Heavy lifters: dead lifting vs squats

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Replies

  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    There is no right answer to this and no single rule that applies universally. I prefer squatting because I am better at squatting. Deadlifting is more mentally taxing for me by far. I do think deadlifting has more functional carryover to life outside the gym, but the ability to squat properly is still very important.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    I like everything better than squats... except a flabby *kitten*. :bigsmile:

    +1
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    It's easier to like deadlifts as they aren't as mentally taxing as squats, especially when you're pushing for PRs. If you fail a deadlift you can just drop it. If you fail a squat you can have the sensation of being crushed. This is one reason I would advocate "practicing" failure in squats and setting the bar down on the safeties (assuming you're using a power rack) or dropping the weight (assuming you're using bumpers).

    As I am no longer doing powerlifting meets I currently just do trap bar deadlifts, which are sort of a hybrid between squats and deadlifts.

    Side note: to the poster above who says bench press and overhead press are both essential I would actually disagree with that. Bench press hasn't even existed for very long and people got very strong long before anyone thought of laying down to lift.
    Not true. Bench press has been around since barbells were invented back in the 1800s. It became more popular with the advent of powerlifting competitions in the 1950s, but it's been around far longer.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
    The question was not which do you prefer, the question was which one is better. We got 90% answer which they prefer and 10% give the correct answer: Neither Both 3.1415926535 Red. No Blue. AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

    This seems like a nice article that makes sense:

    http://www.poliquingroup.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/804/Powerlifts_The_Squat_vs_The_Deadlift.aspx

    Tom
  • 212019156
    212019156 Posts: 341 Member
    Both exercises work different parts of the body and both should be done (or some variation of). In terms of transfer to every day activities I think deadlifts are more utilitarian. Think about picking stuff up off the floor is something everyone has to do. Now if you are an athlete then I think the squat is probably more important. When people say you "should" be able to deadlift more that is definitely not true. It really depends on your body mechanics. Also if you say the deadlift is your favorite exercise then maybe you are not using enough weight :)
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member

    you should be pulling more weight than you squat.

    Andrey Malanichev squats more than he pulls. Pretty sure there's no "should" about it. Most people do pull more, but it's not an absolute.

    I don't have any hard science to back up which I think is more effective, but a ton of extremely strong people say that squats are the king of barbell exercises.

    The real question is: are you trying to do one and not do the other? If so, why?
  • Snow3y
    Snow3y Posts: 1,412 Member
    They're complete different exercises.. How can one be superior?
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    Who cares, do both... and do both well.
  • KellyL23
    KellyL23 Posts: 81 Member
    Why not both? I love deadlifts (obviously - profile pic), but squats are awesome too. My husband likes what squats are doing to my booty - just saying.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member

    you should be pulling more weight than you squat.

    Andrey Malanichev squats more than he pulls. Pretty sure there's no "should" about it. Most people do pull more, but it's not an absolute.

    agreed, i shouldn't have said "should." only a Sith deals in absolutes.

    however Andrey Malanichev is one of the 0.001% of people that are not just genetically gifted, but hardworking and a pro athlete.

    like you said, most people can and do dead lift more than they squat.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    I do them both.....
    I don't prefer one over the other...

    I will say this about squats, if you do heavy enough weight, you tend to engage a lot of stabilizing muscles you normally would not with DLs.

    But do whichever you like....and enjoy
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    Why not both? I love deadlifts (obviously - profile pic), but squats are awesome too. My husband likes what squats are doing to my booty - just saying.

    How much weight is that in your pic?
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    Can't good wrong with either. I do both but much prefer Deadlifts to Squats.
  • tpligon
    tpligon Posts: 8 Member
    The ones that you will do consistently.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    neither is better than the other.

    you should be pulling more weight than you squat.

    you should be doing both.

    this guy.

    nails it.
    Andrey Malanichev squats more than he pulls. Pretty sure there's no "should" about it. Most people do pull more, but it's not an absolute.
    Fred Hatfield- 1014 squat. Something silly like a 766 lb dead lift.

