Trap Bar Deadlift and Back Day

Training
1

Hi All,

I am currently doing the Juggernaut method but, having injured myself on several occasions trying to standard deadlift I substituted the deadlift for Juggernaut method Bent-Over Rows and turned it into a full on back day. I figured since my legs are very underdeveloped focusing on them one day a week, on squat day, would be sufficient to make some real progress for at least a couple of months.

However, I was in the gym with my girlfriend over the weekend and trying to teach her how to deadlift. She was not a fan of the straight bar so I decided to put her on a trap bar. She reported a lot less lower back pain and enjoyed the lift a lot more. I put in a couple of sets and really liked the feeling. Since my mobility and lower back strength aren’t up to par enough to standard deadlift particularly safely, I decided to sub the trap bar deadlift into my program in place of the traditional version, especially after doing a lot of reading suggesting that its easier for beginners like myself to handle while we improve our mobility and lower back strength to handle conventional deadlifting.

Since the trap bar version doesn’t hit the post chain as hard as conventional, on my theoretical “deadlift” day I decided to include RDLs. They would cover the hams/glutes that are less emphasized on the trap bar, and I’ve also heard that mastering the RDL is a good gateway into solid conventional deadlift form.

My question is this: can I tag my back/biceps day onto the back of those 2 exercises? Example:

-Trap Bar Deadlift: Juggernaut Method
-RDL: 4x8
-Bent-over Row: 5x5
-Seated Row: 4x8
-Biceps Workout

To be honest I don’t know a lot about CNS stressors, so I’m not sure if this consolidates too much stress into one day. Secondly, I know bicep workouts are shitty assistance work but I really want to grow them so they’re getting some attention.

Would this kind of scheme work or is it too many big movements in one day?

2

I replaced conventional dl with deadsquats.

I never questioned the cns or posterior anything.

I also did not change the program.

3

I’m with JFG. Unless you compete there’s really no reason to stick with straight bar deadlifts over a Trap or DS bar. It’s taken me a while to come around to that, though.

Straight bar Deadlifts destroy my back while the DS bar feels great. Ya, you don’t get the same exact posterior chain involvement, but it still gets hit pretty hard just in a different way. My personal experience is that my glutes are usually hit the hardest followed by the quads. I believe CT has written about adjustments you can make to hit other areas harder if that’s what you want. I just hit abs and glute ham raises more so than before to compensate.

You shouldn’t need to adjust the Juggernaut program.

4

I figured since my legs are very underdeveloped focusing on them one day a week, on squat day, would be sufficient to make some real progress for at least a couple of months.

Legs are very underdeveloped = train legs less.

Seems like sound logic.

5

The thinking was, when I train legs heavy twice a week, they’re wrecked ALL week. I’m also doing cardio for fat loss so I need them to be functional some of the time. I figure the wrecked-ness will diminish once they get a little conditioned and I can start hitting them twice a week.

6

My legs used to feel like jelly most of the week when I did heavy 5x5 back squats once a week. Doms were terrible for 3 or 4 days.

When I trained legs twice a week it got no better.

I now squat 3 times a week.

5x5 Monday
Lighter volume front squats Wednesday
Low volume heavy loads on Friday

I now get NO doms and feel great all week. My legs have exploded, gotten stronger and blasted through plautoes…

Just food for thought :smiley:

Edit: just realised how old the thread is lmao