I can squat more than I can deadlift, am I a freak?

[TigerJaw]

I've only been training these excercises for a comparitively short ammount of time and have only just really started puching it. I took my time to learn the movements and make sure the mechanics were working right.

Anyway, now I'm starting to really push it and have found that while both excercises are improoving on a weekly basis, my squat is ahead of my deadlift but not by much. I get the impression that I could ease off the squat, perhaps not increasing my weight for a while and wait for my deadlift to improove if this were necersary.

So, the question is, is this necersary? Most places on the web I've found people posting their deadlift and squat weights, the deadlift is higher so do i have a strength imbalance in need of correction?

Cheers,
Phill

[abobo]

There's no law that says one must be higher than the other. A lot depends on your body type such as the length of your limbs and torso which can affect leverage.

I've always been told that if choosing only one, improving your squat will help the deadlift more than the other way around.

Eventually you might want to try some assistance exercises for these lifts. But for now, since you say you've worked on the mechanics and are getting stronger, I'd say you are doing fine, regardless of anyone else's numbers.

[fa_jing]

I thought that squat #'s were usually a little higher than deadlift for most people, depending on what style of lift, etc. So no problem, although everyone's form needs improving as a beginner.

[TigerJaw]

Thanks for the encouragement. i shall carry on in my own sweet way for the time being then.

What's an assistance excercise? Is that an excercise designed to to strengthen a muscle needed for another excercise, like doing tricep extenstions or shoulder presses to help your bench press?

[Ford Prefect]

Tiger,

It's actually quite common to be able to squat more than you can deadlift. Like most here said, it depends on your body type and natural muscle structure. Short stocky guys can usually squat more than they can DL because of their short limbs, which gives them a much small ROM to work through and a leverage advantage. Long lanky guys generally DL more than the can squat.

Assistance exercise for both the squat and the DL would be goodmornings, romanian deadlifts, reverse hyperextensions, and glute-ham raises.

[TigerJaw]

Cheers Ford. As always, that's very useful information.

[IronFist]

It seems like most people can DL more than they can SQ, but, when I look at numbers of world class lifters it seems to be that their SQ is higher. So, who knows :)

Abobo said:
I've always been told that if choosing only one, improving your squat will help the deadlift more than the other way around.


I've found that to be the case. When I SQ but don't DL, my DL stays pretty consistent. One time I pulled my old PR after not DL'ing for 3 months or something.

But, if I DL only and don't SQ, my SQ goes down fast as hell.

But I blame it on my skinny ectomorph legs :)

DL'ing is way more fun, btw.

IronFist