    It is what it is.

    it happens. But yes- as a general rule of thumb- for the average lifter- you should be able to pull more than you squat. There will always be outliers. The average person who is squatting more than dead lifting has form issues and isn't much over the 2 or 300 mark.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    Ok for my numbers I guess at this time I fall into the outlier area...
    On my heavy squat days, I will squat ~275....trying to get that up more....I am weak.
    For my DLs.....I do 225.....again i am weak, so trying to get that up as well.....
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
    Another opinion for BOTH. I love deadlifting and I don't love squats. But, I do both.

    Same here.
  • Kirk_R
    Kirk_R Posts: 112 Member
    Not true. Bench press has been around since barbells were invented back in the 1800s. It became more popular with the advent of powerlifting competitions in the 1950s, but it's been around far longer.

    In a sense, perhaps, although I've not come across bench press (aka, prone press, pull over and press, etc) stuff from before the 1920s (not that I'm a historian). The modern bench press with the bar starting on racks resting above the lifter rather than the lifter picking it up from the floor first seems to be less than 100 years old. I would be curious to see evidence to the contrary (not trying to be argumentative, seriously, I just think it's interesting to see how this stuff developed). The old site I used to look at for lifting history no longer exists and I can't even remember the name of it right now.
  • BarbellApprentice
    BarbellApprentice Posts: 486 Member
    Redundant.. Do both. Squat and DL are foundational lifts.
    I have found that the lift I do not enjoy is the lift I need to work on more...and you know what? Over time, I usually grow to love that lift. This has happened for me with squats. I am working through this now with front squats. I will be be good at them and enjoy them sooner rather than later.
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
    Outlier here!

    I prefer squats to deadlifts.
    I can squat more than I can deadlift.

    But I also think I need to switch from Stiff legged to Romanian.
    Because when I did SL5x5 (before my injuries), I was deadlifting more than I was squatting.

    I've been doing Romanian deads for a looong time... You'd be surprised how different they are. I felt like such a baby switching from regular deads to Romanians because there was hardly any weight on the bar in comparison... But after about 10 reps it's easy to see why you have to lift so much lighter on Romanians
  • Danny_Boy13
    Danny_Boy13 Posts: 2,094 Member
    I think everyone prefers deadlifts :). I hate squats but I still do them :/

    Not everyone... I prefer squats to DL's. For me personally Squats carry over better for my sport.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
    Fred Hatfield- 1014 squat. Something silly like a 766 lb dead lift.

    Those are probably equipped numbers. I think the squat gear adds a lot more for squats than it does to DL. I wonder how Fred's raw numbers compare? They might be closer to each other.

    I do think biomechanics matter when it comes to squat vs. DL numbers. Not sure which build is better for which, but I bet there is a study somewhere that does.
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
    I'm way better at squats than deadlifting...but I don't use the squat rack yet, I'm just doing dumbell squats right now. I also prefer lunges over squats lol. But I do all of it :ohwell:
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Fred Hatfield- 1014 squat. Something silly like a 766 lb dead lift.

    Those are probably equipped numbers. I think the squat gear adds a lot more for squats than it does to DL. I wonder how Fred's raw numbers compare? They might be closer to each other.

    I do think biomechanics matter when it comes to squat vs. DL numbers. Not sure which build is better for which, but I bet there is a study somewhere that does.

    Dunno

    There is a video embedded here- I can't watch it from my computer- just read the article and I dont' see it mentioned.

    http://stronglifts.com/the-10-most-impressive-squats-of-all-times/

    fun article none the less!
  • danimalkeys
    danimalkeys Posts: 982 Member
    I prefer squats to deads, but do them both. I find I can squat heavy with more frequency than deadlifts though- more recovery time needed on heavy deads.

    Beginner/intermediate lifters seem to generally be a good bit better at deadlifts. As you get more experienced that gap will close some. Squats are a more technical lift where changes in form will have more of an effect on what you can lift.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    Deadlifts make me tired.
  • jorralee
    jorralee Posts: 74 Member
    As someone who plans to compete one day in a powerlifting meet I do them both regularly.
    Still working on proper form and technique though.
  • Sarah4fitness
    Sarah4fitness Posts: 437 Member
    OP:
    Do them both. They're both great. Mastering the form is challenging, but once you have it, the gains are spectacular if you do them regularly and heavily.
  • justinproulx1
    justinproulx1 Posts: 335
    both are essential
  • Roadie2000
    Roadie2000 Posts: 1,801 Member
    Superior for what? They both work different muscle groups.

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