is it possible / advisable to max out on legs (once for deads and once for squats) twice per week?

would this be too much for recovery?

Which deadlift style are you using?

Jakeshorts and I are having a very similar discussion in my log at the moment. Here are my lifts (first # is conventional deadlift, second is squat; BW ~ 165 lbs) since early December. Each workout is essentially a warm-up to max single.

12 December 300
13 December 335
15 December 355
17 December 365
19 December 375
21 December 405
24 December 405 165
26 December 415 195
8 January 435
9 January XXX 225
11 January 425 225
17 January 435 245
22 January 445
24 january XXX 265
28 January 455
30 January XXX 275
4 February 455 (could have had 465, but tried 475 first)

The squat progress and December deadlift progress is covering of old ground after some injuries. The January deadlift data should be more reliable. For reference, all time PR's are 465 and 365 at somewhere btw 200 and 215 pounds BW, using a 5x5 bodybuilding routine and every hormone I could get my hands on. Except for 3x25mg DHEA, haven't touched anything hormonal since mid-July 2007.

To answer your question: No, I don't think it's too much, as long as total volume is very low. Your mileage may vary. I'm happy with the progress so far. But as Jakeshorts pointed out, routine might not allow for continued progress in the long term, at which point Westside looks pretty good.

I say try it and let the chips fall where they may. The thing is the more experienced you are with heavy weight the faster you recouperate. If your recovering fast enough - sure. Maxing out twice a week MAY be beneficial. I get the feeling manuel isn't too experienced. Generally this kind of recovery is seen after a couple years of training. See DC's theories on recovery if your wondering what I'm basing this comment off of.

Me personally - I'm a worrier, I get less sleep than I should, and I feel I need more rest than the 3-4 days inbetween. I've been training 5-7 days a week spinning my wheels until December when I started Westside style of training. First time in two years I've made strength gains. That's all IME though and IMO. YMMV

well right, working out heavy isn't that new to me, but maxing out is actually since i am pretty new to the whole concept of conjugate per.... i feel that i am still not ready to max out onr 1rm's and stay usually in the 3rm or even 5rm range, which should also help with recover i guess... i think i might handle it the same way i look at de work - i switch it in for some weeks and leaving it out for some to do more re work... i might try the same with 2 me workouts for legs per week, but stick with one bench me and one heavy upper pull workout... the reason i want to max out twice is simply because on re days i kind of see a lack of motivation due to not having a "objective" for that workout...

I say try it and see where it gets you. I wouldn't suggest trying to max out on the actual competition deadlift or squat every single week though. In westside you max out on your competition lifts once every 6-8 weeks. Even if you do half of this I would think it would be helpful to do some maxes in your ancillary movements to help sticking points and the like.

On a side note of motivation - imagine what that motivation will do when you set these new weight goals each week then not obtain them.... I'd rather feel fat than weak any day. Just a thought.

Don't max out twice a week. Perhaps work up to a top single, but make sure it's not an all-out effort during which you're struggling the whole way through. Make sure you can nail it with decent speed and technique. And if you're using heavy weights by now, make sure to periodize your intensity. An all-out max should be done infrequently compared to submaximal work in any case other than very low frequency and volume programs, which are in turn very poor for technique.

Bulgarians will hit training maxes on their lifts (squat, C&J, snatch) several times a week. Note that I said training max, which is a bit different (you don't psyche up for a training max for example).

thx silver, was thinking about something like that, or keeping one in the 1-3rm range and one in the 3-5rm range and then switch the next week

I would not advise maxing out twice per week

Once a week seems to be high for some people. Especially if they have high activity levels (including other physical activities)

Using heavy loads for someone with relatively high Max strength can also be hard on joints

On the other end some athletes do fine with maxing once per week

It just depends

thanks
Coach Hale
www.maxcondition.com