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I was thinking about a way to incorporate Deadlifts or Stiff-Legged Deadlifts into my workouts yet minimize muscle overlap. I think I may have found a solution:

Workout #1
————–
1) Machine Pulldowns
2) Machine Dips post-exhausted with static hold of Pec Deck

normal time off

Workout #2
————–
1) Leg Extensions
2) Stiff-Legged Deadlifts

extra few days off to allow for extra muscles that were hit

Workout #3
————–
1) Machine Bench Presses
2) Machine Rows post-exhausted with static hold of Machine Pullover

normal time off

Workout #4
————–
1) Stiff-Legged Calf Raises on Leg Press Machine
2) Squats

extra days off to allow for extra muscles that were hit

It′s not perfect because of the required increase in time off for the larger amount of muscle mass hit. However, I dropped Seated Calf Raises and Leg Curls to be replaced with Stiff-Legged Deadlifts.

Since the Stiff-Legged Deadlifts work almost every muscle in the back, but the lower back should DEFINATELY be fresh because the workout before didn′t hit it, I should be able to make great increases. I have a feeling the hamstrings or lower back will fail in the stiff-legged deadlifts.

This drops me down to 2 true sets per workout and increases the amount of back stimulation I will get. The heavy squats made me decide this, because my back was failing before my legs! Now the back stablizer muscles will get nailed every other workout (stiff-legged deadlifts and squats).

Darrell

dafortae

sounds like a great routine, but why did you choose sldl instead of regular deads?. I also wanted to ask you about how your shoulder development is goin′, cuz I am doing the consolidation routine and tought of either droping or substituting the overhead press for side laterals. I think is causing overlap and is interfering with dips, since everything else is going up pretty good except for those two lifts.
what are your toughts on that?

best of luck with your new routine

Alfonso

Hey Alfonso,

I chose Stiff-Legged Deadlifts instead because I′ve tried both in the past, and I have a natural tendency to lift in SLDL fashion. With regular deadlifts, they feel unnatural to me, and the bar scrapes against the legs. The SLDL′s always felt like something my body was designed to do, plus my quads are larger than my hamstrings, so the SLDL′s will help them grow more too. I could actually lift as much weight (sometimes even more) in SLDL fashion than regular deadlifts. I looked up the muscles that are involved in both lifts, and they are pretty much equal. The SLDL′s supposedly focus more on the lower back and hamstrings, which are two areas I am interested in increasing quite a bit.

As far as deltoid development, they started growing MORE when I dropped side lateral raises. I was in the same boat as you, and they were being way overtrained. The side deltoids are used in almost any kind of compound pulling or pushing movement.

I don′t do any direct deltoid work, and they have been growing pretty well (front, side, and rear). I wouldn′t worry about dropping them, I would do it if I were you.

Darrell

Darrell good decision. I′m glad you are incorporating stiff legged deads. Your hams and back should get great stimulation. Start light. Make sure to do slow reps too. Good luck.

Fons I believe that throwing in a set of side laterals once in a while should be okay. You don′t have to even do them every other workout, maybe do them once a month, just to see if they help. Best of luck.
jim

thanks guys, yeah I am gonna drop the overhead press and substitute it with machine side lateral, if I see no weight increases I am definitely gonna drop every direct shoulder work. Also next workout I am skipping dips so that the pushing muscles are fully recovered for next wkt.

Dafortae: makes sense, you know my brother has the same tendency, when he does deads his butt is way too high..anyways, keep up the good work!.