Deadlift vs Squat

For you personally, it depends on your goals which lift is better. Generally the barbell back squat/squat is more versatile and therefore programmed more often.

What are your goals

Why do you compare the deadlift and the squat? Do you want to get stronger? Do you want to pack on some muscle? Do you want to get drafted for the next season? There can be many reasons why you look into the two. What I usually see is that people want to achieve in these three areas

Looks
Performance
Health

Looks are usually about attaining a beauty ideal from Hollywood and the magazines. For most this is about cycles of growing muscle and starving yourself out. Some are genetically more inclined to get ripped than others. It usually is hard work.

The second goal set is mainly about faster, stronger, harder. Athletes want to compete at higher levels with more endurance, strength, and grace. For this, they put on muscle, get more flexible and focused. Whatever it is that makes you better, you will continuously search for it and apply it to your routine. The ultimate measuring stick is the results of the next competition. Looks only come second to that.

The last goal set is health. This mainly about balance and mobility. People want to be able to move freely and stress-free. You will not care as much about the results and more about the journey. You measure your success on tranquility and peace. The ultimate goal is not a showcase full of trophies.

As you are comparing the squat and deadlift you are most likely interested in looks or performance. Revisit this triumvirate of fitness and think about your goals. Prioritise then to each other for yourself. This makes picking a program a lot easier.

The deadlift

When we talk about the deadlift you will most likely think about the conventional barbell deadlift. With the surge of Crossfit and powerlifting, this lift has become more popular than ever.

You start with the barbell in front of you on the ground. You keep your feet about shoulder width apart. Your hands grip the bar just slightly outside the legs. The hips will be lowered and bar pulled into you. From here you pick up the weight until your legs are straight. You can follow my blog for more detailed instruction. In a nutshell, you pick up heavy things from the ground.

The biggest advantages of the deadlift are its ability to build a strong back and simplicity. It is a great exercise to get a bigger and more defined back. The movement is easy to learn initially. The deadlift is also less intimidating than the benchpress and squat as you won’t crush yourself.

The biggest disadvantages of the deadlift are your grip and lower back. While the deadlift is a great exercise to build your back it’s possible to leave potential on the table because of a weak grip. This is especially if importance when your grip does not matter in your sport. The other disadvantage is your lower back. While the deadlift is in principle a simple movement it is hard to do it without exposing your lower back to injury risk. These pains can be nagging away at you for weeks.

The squat

In this scenario, you are most likely thinking of the barbell back squat. The barbell back squat has been a staple of strength training for almost a century. It is an iconic movement which is shared by powerlifters, weightlifters and Croasfitters alike.

The barbell back squat starts with the barbell in the rack. You will get under the bar and unrack it. From there you walk three steps back to put distance between you and the rack. After breathing out you will take a big breath in to get tight. You will descend as low as your mobility allows. From the deepest point of the squat, you will move up again to complete one repetition. Rinse and repeat for greatness.

The biggest advantages of the squat are its versatility and effectiveness. The barbell back squat is the backbone of many strength programs for a good reason. You train your legs, core, back and even shoulders and arms. This makes it a versatile movement for strength athletes and effective in terms of reward for time invested.

The biggest disadvantages of the squat are its complexity and risk. Doing a proper barbell back squat with a full range of motion can take years to learn. Some people lack the strength, many the mobility in their hips and ankles to perform it correctly. With this comes a high risk of injury compared to machines or the deadlift.

What is better, the deadlift or squat

What is better always depends on your goal. As I don’t know what you want to achieve exactly I can only have some educated guesses.

If you are a beginner interested in strength the question should not be either or. Do both movements on a program like Stronglifts or Starting Strength. If you have to pick one movement male it the barbell back squat. It is harder to learn and has a lot of carry over to the deadlift. Beginners have more time in the week to dedicate to technique. If you choose, choose the squat.

If you are a bodybuilder it depends on where your weak spots are. If you struggle to build impressive legs lean towards more squatting. If you lack definition and thickness on your back lean towards the deadlift. Layne Norton has very good material on the use of the deadlift for bodybuilding purposes.

Weightlifters will lean towards the deadlift as they will do a lot of squatting in their program anyway. Most Olympic lifts fail off the ground or at the jerk. I have seldomly seen an Olympic lifter fold the lift midway to the top like a powerlifters.

For powerlifters the question is pointless. They have to compete in both lifts and therefore optimise them both.

Crossfitters will have a hard time to pick. I would go with Rich Fronings „Eliminate your weaknesses“ approach. If you think your deadlift sucks, deadlift more. Same for the barbell back squat.

All in all, it highly depends on your goals which lift is better for you. Specifically, the answer can vary. Generally, the barbell back squat has more versatile application and is therefore preferred in overall programming.