Squats and deadlifts — particularly the Olympic squat and barbell deadlift variants — are two essential strength-training staples that recruit large chunks of muscle throughout the body. But which of the two exercises is better and why?
In my article "Squats vs. Deadlifts" I already mentioned three differences. This article now goes a little deeper into differentiating the two exercises and explains three advantages that squats have over deadlifts and how these advantages make squats a better exercise in certain scenarios.
Three reasons why squats are better than deadlifts:
1. More range . With the deep squat, the weight is moved over a greater range of motion than with the deadlift, which, in addition to recruiting more muscle mass with higher repetition rates and appropriate nutrition and lifestyle, also promotes calorie burning and thus body fat burning.
2. More balance between front and rear chain. While the deadlift primarily works the posterior chain and only the top of knee extension, the squat offers full knee and hip flexion and a better balance between the entire quadriceps and hip extensors.
3. More mobility. Specifically, the hip, knee, and ankle work through a greater range of motion in the squat than in the deadlift, making the squat superior to the deadlift in terms of improving mobility in those joints with a loaded stretch.
However, these benefits don't mean that squats are always better than deadlifts. It's just that squats are better than deadlifts in certain situations and for certain goals.
For that reason, next week's "3 Reasons Why Deadlifts Are Better Than Squats," where the opposite is true.
In the end, the status and goal of the trainee decides which of the two basic exercises are used when in the program.
Good luck with the squat!
More about squats in my latest book "The Perfect Squat"
Picture: LH squats in the variant with raised heels by personal trainer Thomas Dydbahl at the last YPSI squat day in May 2017.