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 By: Cyberpump I've long been urging people to personalize their training programs. What may seem to be just a minor change, can, however, have a major impact on overall progress.
Last year my squatting progress was grinding to a halt, and pre-workout trepidation was becoming extreme. At the time, I was squatting (Tru-Squat) one day each week, and stiff-legged deadlifting the other training day. I thought that seven days between squat workouts was enough time for recovery. So to help recovery I dropped the stiff-legged deadlift. Immediately, progress on the squat started moving easily. I could guarantee getting my 20 reps with half a kilo more on the weight carriage each week. Not only that, but the intensity of effort needed to get the 20 reps actually dropped. I still had to work hard, but not as hard as before even though the volume of squatting was identical to before, and the resistance actually more. Not training my lower back, hamstrings and glutes at the second workout day each week enabled me to recuperate fully from the squat workout.
 View Top Selling Products For The Immune System Here.I needed several weeks after returning from the trip before I was back to where I was just before I left the island. Then progress continued as before. And still the intensity of work needed to get all 20 reps did not increase noticeably, despite a tad of iron going on the carriage nearly every week.
Vacation
I'm Back From Vacation!
Recently I wondered whether the explanation for the boost to my squatting was the result of dropping the stiff-legged deadlift, or of not working my lower back, glutes and hamstrings at a second day each week. So, I reinstated the stiff-legged deadlift. The squat is still the focus exercise, so the squat is done first in the workout and the stiff-legged deadlift later on in that workout.
   Click To Enlarge. Stiff-Legged Deadlift. While the latter will suffer a tad relative to if it was done first, the difference is marginal so long as enough rest is had between the two exercises. So far, progress on the squat is unaffected. If I'm able to work into new ground on the stiff-legged deadlift while not hampering the squat, I'll know that the former wasn't the problem earlier on, but where I had it in my program.
Of course, my situation is not yours. But I reckon that some people are struggling because they are squatting one day each week, and performing some form of deadlifting on a second day. That means two heavy poundings over the week for the lower back. Putting both exercises in the same workout, and thus giving a full seven days between heavy lower back work, may make all the difference. While overall training volume, frequency and set/rep format may be bang on target, if the arrangement of exercises is not right for you, the progress of the whole setup will suffer.
An apparently minor adjustment of exercise arrangement can make a big difference. Don't necessarily go making wholesale changes if your training is not going well. Relatively minor adjustments may be all you need, assuming that you're following an already abbreviated and sensible training program. Recommend this article to a friend by e-mail here! Visitor Reviews Of This Article!
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