Lower body strength: Deadlifts and Squats

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Wednesday, May 26. 2021

Lower body strength: Deadlifts and Squats

Best summary I have seen on the topic. Deadlift vs Squat – Comparing Strength and Muscles Worked

It is clear that it is worth doing both, but not on the same day. For what it's worth, I do back squats once weekly, deads once weekly, and leg press once weekly for lower body resistance exercises.

It is difficult and slow to build lower body power with my particular physical architecture (runner's build), but I work at it. Just increasing the wts by 5 lbs/month is great.

Posted by Bird Dog in Physical Fitness at 13:29 | Comments (12) | Trackbacks (0)

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Is there something wrong with just going to the gym and using the machines? How does this compare with dead lifts, squats, etc. for folks in the mid 70's?

#1 Apple Pie on 2019-05-13 20:08 (Reply)

Machines are fine, but there is no age limit to the big lifts. Much more beneficial, especialy for full-body sturdiness.

But you have to learn from a trainer. My trainer has a 90 year-old guy doing all the powerlifts.

#1.1 Bird Dog on 2019-05-14 06:13 (Reply)

ahh . . . thank you.

#2 Apple Pie on 2019-05-14 11:12 (Reply)

For more inspiration and motivation, 72-year old guy learning to squat for the first time:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3U0pOJZons

Same guy two years later, squatting 225:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BujBmdQA4zU/

#2.1 RJP on 2019-05-14 14:38 (Reply)

good stuff -

#2.1.1 Bird Dog on 2019-05-14 17:58 (Reply)

need inspiration again, but i find a balanced diet with natural ingredients comes first. http://healthcare.evonik.com

#3 sneufeld on 2019-05-15 04:52 (Reply)

So what if your knees won't let you do either? Alternatives?
A lot of us older guys have a lot of wear and tear on the feet and knee and hip joints.

#4 ruralcounsel on 2021-05-26 15:20 (Reply)

That's when you need advice of a smart conditioning trainer.

#4.1 BD on 2021-05-26 15:58 (Reply)

You mean a smart strength coach. Assuming your joints aren't degraded to the point where they are bone-on-bone, getting stronger with the big compound lifts will help with sore joints. Conditioning, not so much.

Once again, the go-to resource: The Barbell Prescription: Strength Training for Life After 40

#4.1.1 RJP on 2021-05-26 16:32 (Reply)

Second RJP. Had bad knees and was told not to do heavy load bearing stuff, rehab with leg extension machines etc. After some 5 years there was no improvement, so I cautiously starting squatting below parallel. Now some 10 years later knees are much better, and I'm able to squat some serious weight. When you go below parallel your hamstrings come into play. I think the result for me was building up the muscle both in the front and back of the knee giving better support.
(Yes, talk to your doctor first, just realize they are human too, and make mistakes like the rest of us.)

#5 RIV on 2021-05-27 09:11 (Reply)

Due to problems with my right hip, an overuse injury from my karate/kickboxing days, it has been a couple of years since I did any squats and whether or not I do any deadlifts is entirely dependent on how my hip feels. I mainly do machines for lower body work. I recently came across a podcast with Doug Brignole who wrote a book called The Physics of Resistance Excercise. His main ideas are that compound movements, squats/deadlifts/benchpress, may have some benefit but are not the efficient way to build muscle. And, that you don't need to be loading your spine unnecessarily. This piqued my interest in the book since I haven't been able to do those movements for the last few years anyway. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VdX59JGEgQ&t=8286s

#6 brad (Link) on 2021-05-27 11:23 (Reply)

I started these late in life - and i had to do bodyweight or bar-only versions while i got back the range of motion to hold the bar on my back and remain stable through the whole lift. Try starting with a pair of dumbells, which are more forgiving to stiff shoulders.

I think they are very beneficial and directly relate to non-athletic daily activities.

#7 BenDavid on 2021-05-27 14:26 (Reply)

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Wednesday, May 26. 2021

Lower body strength: Deadlifts and Squats