Squat and Deadlift on the same day!
- Jake Hicks
- Mar 12
- 5 min read
FREE Squat and Deadlift workout for download at the bottom! Some people deadlift on back day, some people deadlift on "deadlift day". I like to deadlift on the same day and right after I squat. This can be one of the best strategies you may not be using, I'll explain the benefits below.
Some of you may think this is a crazy idea, and some might already be doing this, but I like to provide the reasons and the logic behind doing both on the same day. It all started for me after having first hand experience. I was working at Athletes Performance in Phoenix Arizona and I had been influenced to alter my training from a bodybuilding perspective to a performance perspective. Pre 2013 I was targeting muscles and my training reflected that mindset so I would have never squatted and deadlifted the same day. My performance on deadlifts after my squats was so much higher that I literally never stopped training this way. This was also the beginning of my mindset shift that performance IS aesthetics. I still needed to understand WHY deadlifting was feeling so great after squatting so a combination of education and first hand experiences over the years have molded my beliefs.
More Recovery Days
The first realization I had was when I started squatting and deadlifting same day, I was actually able to stack more recovery days between my lower body days. If I squat and deadlift on separate days I was getting about 48 hours between those sessions and often time not fully recovered. My current split allows me to place at least 72-96 hours between each session. I train my lower body every 4 days. I don't structure my training around a man made calendar because I realized the calendar wasn't created for training so I don't care if it's a Monday or a Saturday I just train on a naturally rotating schedule. Training both same day has given me the ability to spend my other training days training overhead and I even have a straight up back (Pull Ups and Rows) session which gives me a more wholistic approach to training by back with direct and indirect work. So I train everything on a 4 day frequency
Day 1- Squat/Deadlift variations (quads/hams/calves)
Day 2- Bench Press variations (chest/tri)
Day 3- Pull up or Rows (back/bi)
Day 4- Overhead Press variations (Shoulders)
Then you start over. I call this the Swole Method. Pair this split with an undulating rep scheme and low rep set mindset and that's my Super Sets program. I personally run this split 7 days a week. Many others run this split 5 days a week, and at the least I think you can use it for 4 days a week. But you're not able to do it if you don't squat and deadlift on the same day.
Muscle Fiber Activation
Maybe the biggest reason squatting and deadlifting the same day works, is the fact that the squat potentiates the deadlift. Post activation potentiation (PAP) is the underlying principle and this happens because the two exercises share overlapping muscle groups, movement patterns and neurological demands. When exploiting PAP, I've always believed the slight changes in movement patters are key to side stepping any fatigue. The exercises are different enough that even if you do take on some fatigue from squatting, the change of exercise is enough to mitigate that fatigue on the deadlift. I always say, the best warm up for the deadlift is the squat. I believe squatting and the nature of the exercise activates more muscle fibers than the deadlift. You are able to move through greater ranges of motion under tension with both concentric and eccentric phases on a squat, compared to a deadlift you're only really getting activation through concentric phases. I also believe the nature of axial loading exercises require more muscle fiber activation in specific muscle groups like the quads, glutes and hamstrings. Research shows greater EMG activity in these muscle groups due to the greater range of motion and time under tension.
The other key is, the squat is often going to less weight than the deadlift, so your neural demand in terms of fatigue is less. Pair all of these points with the concepts for speed eccentrics and brief bouts of maximal tension and the squat is the perfect set up for the deadlift. One more added benefit, squats you've working on improving your ability to PUSH through the ground, and for deadlifts you are also needing to PUSH the ground away to break the bar off the ground, which makes the pairing even more beneficial. If you needed a little more support of this idea, powerlifting meets have the squat ahead of the deadlift I think for all the reasons I just mentioned. As a lifter I wouldn't want to deadlift first, the neural demand may be too high to avoid the fatigue to thrive on squatting after.
How to do it
There are many ways to do it and I use a different method for my powerlifters than I do on my Super Sets program. For powerlifting I like to have one day for high volume push/low volume pull and the other day would be low volume push/high volume pull. My preferred way to really control and normalize volume is in relation to tonnage relative to 1 rep max. A high volume day could be 16-25x your max in pounds, a low volume could be anywhere from 5-10x your max in pounds. This is how I prefer to manage stress in a training program for powerlifters.
For Super Sets I'm rotating total reps. I look at total reps first. Between the two I like to stay at or under 36 total reps. Not an absolute but generally I will stick to this principle.
Examples: Squat/Deadlift
8x3/6x2
6x4/4x3
12x2/1x6,6x1
Then you can flip these for balance over time. Starting weight selection guide for % plus conditions to help you choose the right loads while mitigating fatigue:
6's start around 65%
4's start around 70%
3's start around 75%
2's start around 80%
1's start around 85%
Notice I said start at not stay at. After starting here then follow these conditions: Complete all reps in a row without any sticking points or grinding spots. This will help you avoid too much fatigue. Especially important for squats, since you are deadlifting after you want to minimize emptying the tank too many times. There is an exception and recommendation to still empty the tank but only for the last set or two. I recommend a "top set" or daily rep max of choice on the last set. For top sets I recommend no failed reps. This has always been somewhat of an art so on my programs I write I program the rep maxes in there for you and I make sure they contrast deadlifts.
Wrapping it up
To me this would be like going to the grocery store, you need bread and milk. Day 1 you go to get milk, you literally walk by the bread aisle why would you only get milk only to come back and get bread a few days later? Get them at the same time! You're already tapping into those muscle groups and neural demand, just makes sense to do both same day. Is this for everyone??? No. Nothing is ever for everyone but if this resinates with you and your goals, I think this is the best way to add size and strength to your lower body. Fully empty the tank on the same day, full recovery before your next session and repeat.
Below is a FREE training session that uses these concepts so you can experience this for yourself!
Shop my programs! I use these concepts heavily on my Super Sets and Powerlifting programs as well as my Advanced Barbell programs inside my Reps and Sets Series. Start a Free 10 day trial today!
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