Squat vs. Deadlift: Which Lift is the Toughest?
When it comes to strength training, two lifts stand above the rest as the ultimate tests of power and resilience: the squat and the deadlift. Both movements are essential in powerlifting, strongman training, and general strength development. But the age-old question remains: which one is the toughest?
To truly analyze this, we need to break down what each lift entails, their historical significance, their biomechanics, and their overall impact on the body. While both lifts are incredibly demanding, their challenges come in different forms. The squat is a two-phased movement requiring eccentric and concentric control, while the deadlift is a single-phase movement that demands an explosive pull from a dead stop. If we define toughness by danger, the squat is tougher. If we define toughness by absolute physical demand, the deadlift may take the crown. Let’s dive into the details.
Defining the Movements
The Squat
The squat is a foundational movement in strength training that involves lowering the body by bending the hips and knees until the thighs are at least parallel to the floor, then driving back up to a standing position. This exercise primarily targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and lower back, while also demanding a significant contribution from the core and upper back for stability.
Squats require tremendous mobility, balance, and coordination. They engage multiple joints simultaneously and force the lifter to maintain a braced torso while controlling both the descent (eccentric phase) and ascent (concentric phase).
The Deadlift
The deadlift is a pure display of brute strength. In this movement, a lifter pulls a motionless barbell from the ground to a standing position. Unlike the squat, which begins with a loaded descent, the deadlift starts from a dead stop, requiring maximal force production to overcome inertia.
The deadlift recruits nearly every major muscle group in the body, including the hamstrings, glutes, lower and upper back, traps, core, and grip muscles. It is often considered one of the best tests of overall strength because it requires total-body coordination and raw pulling power.
Historical Milestones: Legendary Lifts
Both the squat and deadlift have seen legendary milestones throughout history, with lifters pushing hundreds of pounds to their absolute limits.
In powerlifting, lifters like Ray Williams have squatted over 1,000 pounds raw, showcasing insane levels of leg and core strength. Meanwhile, in the world of deadlifting, Hafthor Bjornsson made history by pulling 501 kg (1,104 lbs), setting the all-time deadlift world record.
These milestone lifts illustrate just how physically demanding and monumental both movements are. Each lift has its champions and records, proving that both demand an extreme level of dedication, training, and mental fortitude.
The Biomechanics: Two-Phased vs. Single-Phased Movements
Squat: A Two-Phased Movement
One of the unique challenges of the squat is that it is a two-phased movement. Unlike the deadlift, which requires an explosive pull from the floor, the squat forces the lifter to control both the lowering (eccentric phase) and the rising (concentric phase).
Eccentric Phase: The lifter descends under control, resisting the force of gravity while maintaining stability and tension. This phase is critical for building strength and preventing injury.
Concentric Phase: The lifter must reverse the motion, pushing upward while keeping the core tight and the barbell balanced. This phase requires an explosive contraction of the quads, glutes, and hamstrings.
Because the squat requires both phases, it demands superior mobility, stability, and strength endurance compared to the deadlift.
Deadlift: A Single-Phased Movement
The deadlift, by contrast, is a one-phased movement. There is no eccentric loading before the lift starts—just the raw, unfiltered challenge of generating enough force to move the bar from the ground.
With the deadlift, the lifter must overcome the initial inertia of the barbell, which is one of the hardest parts of any lift. Unlike the squat, where you can use the stretch-shortening cycle (rebound effect) to assist in the ascent, the deadlift requires the lifter to produce maximal force in an instant. This makes it uniquely difficult, as there is no controlled descent to prepare the body.
Nervous System Demand and Muscle Recruitment
Which Movement Taxes the Nervous System More?
Both the squat and deadlift place significant stress on the central nervous system (CNS), but in slightly different ways.
The squat requires a higher degree of coordination and stability, which makes it a demanding neuromuscular task. Balancing the barbell and controlling movement through both phases increases neural fatigue.
The deadlift, on the other hand, places an extreme demand on neural drive and motor unit recruitment. Since the movement starts from a dead stop, the nervous system has to work at full capacity to produce force instantly.
Between the two, heavy deadlifts often result in greater acute nervous system fatigue because of the absolute force demands, while squats can be more mentally taxing due to the complexity of movement and potential for failure under load.
Which Movement Uses More Muscles?
Both lifts recruit an enormous number of muscles, but the deadlift likely engages more overall due to the need for full-body tension.
The squat heavily involves the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and core, with significant engagement from the upper back and shoulders to stabilize the barbell.
The deadlift recruits almost every muscle in the posterior chain, including the hamstrings, glutes, lower back, traps, forearms, and grip. It also engages the core and quads, but to a slightly lesser degree than the squat.
While both movements train large muscle groups, the deadlift arguably utilizes a greater total muscle mass due to the involvement of grip, traps, and spinal erectors at high intensities.
The Toughest Lift: Squat vs. Deadlift
If we define "toughest" by risk and danger, the squat wins. It requires precise execution, and failing under a heavy squat can be catastrophic. The lifter is responsible for lowering and lifting the weight safely, making it a higher-risk movement compared to the deadlift, where dropping the bar is an option.
If we define "toughest" by pure physical demand, the deadlift takes the title. The lifter must generate force from a dead stop, using nearly every muscle in the body to move a completely motionless load. The lack of an eccentric phase makes this an incredibly taxing lift in terms of power output and neural fatigue.
Conclusion: Both Lifts are Tough, but It Depends on the Definition
At the end of the day, both the squat and deadlift are incredibly challenging, but in different ways. The squat is the toughest if we consider technical difficulty and risk, while the deadlift is the toughest in terms of raw strength and total-body demand.
However, if we must pick one based on danger alone, then yes, the squat would be the toughest. The risk of injury is higher, the movement requires more control, and there is no easy escape from a failed attempt. But if we consider total physical strain and the sheer demand of lifting a lifeless weight off the floor, then the deadlift stands as the most physically grueling lift.
Regardless of which lift you find tougher, both are essential components of a strength program. Mastering both is key to becoming a well-rounded athlete and pushing your body to its true potential. So, whether you’re squatting deep or pulling heavy from the floor, embrace the challenge—because both lifts are, without a doubt, some of the toughest feats in strength training.