30 Seconds SummaryHow to Help Your Squat Catch Up With Your Deadlift
- Squats have several mechanical advantages over deadlifts, including the weakest point occurring above the starting position of the deadlift, increased freedom for forward knee travel, and momentum built up at the sticking point.
- Despite these advantages, most people deadlift more than they squat, primarily due to more natural bracing patterns established from everyday activities.
- Thoracic flexion is more forgiving in deadlifts which lets you lift heavier weights despite thoracic weaknesses, unlike in squats where thoracic flexion usually leads to failing the lift.
- To improve the squat, focusing on core activation with planks, effective full-body bracing from the ground up, and specific core training exercises like breathing paused squats are recommended.
- Other supplemental exercises include front squats for thoracic erector strength and good mornings, RDLs, hip thrusts, and banded kneeling squats for strengthening hip extensors.
- Although squats might not completely catch up to deadlifts for most people, narrowing the gap is possible through dedicated training focused on core strength, bracing, and thoracic conditioning.
Stronger By Science
Greg Nuckols
