity
There’s a lot of variations in terms of squats, and every variation has its own unique characteristic.
For an improved endurance for aerobic exercises, you must squat faster.
Utilize a standard bar without any weights.
It will allow you in squatting with a fast speed that increases your lung and heart capacity.
2/ Increases Endorphin Production
Some studies have shown that squat training can increase your endorphin production.
The chemical will act as a natural painkiller and lifts your mood up.
If you perform squats, you will feel better totally.
3/ Enhances Your Physical Performance
Performing squats more often will greatly improve your overall fitness level and physical performance more than other workouts.
Instead of utilizing a number of gym equipment, just add a few set of heavy squat into your workout regimen and you will be just fine.
Aim for 3 sets at least and 12 – 15 repetitions in each set.
4/ Improves Your Balance
Squat exercise can strengthen your bones and joints that helps you to be mobile and balance.
The squat can also boost your range of movement within your hip part, which makes your body elastic.
Over time, it might reduce any risk of back pains and reduces your risk of injury.
5/ Burns More Body Fat
Like any other strength training workouts.
Squats can increase the rate of your metabolism and helps your body in burning fat effectively.
When it is combined with solid workout and diet routine, this workout can help you in developing lean muscle.
The more lean muscle that you have, the more calories you will burn when you are resting.
6/ Increases The Release Of Hormone
This exercise boosts your anabolic hormone production within your body.
Individuals who perform squats often normally have a higher human growth hormone and testosterone levels than those who are not performing any squat exercise.
This hormone promotes muscle repair and growth.
7/ Builds Your Overall Muscle
Performing squats regularly can help you develop your overall muscle.
This compound workout movement makes the flawless environment for your muscles growth and development.
If you need to gain muscle and shape your legs, the squat exercise is your best choice.
8/ Strengthens Core Muscle
This classic workout can strengthen your core, helping you to develop a strong base.
A lot of times, the squat is more than operative than crunch exercises to work on your abdominal muscle.
When you perform squats, the muscles on your core work in keeping your spine steady and stabilize your torso.
9/ Develops Your Legs
The squat targets nearly each muscle group within your body, specifically your calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps.
If you need to develop massive legs, perform the squat at least 1 time every week as a portion of your workout regimen.
Beginners must begin with a very lightweight then increase the weight gradually.
Conclusion
Deadlifts and squats are no doubt equally effective as they target opposite muscle groups.
The answer to the question “which is the better workout” will boil down to your physique goals if you try to develop more of legs and quads no doubt it’s the Squat that you need to prioritize.
If you want to develop a dense back and traps then deadlift is the answer.
Deadlifts and squats can be performed on the same day.
You will just need to know your priority in a given day as you cannot go all out to both in the same day, as working out with this two compound movements does tax the body a lot.
Try to cycle your workout with a heavy day of squats and a medium to the light day of deadlift and vice versa.
However, squats must be performed first before you perform deadlifts because you must first warm up your core and leg muscles for better balance and body form when you are to perform deadlifts.
Hope this blog helps you and give you those monster gains!!!