The "Other" Unparalleled Exercise
by Jan Dellinger
Since the inception of HARDGAINER, the suggestion has subtly surfaced within its pages, on occasion, that,
for certain categories of serious weight trainees, the repetition bent-legged deadlift (8-20 counts) may
produce more long-term size and strength gains than the considerably more heralded repetition back squat.
Truth be told, one of the advocates of this proposed "new wrinkle" in the conventional wisdom has been the
editor of HARDGAINER.
A major hurdle in his own training life prompted Stuart to pose this seemingly provocative proposition
in the first place. Briefly, Stuart read voraciously of the renowned "squat for success" philosophy. He
believed in the advice that heavy, repetition back squatting was the ticket to realizing one's full measure
of might and muscle preordained by Mother Nature; and he pursued cycle after cycle of routines which had the
back squat positioned as the cornerstone.
For a few years, this supposedly fail-safe approach yielded anticipated progress. At this juncture,
however, Stuart encountered an insurmountable plateau which would not respond to a diverse array of
commonly espoused remedies--noticeable escalations and reductions in training volume, different repetition
counts, layoffs, meticulous poundage cycling, greater attention to flexibility work, adjustments in squatting
style, knee wraps, and more.
Over the years that followed, Stuart's persistence was further rewarded with the onset of potentially
chronic knee and lower-back pain. The coup de grace, however, was his observation that others in the gym
with commensurate workout experience were still benefiting greatly from the "squat for success" plan.
As his frustration and confusion built to a crescendo, Stuart began focusing on the bent-legged deadlift
in a major way. The switch proved propitious almost immediately. Each workout found him progressing. Of
course, this scenario provided the lead-in to his triumphant achievement of deadlifting 400 lbs for 20
consecutive reps, which was chronicled in HARDGAINER issue #21.
Understandably, this turn of events prompted Stuart to wonder if there weren't at least some
qualifications needed to the "squat is unparalleled" dictum, as well as why such a variance would occur.
Moreover, he wondered if others had experienced the same phenomenon, and what they did about it...
On To Part II >>
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Hardgainer Magazine #21
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