FT Questions....

[Scott Stevenson]

Hi Scott, Should I not be doing rack deads (below knee height) for MR's? I've done them a few times and like them, so are they better suited as a loading set? Thanks

Yes, I'm not a fan of rack deads for a Muscle Round simply from the practical reason that the exercise tends to cause lower back fatigue and then, when one is really pulling to a true failure point on that exercise, there is a high risk of injury if one less the low back "round."

This is just what tends to happen when doing higher rep range rack deads. When doing a straight set, before one gets terribly winded (getting close to "gassing out"), one can keep focus but the risk / reward (as Altamir noted) is just too high for this one, IMO, especially when trying to push the limits progressively overloading here.

Stiff-legged DL's don't have quite the systemic effect here and aren't really a compound movement in the sense that the torque is essentially only intended to be produced about a the hip joint. This one (whatever variation, BB or DB, call it SLDL or Romanian DL) - when actually doing them in the gym - is a relatively safer bet.

If going to a safe but deep range of motion, SLDLs can really be done such that the hamstrings (and glutes of course) are the weak link if form is strict, whereas rack deads load so much more low back (spinal erectors), and are driven buy the legs, too, meaning greater loads, that the low back can easily "give out" for many folks.

-S