Me and my father have argued about this since we started lifting it seems. Which is the better exercise? They are both obviously great and the Kings of all exercise,s but which is #1??? I know they are both very versatile and have many forms, but one has to be better for some reason right?
I do them both of course, and I’m a hell of a lot better at dead lifting then I am at squatting.
one finger push ups are the best. then comes deads.
there really is no right answer to this, but if someone put a gun to my head and said i could only do one exercise i would probably pick the deadlift. more muscle groups involved, more conditioning benefits
what is better apples or oranges?
I would guess squats. Why would Starting Strength require you to squat 3x a week rather than deadlift that many times? Probably because you get more growth out of squats.
[quote]ZYL281 wrote:
what is better apples or oranges?[/quote]
Apples.
the one your better at, for me that is deadlift so deadlifting is better.
[quote]bmitch wrote:
but a leg press isn’t far off from a squat[/quote]
you sir would be wrong 
as for the original question. I wouldn’t say one is better than the other, but as for muscles involved it’s the deadlift.
I like the person’s quote “which is better, apples or oranges”
[quote]ZYL281 wrote:
what is better apples or oranges?[/quote]
oranges.
You don’t need a power rack to deadlift.
I think a lot of it also comes down to each individual’s body type and goals. For some, focusing on increasing squat strength will be better for their goals and body type, while others may opt for the deadlift.
On that note, individual body types vary so greatly. My housemate is 5’8, while I am four inches taller at 6ft – yet his forearms measure a whole inch LONGER than mine. Lets just say it helps his deadlift leverages.
Its hard to ask which exercise is better when they emphasize two different muscle groups. If I could only do one I’d chose squat because the other back exercises that you can do are fun. Any alternate to squats just seems to boring for the legs lol.
Gerdy
you should do both as really each one has its own benefit.
First, you should consider that the deadlift can be done in two different ways. One is squating the bar up while basically keeping your back straight. To me, doing this version if you are already doing low squats, is a waste as it sort of repeats the squat movement.
The second version is the one i do, it involves using you back and legs to lift the bar; you dont necessarily squat or lower your hips into a squating position to do it; also its not a straight leg dead lift because you are still bending your knees. This dead lift involves muscles far beyond the squat.
I guess im saying if you are comparing the dead to the squat; what version of the dead are you comparing to… because if its the one that involves using you back and not simply squatting the bar up… this movement cannot even be considered similar to the squat…
I don’t think they’re comparable, really. They’re both exercises that separate the weak from the people who actually want to change their bodies. I’d guess that most people would favor deads because squats are much more of an un-nerving move… hundreds of pounds resting on your shoulders. I don’t know, though, I’d probably prefer the squat.
[quote]ZYL281 wrote:
what is better apples or oranges?[/quote]
Apples are better because they have less sugar and aren’t as messy to eat.
Squats are better because they can be performed more frequently and the range of motion for the legs is greater. When my Squat goes up 20lbs I get stronger in everything but if my Deadlift goes up, the overall strength and size gains aren’t as significant. The Squat has also been proven to be, along with the Power Clean, the best exercise for increasing one’s clean and jerk.
If you were only doing one exercise I would say deads, but if you are doing them with other lifts I would say squats. Squats are easier for your body to recover from, and I think that’s one of the main reasons Starting Strength makes them the main exercise
i think starting stregnth had you squat 3 times a week becasue the move is harder to learn to do properly then deadlifts.
I think mr.apples and orangesup there was right. theres not much of a comparison to be maid.
and goals are a big thing too.
i know great bodybuilders who never deadlift but squat a ton, and visa versa.
But if your a strongman competitor Id venture to say the dead is a tad bit more important.
Im not really sure which is more importnant to a Mixed martial artists and other combat sports like wrestling and ju jitsu.
the strongest people in the world do both 9 times out of 10 in SOME form or another, be it front squats, back squat, sumo dead, conventianal, machine, (ive seen it i swear)
I think it would have been better for me to ask which is more important for X type of people.
I’m a currently non-competitive mixed martial artist. Not training to much outside the weight room becasue of school right this sec. I wrestled for 5 years and got a TKD blackbelt.
so im not sure which is. I know i get to squat more often as i recover faster.
I love apples, i have 3 a day.
I hate squats, and i like deadlifts so my vote is apples and squats!
Joe
[quote]bealedozer wrote:
i think starting stregnth had you squat 3 times a week becasue the move is harder to learn to do properly then deadlifts.
I think mr.apples and orangesup there was right. theres not much of a comparison to be maid.
and goals are a big thing too.
i know great bodybuilders who never deadlift but squat a ton, and visa versa.
But if your a strongman competitor Id venture to say the dead is a tad bit more important.
Im not really sure which is more importnant to a Mixed martial artists and other combat sports like wrestling and ju jitsu.
the strongest people in the world do both 9 times out of 10 in SOME form or another, be it front squats, back squat, sumo dead, conventianal, machine, (ive seen it i swear)
I think it would have been better for me to ask which is more important for X type of people.
I’m a currently non-competitive mixed martial artist. Not training to much outside the weight room becasue of school right this sec. I wrestled for 5 years and got a TKD blackbelt.
so im not sure which is. I know i get to squat more often as i recover faster.[/quote]
Well i think, a Squat would help with your throwing power/strength and a DL would be better for your grabbing/grappling strength. Am i wrong?! AM I??!
I think i have to review my vote earlier, i voted squat. I think it is magical the way it can add meat to my quads in a matter of weeks, and when doing heavy supports, it really is strengthening all my ligaments and tendons as i resist the enormous weight pushing me into the floor…
But if i could choose 1 exercise and 1 only… then DL. It gets the quads to a lesser degree, but hammies more, glutes, FULL back, arms, traps, neck muscles, EVERYTHING bar your nob.
Joe
[quote]2274 wrote:
You don’t need a power rack to deadlift.[/quote]
Probably the best argument for deadlifts. Other than that, it depends on the individual’s body structure.