When it comes to building massive legs, squats and deadlifts can be the first exercises you must add to your leg workout routine.
Squats are generally known to be the king of all exercises when training legs; no other exercise can assist you in making big, sharp quadriceps like squats do. Squats primarily target your quadriceps, gluteus maximus, and adductor magnus.
Who in the world doesn’t like to do deadlifts? Deadlifts have always been the most popular exercise among gymgoers and athletes.
As much as it is high in dopamine, it is also at high risk of injury. Deadlifts primarily target the hamstrings, gluteus maximus, and back.
So can you train both of these compound lifts on the same day? We will answer that in this article.
Can you squat and deadlift on the same day?
Yes, of course, you can perform both of these movements on the same day. But doing these heavy exercises on the same day can increase the chances of getting injured.
These two exercises put too much load on your lower back muscles, tendons, bones, and ligaments. Combining both of them can lead to increased tiredness or an increase in the risk of injury, as mentioned earlier.
People generally find training their legs difficult and exhausting, and training squats is a nightmare for many people around the world. So how can someone train both of them together? Don’t worry; we’ve got you here.
Doing squats and deadlifts on leg day can be easier by changing how much and how hard you train. While keeping in mind the training goal, whether it is endurance, hypertrophy, or strength.
If you find them hard, you can gradually decrease the weight or number of sets and focus more on the full range of motion and eccentric and concentric phases while performing a rep.
Leg Workout
- Deadlift: 4 sets of 12 to 8 reps
- Squat: 4 sets of 12 to 8 reps
- Leg extension: 3 sets of 12 to 10 reps
- Leg curls: 3 sets of 12 to 10 reps
- Calf raise: 3 sets of 15 to 12 reps
Benefits of training deadlifts and squats on the same day
Good posture and balanced muscles
Training both the muscles in the front (anterior chain) and back (posterior chain) of your body is good for you. It helps you develop balanced muscles and maintain good posture. By working on both chains, you can improve your overall strength and perform daily activities more easily.
Also, it makes it less likely for you to get injured by making your back, hips, and knee muscles stronger. Your core strength and stability also improve as a result.
Boosts testosterone
Deadlifts and squats are the two major moments that can help you boost testosterone. Testosterone is a hormone that helps in protein synthesis and building muscles.
It helps produce muscle-building proteins. However, remember that muscle growth and protein synthesis depend on various factors, including nutrition, exercise, and rest.
It’s important to know that increasing testosterone levels artificially, such as by using anabolic steroids, can really hurt your health. Instead, try to increase testosterone naturally by exercising and eating healthy.
More muscle and strength
Deadlifts and squats are compound exercises that work many muscles at the same time. Deadlifts work on lower body muscles like the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. They also work on the back, core, and grip muscles.
Squats work on lower body muscles like the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core. These exercises work on many muscles at once. They let you lift more weight and grow muscles effectively.
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Disadvantages of training deadlifts and squats on the same day
More fatigue
Doing deadlift and squat same day can be very tiring. If you’re reading this article from the beginning, then you already know deadlifts and squats work on many muscles at once; most of them are common muscles used both in deadlifts and squats, like the core, lower back, glutes, and hamstrings.
Both exercises work multiple muscles and stress the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS assists in maintaining energy levels and coordinating muscular contractions. Doing them back-to-back can exhaust your CNS and make you feel more tired.
Overtraining and increased recovery time
Doing deadlifts and squats together, especially at high intensity, can make you more likely to overtrain. Overtraining occurs when the body doesn’t have enough time to rest and recover after exercising.
It can result in a plateau in progress, decreased performance, a higher risk of injury, and an overall lack of improvement in your training. Resting and giving your body good recovery time after intense training sessions like deadlifts and squats is needed.
Longer recovery time
Deadlifts and squats need more time to recover than isolation exercises because they use more muscles and are harder. When done on the same day, the added stress on the muscles and central nervous system can increase the recovery time.
Risk of Lower Back Injury
Both deadlifts and squats place a significant load on the lower back muscles. Doing these exercises one after the other on the same day can hurt your lower back a lot. It can make you very exhausted.
You might not be able to keep the right form and technique. This increases the strain on the lower back, raising the risk of injury.
What to do first: squat or deadlift?
According to studies, it completely depends on the individual as to what you should do first. Squats can be considered a more natural moment, whereas deadlifts are more technique-driven. You can lift more weight with deadlifts as compared to squats. Squats can be considered a more natural moment, whereas deadlifts are more technique-driven. You can lift more weight with deadlifts as compared to squats.
From my personal experience, I recommend you do deadlifts first and then squats. I suggest you don’t test your PRs or do them with high intensity; keep the volume low and focus on more muscle engagement and technique for better results.
However, ultimately, it is up to you to determine what works best for your body, considering the level of difficulty and the desired outcomes.
Who should not do this workout?
This workout is not good for beginners because it is very hard and can cause serious injuries or overtraining. People who have trained for at least 3 years or are advanced gymgoers can do this workout. You should choose a weight that you can handle safely. Make sure to use proper form to avoid getting hurt.
Conclusion
In conclusion, combining squats and deadlifts in your leg workout can be an effective way to build strong and muscular legs. While it’s possible to perform both exercises on the same day, it’s important to manage training volume and intensity to avoid excessive fatigue and minimize the risk of injury.
The leg workout has five exercises and includes both deadlifts and squats. Moreover, there are some major benefits and disadvantages to doing squats and deadlifts on the same day; make sure you’re aware of them. A beginner should avoid doing squats and deadlifts on the same day.
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