 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
So (despite scoffing when it was first suggested on here). I have decided girls probably will benefit from lifting. I like the look of 5x5 for it's simplicity and the app makes it easy to keep track. However due to an ankle injury I have limited flexibility in my ankle and can't squat. Is there any reason I can't substitute squats with deadlifts? If so any suggestion as to what I should do instead of the 1x5 deadlift sequence?
I did this when squatting took too much out of me and interfered with cycling. Did me no harm.........
.......although I now look like the hunchback of Notre-Dame 😉
Ideally you should do squats and deadlifts. If you can't squat, try deadlifts. If you still suffer from ankle mobility, use a Trap bar, the position requires less mobility than a conventional deadlift.
NB My wife rates this book
[img] 
[/img]
https://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398
I did this when squatting took too much out of me and interfered with cycling. Did me no harm.........
There's a poster on weight weenies that posts a lot about weight training and cycling that has worked with the Australian track team, team sky and team GB
There's a general perception that one can ride high cadence high power workouts and interleaf those (and racing) with any significant weight workouts.
They each will hinder the effectiveness of the other, so it's more effective (and this is basically periodizing in what amounts to a dual-sport model) to give yourself a month or two to focus on weights, do it hard, then translate the gains into cycling. Weights do a couple things for you: build absolute strength, increase muscle recruitment, correct weaknesses in peripheral muscles, assist in gluteal recruitment (a chronic issue with cyclists, who are basically sitting on their glutes and deactivating them), and so on.Give yourself a couple months to focus on cycling and peak for a couple events, then go back and give yourself two or three months on weights, and repeat the cycle.
Trying to flip back and forth every week is rarely as effective as going through a real periodization cycle focused on one sport and then scheduling a very planned transition period to convert that power to the other kind of workout.
http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=137592#p1219829
I use the leg press machine instead of doing squats (similar reason to yourself), dead-lifts are already a separate exercise in 5 x 5 aren't they ?
Have you tried with a 1.25kg plate under each heel?
I've got metal work in my leg which also restricts my ankle movement but can manage a parallel squat by doing this.
5x5 is based around squatting each workout as the major compound movement so would be nowhere near as effective if you replaced them.
Have you tried with a 1.25kg plate under each heel?
Or see a Physio / Sports Therapist and see if you can get back the flexibility over time.....