How To Workout Smarter

[Zankou]

Obviously it’s going to depend on your goals. That said, a bigger range of movement, across what tends to be a naturally weaker motion, is a better bet both for driving athletically useful growth and—if ramped up right—avoiding injury.

Most people who haven’t been on a WL program for a long time can deadlift much more than they can squat, particularly sumo, because the ROM is so small. Most people IMO have a much better hip extension, relative to the needs of normal athletic endeavors, than leg extension.

After a while they tend to equalize, but for your average person, the squat is in a much bigger deficit than the DL. This makes it easier to get what amount to newb gains on.

The other thing is the squat tends to be easier to do with higher volume.

If you are looking at longterm powerlifting, that’s a different scenario.

 

[No Skill Gap]

Obviously it’s going to depend on your goals. That said, a bigger range of movement, across what tends to be a naturally weaker motion, is a better bet both for driving athletically useful growth and—if ramped up right—avoiding injury.

Most people who haven’t been on a WL program for a long time can deadlift much more than they can squat, particularly sumo, because the ROM is so small. Most people IMO have a much better hip extension, relative to the needs of normal athletic endeavors, than leg extension.

After a while they tend to equalize, but for your average person, the squat is in a much bigger deficit than the DL. This makes it easier to get what amount to newb gains on.

The other thing is the squat tends to be easier to do with higher volume.

If you are looking at longterm powerlifting, that’s a different scenario.

I have to disagree, I think the vast majority of people are going to deadlift more than they squat. Especially if we consider Sumo deadlifting or even a trap-bar (low handles).

I don't think that's because of the ROM either, I think it has to do with stability. With a squat you need to stabilize the weight and there's probably some scientific explanation of differing forces and more of a focal point at the knees / legs specifically.

With a deadlift, whether it be conventional, sumo, trap/hex bar, whatever - I feel like it's just inherently way more stable. Although you're obviously on two legs all the same, that force is driven through your entire body, it's not just your quad/hamstrings/glutes, it's also literally everything else pulling that weight and creating a stable chain.

That would be my off the cuff explanation of it. But I definitely think whether people are noobs or elite PLs most of them are deadlifting more. I only think people squat more when they are built so specifically to do that, like fire hydrant type guys and/or guys with short ass T-Rex arms.

 

[gspieler]

For what it's worth, my 1RM on the Sumo Failed Clean is a lot higher than my Squat.