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Correlation between squat and deadlift strength

sharperunner

Member
Any opinions on the weights between squats(ass to grass) and deads? Reason I ask is that my max on squats are hovering around 275ish whereas I've been pulling 405 for 3 reps without issue. I'd like to see those numbers closer together but I find that my weight on squats isn't moving up like I'd like them to.
 
Overall, squats are more technical than deadlifts, especially conventional stance. Your technique on squats is probably poor if there is that much of gap between them.
 
I've had my form critiqued by a couple trainers. I have a suspicion that it's more to do with my quad strength though. Up until last December, I ran around 50 miles a week. Did quite a few marathons and ultra's over the course of a few years. I think I may have to dig myself out of the muscle imbalances I built up as a runner.
 
sharperunner said:
I've had my form critiqued by a couple trainers. I have a suspicion that it's more to do with my quad strength though. Up until last December, I ran around 50 miles a week. Did quite a few marathons and ultra's over the course of a few years. I think I may have to dig myself out of the muscle imbalances I built up as a runner.
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Actually, you're more likely to have hamstring weakness than quad weakness and I can fairly confidently say that 99% of "trainers" don't know how to squat properly.
 
im somewhat the same way. i pull 465 and squat 325.

i was thinking for some time it was leg strength. come to find out it was my glutes and upper back that are weak. now that i have been working them more my squat is finally moving up after stalling for 6 months and i also pull much faster off the floor as well.

i also have long legs and long arms, which i feel make for a better deadlifter then squatter. but i could be wrong on that. i feel i can strain much harder and for longer on a deadlift and i know that effects my training of the 2.
 
If I were getting critiqued by Planet Fitness trainers, I may agree with you. I've known my trainers at the gym for years and do trust their assessments. Would weak hamstrings not equate to a weaker deadlift also?
 
asooneyeonig said:
im somewhat the same way. i pull 465 and squat 325.

i was thinking for some time it was leg strength. come to find out it was my glutes and upper back that are weak. now that i have been working them more my squat is finally moving up after stalling for 6 months and i also pull much faster off the floor as well.

i also have long legs and long arms, which i feel make for a better deadlifter then squatter. but i could be wrong on that. i feel i can strain much harder and for longer on a deadlift and i know that effects my training of the 2.
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Yes and yes to the long legs and arms. Deadlifting has always felt a little more natural than squats.
 
sharperunner said:
If I were getting critiqued by Planet Fitness trainers, I may agree with you. I've known my trainers at the gym for years and do trust their assessments. Would weak hamstrings not equate to a weaker deadlift also?
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If you could post videos myself, rodja, and a few other educated/knowledgeable guys on here can break it down for you joint by joint.

It's likely that you are deadlifting with a rounded back, and the break in technique is responsible for the higher numbers (you'll see your max drop quite a bit when you cease increasing weight when the back rounds).

Br
 
Rodja said:
Actually, you're more likely to have hamstring weakness than quad weakness and I can fairly confidently say that 99% of "trainers" don't know how to squat properly.
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exactly this.

squats are a posterior chain movement and quads don't play that much of a roll...
 
sharperunner said:
If I were getting critiqued by Planet Fitness trainers, I may agree with you. I've known my trainers at the gym for years and do trust their assessments. Would weak hamstrings not equate to a weaker deadlift also?
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If it's in any commercial gym, I doubt they know how to squat properly for strength and can analyze both your technical and physical weaknesses. Runners usually have tight quads and hip flexors and that lowers hamstring strength. If you'd like to see your numbers closer together, you should be more receptive to the advice of people that are very educated and experienced on the topic. Contrary to popular belief, weaknesses on the squat are not necessarily from weak hips and thighs. Your core could be weak, your posture could be bad, your bar positioning could be bad, etc. I've literally seen someone add 50lbs to their squat just from better bar positioning.
 
In addition to the great advice offered above, the other thing is that you could be cueing the movement wrong in your head. I think the squat is far easier than the deadlift to understand to a degree that you can actually get going and begin training it, however when you get down to it it is a more technical lift, and the more you do it, the more you read about it, and the more you get critiqued on it, and the more time that passes, the better you'll get at it (just from a technique perspective). There are definitely nuances that people might miss if they only look at what you look like. For what it's worth I was at very similar numbers a little over a year and a half ago (305 max squat and 405 max deadlift, and I'm much taller). Both numbers have gone up over 100lbs, but there's still a pretty big gap in the numbers, and my weakness is my upper back which I know since my weak point on the DL is the portion past the knees and halfway up the thigh (I don't hitch it, I'm just using that as a point of reference).
 
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