In about two weeks I’ll have access to a squat rack for the first time. I’m going to be learning how to squat from a powerlifting coach, so hopefully I’ll be scale to learn the motions fairly quickly. I’ve been training for about 7 months now, and my deadlift max is around 315 @140.
Since there seems to be such a correlation between squats and deadlifts, I was wondering if my squat would be able to progress at a faster rate for a while atleast until it reaches the average squat to deadlift ratio? Additionally, would my progression in my squat benefit my deadlift significantly even before it reaches the accepted “ratio”?
[quote]FarmerJoe wrote:
In about two weeks I’ll have access to a squat rack for the first time. I’m going to be learning how to squat from a powerlifting coach, so hopefully I’ll be scale to learn the motions fairly quickly. I’ve been training for about 7 months now, and my deadlift max is around 315 @140.
Since there seems to be such a correlation between squats and deadlifts, I was wondering if my squat would be able to progress at a faster rate for a while atleast until it reaches the average squat to deadlift ratio? Additionally, would my progression in my squat benefit my deadlift significantly even before it reaches the accepted “ratio”? [/quote]
If i said no, would you not squat? Only one way to find out.
Don’t try and predict the rate that you will have strength gains, If you want to be lifting for awhile, which I will assume since you hired a coach, just do what it takes to progress (eat well and train hard) and you will.
My anecdotal experience: I got my Deadlift up to 405 without squatting, due to injury, after 4 months of squatting ‘routinely’ I did 5x245 yesterday fairly easily. Also worth mentioning, when I started squatting again, 135x5 was a grind. I haven’t tried to deadlift recently, but i’m pretty confident it’s gone.
Woops, I guess I didn’t really clarify too much then. I recently joined the powerlifting team at my highschool, so I need to learn how to squat for competitions. All I know is that the meets start up next semester, so I was hoping that my squat would be able to get to par before then, because my other lifts give me a fighting chance in placing
You are in a prime position to kick ass and make a ton of progress. You are a new lifter with a (presumably) legit powerlifting coach. Listen to him, work your ass off and see where it gets you.
My anecdotal experience is as follows. I hit a 495 DL in about 4 months of barbell training. It just came easy to me. Meanwhile, I was still figuring out my squat, dealing with very sore knees and not really making a whole lot of progress on that lift.
Sometime around early June of this year I discovered low bar squatting and was now able to squat pain-free and add weight to the bar with confidence and safety. With my DL somewhere around 515 at the time, I added about one hundreds pounds to my squat in a few months, going from a 1 rep best of 365 in April with high bar technique to a 1 rep best of 465 with a low bar technique in Sept of this year.
During this same period my DL went up to 565, coinciding with my progress on the squat.
In other words, squat strength came FAST once I was able to put it all together. I had 405 in my head as a “good” squat. Discarding that silly notion and just applying myself as well as I could resulted in me moving weight that I never would have thought possible in such a short time. I now have an entirely different perspective on my own potential.
Again, you are in a great position. Listen to your coach and put the pedal to the metal. Good things will happen.
First off, there is no “accepted ratio” between squat and deadlift. What you’re better or worse at is going to depend on muscular strengths/ weaknesses, leverages, mobility restrictions, and a whole host of other factors.
Secondly, I don’t think that anyone’s ever had their deadlift go down because their squat got stronger so give it a shot. Maybe it helps your deadlift, maybe it doesn’t but it will definitely help your total. Just follow what your coach says, having someone there with you in person is much better than consulting people on the internet. All you can do in lifting is give it your all and see where you end up.
Hey thanks for all of the feedback y’all! From the sounds of it my squat will be able to go up pretty easily. Also, at this point in my training, I consider myself past the beginner stage and have to employ different training techniques to get my bench and deadlift to increase. On my squat, since I’ve never trained it, would I be able to progress simply from adding weight to it session to session?
[quote]FarmerJoe wrote:
On my squat, since I’ve never trained it, would I be able to progress simply from adding weight to it session to session? [/quote]
You should be answering that question for yourself in the very near future. My expectation is that you will.
[quote]FarmerJoe wrote:
Hey thanks for all of the feedback y’all! From the sounds of it my squat will be able to go up pretty easily. Also, at this point in my training, I consider myself past the beginner stage and have to employ different training techniques to get my bench and deadlift to increase. On my squat, since I’ve never trained it, would I be able to progress simply from adding weight to it session to session? [/quote]
Ed Coan has indicated in interviews that he used a linear progression model (adding weight every session) for most of his lifting career. He’s a world record holder. The point being, the basics work for both beginners and advanced trainees. Your deadlift doesn’t suck for your weight, but you really are still a beginner. For perspective, the world record deadlift in your weight class is more than double what you’ve done. Most healthy adult males can deadlift 315 within a year of training, no matter what their starting point is, if they are even reasonably dedicated to lifting. I lift with a girl who hit 285 last week, and she’s probably around 120 lbs.
Your squat should shoot up quickly simply due to neural adaptation to the movement pattern. You should add weight every session for quite awhile. Everything I said above was meant to suggest that you should still be doing this with the deadlift as well. There’s a lot of untapped potential there. Don’t get too fancy with your training. That’s a pitfall many of us have fallen into.