How Often to Deadlift Per Week
Deadlifts are some of the essential strength training exercises. They can help you build muscles mass, improve grip strength and get stronger. While they are impactful, they can be a strain, especially if you overindulge in them, even with the right deadlifting shoes and form. In this article, you will learn how often you need to deadlift, and the impact the frequency has on the results.
Deadlifting Once a Week
Many strength training programs recommend deadlifting once a week. Such programs argue that since deadlifting is a compound exercise, you can still engage the same muscles doing squats, bench press or upper body rows. That means you do not often need to lift weights to build strength.
In such programs, you leave your body a little more time to recover from the exercise. That reduces the frequency of the exhausting exercise allowing your body to build up endurance for the next exercise. If you are starting on strength training, then you should aim towards deadlifting once per week. Work on the lifting technique before you increase the deadlift frequency.
Deadlifting Twice a Week
Once you learn how to deadlift correctly, you can advance and add another deadlift training day. This is common among powerlifters training to improve their lifting technique and building up the weights before the event.
When you add a second deadlift training day, you get to explore various deadlift provisions. If you are used to a conventional barbell deadlift, you can consider adding a deficit deadlift session. This can help you improve your range of motion while in the hip hinge position.
An alternative would be swapping out the barbell for a trap bar deadlift. This can help you shift the movement’s power to the quads and help unload the spine. If you wish to deadlift twice a week, consider the second day as an accessory.
On this note, add it on a squat training day, so you do not exhaust your lower-body muscles from extreme engagement. On the second day, you can do a single set of heavy deadlifts rather than pushing the number and volume.
Deadlifting Thrice a Week
Some programs recommend deadlifting thrice a week. A common program is the Daily Undulating Periodization Program, usually referred to as DUP. This program aims at breaking more extensive programs to smaller ones. For example, if you have a deadlifting training program running for 12 weeks, that can be split into three separate four-week blocks.
In such a program you so the big three lifts; squat, bench, deadlift on the same day. This is scheduled for three days a week with variable sets and reps. This can be challenging since you are training every significant muscle group without the need for an accessory training day.
Deadlifting thrice a week can help you reach a heavier weight quicker; however, it is easy to burn out and risk injury. On this note, just because you can do it and your body has the endurance to do so shouldn’t lead you to believe it is the best.
Can You Deadlift Every Day?
Whether you have high stamina and looking to reach your goals quickly, deadlifting every day is not advisable. Again, there are no specific reasons to do it daily, and no proper program encourages that. Like it is said, too much of a good thing is a bag thing, and this is the case with deadlifting daily.
At some point, your body will not handle the exercise; instead; the training will limit strength rather than contributing to it. Remember, deadlifts are tiring and are considered some of the most challenging full-body workouts.
If you want to improve your strength and handle a heavier weight, then focus on improving your nutrition, sleep and overall mobility. These are the pillars of strength gain and building muscle that will benefit you more than deadlifting daily.
The Bottom Line
Deadlifting can be beneficial regardless of your training program. How often you deadlift depends on your goals and how well your body can handle the frequency. But, even so, it is vital to keep the frequency at a maximum of twice a week. That way, your body has the time to recover and reenergize for the next deadlifting training.
