Introduction
Squat and Deadlifts are the two biggest compound movements that target almost every body part and many people are looking to do that on the same day.
But is it safe to do squat and deadlift on the same day? Yes and No, you can do squat and deadlift on the same day if you are preparing for a powerlifting meet and following proper recovery routine but you should not be doing Squat and Deadlift on same day if you are eating in caloric deficit.
But that’s not it, you need to understand the involved risks and the proper ways to include these two biggest movements in a single day workout. Before we discuss “how to do it”, first let’s understand the risk involved in deadlifting and quatting on the same day.
Risks of squatting and deadlifting on the same day
Squats and deadlifting are the two biggest compound movements that not only test your body’s true strength but also target almost all the major and supporting muscle groups of the body. There are few risks involved n doing both on the same day.
Injury
What are the most common reasons for gym injuries? It’s either squats or deadlifts.
Both the exercises drive the lifter to his/her limits that make you move vulnerable to injury, additionally, both the compound movements demand maximum muscle engagement which might lead to imbalance.
Doing squats and deadlifts on the same day can induce injuries such as tendinitis or a stress fracture, that’s caused by repetitive trauma.
Overtraining
Doing two compound movements one after the other might put your muscle at the risk of muscle overuse (if you are not training under expert guidance).
The situation gets worse when the majority of the muscle groups are already drained after an intense squat session and now you are about to force the same muscles to do the deadlifting.
CNS fatigue
I have seen many people being confused with CNF fatigue and overtraining. Overtraining is all about the intensity and volume that your body cant recover adequately which results in losing strength, on the other hand, CNS fatigue is neurological or mental fatigue that your body could not deal with.
CNS fatigue leads to a decrease in performance by affecting movement quality, lower energy and feeling jittery.
Improper recovery
Proper recovery is the most important factor to achieve muscle gains, you cant expect to have an extraordinary training session at the gym and fuel your body with ordinary nutrition.
If you are planning to deadlift and squat on the same day then make sure to plan ahead your recovery routine as well, you are going to put immense pressure on your body that can only be negotiated with supplementing with high nutritious food and ample of sleep.
Why do you want to hit both on the same day?
We all workout for a reason and if you are planning to do squat and deadlift on the same day then there must be some really good reason behind. Let’s have a look at some common reasons.
Lack of time: Okay, just to save some time it’s always good to hit some intense compound movements. Even I do that sometimes when I have less than 30 min to workout. But if you are short on time then I would suggest some high-intensity bodyweight movements. A few quick sets of squats, pushups, and pull-ups with short rest periods can help you get the work done quickly.
Break plateau: Doing something insane is a great way to break a plateau. Ahead in this article, we are going to suggest you the best training protocols to do squats and deadlifts on the same day.
Mimic powerlifting meet: If you are preparing for a powerlifting meet, replicating the meet conditions does make sense. Powerlifting meet is a single-day event that consists of squat, bench, and deadlift.
Want to grow stronger: If you are trying same-day squat and deadlift just to grow stronger then you have opted for the wrong approach. There are much safer training protocols to grow stronger.
Squat, bench and deadlift workout program
So if you really need to squat and deadlift on the same day then let’s do it with a proper training protocol. Let’s discuss some of the very effective training protocols that include major compound movements in the training pattern.
Big 3 Routine
Big 3 routine is a brilliantly crafted training protocol for lifters who are preparing for the powerlifting meet or looking to break the plateau. A whole workout routine is focused on the top three fundamental compound lifts Squat, Deadlift, and Bench.
It’s a great workout routine that can be used while cutting or bulking, it can be followed by beginners as well, who are frustrated because of slow growth.
In the Big 3 Routine, a fixed set-rep pattern is used. This means all working sets (not the warm-up sets) are done at the same weight. Start the lifts with your 80% of one-rep max and see if you can sustain the weight for five sets of five reps.
Standard Big 3 Training Protocol
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Total Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squat | 5 | 5 | 25 |
| Bench press | 5 | 5 | 25 |
| Deadlift | 5 | 5 | 25 |
Follow this training pattern for 3 days a week, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
1-2 Warm-up sets should be performed before every compound movement. The rest period should be 2-3 minutes between exercises.
Crucial tips to squat and deadlift on same day
1# Nutrition
Planning to train like a powerlifter? first, learn to eat like a powerlifter.
What makes these compound movements difficult is the levels of recovery they require. You need to take care of proper nutrition, else these compound lifts will sabotage your muscle growth.
Preworkout: consuming 60 grams of carbs (mix of high and low GI carbs) and a scoop of protein should be consumed an hour before a workout. Low GI carbs should help in the sustainable release of energy.
Intra workout: 1-2 scoops of BCAA will assist in a power-packed performance. I personally love to add a protein bar to support my deadlift.
Post-workout: Supplementing with two scoops of whey and two bananas just after finishing a workout is highly recommended. You just trained the whole body and now your body requires a big meal high in carbs and protein.
2# Post-workout Recovery
The more you train, the more time your body requires for recovery. Post-workout recovery routine is something that most people neglect.
Having an active stretching session supplemented with some foam rolling and a massage gun is a great way to relieve stiffness in the fascia.
Warm water baths or EPSOM baths are also found to be helpful in reliving post-workout soreness.
3# Correct Form
The improper form has no space in this type of training. You are planning to include the two biggest compound movements in your routine, compromising with form can put you at risk of physical injury.
If you are not sure about your form, it’s better to skip such regressive training.
4# Not for the beginners
As a beginner, do you really have a strong motive to follow such a protocol? I don’t really suggest such extensive training routines for beginners.
5# Sleep More
Long restful sleep is a crucial weapon for proper recovery. Numerous studies have demonstrated the negative impact of sleep deprivation on the balance of hormones like cortisol, testosterone, and human growth hormone.
Takeaway
Doing squats and deadlifts on the same day poses great risks than the benefits. Training both the movements on different days is still the best to way develop progressive strength and size.
Thanks for reading. Questions are welcomed in the comments as always.
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