Squat vs Deadlift Ratio?

12thofthe12th

Hi all, I started doing starting strength this year and have made some gains so far.
I weigh about 75kg, squat 3x5 @115kg and deadlift 1x5 @115kg. However, all the lads I know can deadlift a good bit more than they can squat.
So what's the normal ratio between squat and deadlift? How can I improve on my deadlift?

Thanks lads!

Hanley

Your squats are almost certainly high.

Will Heffernan

Your squats are almost certainly way high.

12thofthe12th

Thanks for the reply lads, is it to do with my body type? I've short and stocky legs and long torso.

Hanley

That should make you a better squatter. If you've long arms you've hit the powerlifting specific genetic jackpot.

12thofthe12th

Hanley wrote: »

That should make you a better squatter. If you've long arms you've hit the powerlifting specific genetic jackpot.

Cheers Hanley, unfortunately my arms are average or slightly below. Any tips on Deadlifting? At the moment I do 1x5 @ 60kg, 1x5 @90kg, and last set 1x5 @115kg. Am I doing something wrong?

Dermighty

I always found the DL harder than the Squat.

Maybe the other exercises you do have affected or rather not affected the power exercises you are doing. Is the only way to improve your squat or deadlift or bench actually doing those exercises or should people do other exercises to build up strength in particular weak areas?

ScissorPaperRock

Hanley wrote: »

Your squats are almost certainly high.

Will Heffernan wrote: »

Your squats are almost certainly way high.

Are you assuming that because of the weight being deadlifted? (Out of interest)

Will Heffernan

ScissorPaperRoc wrote: »

Are you assuming that because of the weight being deadlifted? (Out of interest)

Because 1. The majority of people squat high. 2. The majority of peoples PB's or PR's or whatever you want to call them are pretty much guaranteed to false. 3. If someone is stating a multi rep multi set PB or PR then you can put your house on the fact that they're are squatting short of legit. 4. Yes, because of the weight being deadlifted.

12thofthe12th

Will Heffernan wrote: »

Because 1. The majority of people squat high. 2. The majority of peoples PB's or PR's or whatever you want to call them are pretty much guaranteed to false. 3. If someone is stating a multi rep multi set PB or PR then you can put your house on the fact that they're are squatting short of legit. 4. Yes, because of the weight being deadlifted.

I thought you and Hanley meant my squat numbers are too high, haha.
You mean i'm not squatting deep enough? You may be wright, although i felt i was squatting parallel to the floor. I might record my squat when i get a chance to see for myself.
Thanks!

Mellor

12thofthe12th wrote: »

I thought you and Hanley meant my squat numbers are too high, haha.
You mean i'm not squatting deep enough? You may be wright, although i felt i was squatting parallel to the floor. I might record my squat when i get a chance to see for myself.
Thanks!

Yeah they meant that you are prob not squatting to full depth for your max sets. A deadlift is much harder to cheat, so your PR is likely a legit 115. Your squat is probably actually less than that if done correctly.

Da Za

If you think you're squatting "deep" enough squat another couple of inches lower!

You may also be leaning forward as you descend giving yourself the illusion that you are parallel - Weak abs and upper back.

Advice from a former high squatter

12thofthe12th

Mellor wrote: »

Yeah they meant that you are prob not squatting to full depth for your max sets. A deadlift is much harder to cheat, so your PR is likely a legit 115. Your squat is probably actually less than that if done correctly.

Full depth as in squat down until you can't go any further or parallel to the floor is fine? Thanks Mellor

12thofthe12th

Da Za wrote: »

If you think you're squatting "deep" enough squat another couple of inches lower!

You may also be leaning forward as you descend giving yourself the illusion that you are parallel - Weak abs and upper back.

Advice from a former high squatter

Spot on man, I definitely lean forward on the heavy sets.
Thanks for that, i guess i have to drop some weight until i don't feel the need to lean forward.

Scuba Ste

12thofthe12th wrote: »

Full depth as in squat down until you can't go any further or parallel to the floor is fine? Thanks Mellor

Generally parallel is a legit squat depth which is hip crease below the knee, so the top of your leg is parallel not the bottom.

But going as deep as you can while still maintaining good technique and body positions is way cooler.

Corcaigh84

Can I ask a stupid question (there's no stupid questions thread I think :pac: ) ...

I got a squat rack a few months back and I love it, slowly increasing the weight though not at bodyweight yet, and I also have a bench in my shed.
My question is am I missing out a lot by only doing squats / bench workouts / pull ups during my regular week, should I definitely be dead-lifting also??

Theresalwaysone

First thought upon reading this was that you prob squat high.

Will read rest of thread now.

RidleyRider

thefloss wrote: »

Can I ask a stupid question (there's no stupid questions thread I think :pac: ) ...

I got a squat rack a few months back and I love it, slowly increasing the weight though not at bodyweight yet, and I also have a bench in my shed.
My question is am I missing out a lot by only doing squats / bench workouts / pull ups during my regular week, should I definitely be dead-lifting also??

Nobody has to deadlift but if you think it'll benefit you why not? One of the lads I know doesn't deadlift and much prefers rack pulls and then train his hamstrings separately. It's purely up to you.

Then again, deadlifting looks cool :pac:

Will Heffernan

thefloss wrote: »

should I definitely be dead-lifting also??

Yes.

conzy

I have been doing a starting strength based program since January and my squat is 85kg and my deadlift is 125kg @ 73kg

From looking at the exrx standards the ratio of squat:deadlift seems to be about 1:1.25

So my squat is lagging behind a bit I think

12thofthe12th

conzy wrote: »

I have been doing a starting strength based program since January and my squat is 85kg and my deadlift is 125kg @ 73kg

From looking at the exrx standards the ratio of squat:deadlift seems to be about 1:1.25

So my squat is lagging behind a bit I think

Fair play man, very strong deadlift, I've yet to attempt more then 115kg. By the way, is it 125kg 1x5?

conzy

12thofthe12th wrote: »

Fair play man, very strong deadlift, I've yet to attempt more then 115kg. By the way, is it 125kg 1x5?

Yeah I used to do 5x60,5x80,5x90,5x100 and then 5 reps of PB.

I went to a big calorie deficit recently so I reduced the volume and do 5x80,5x100 and 5x PB.

Obviously my progression is much slower now that volume is lower and calories are below maintenance

12thofthe12th

conzy wrote: »

Yeah I used to do 5x60,5x80,5x90,5x100 and then 5 reps of PB.

I went to a big calorie deficit recently so I reduced the volume and do 5x80,5x100 and 5x PB.

Obviously my progression is much slower now that volume is lower and calories are below maintenance

It looks like I haven't been doing enough sets on deadlifts. I'm only doing 5x60kg, and move straight up to 5x115kg, thats it done.

I'd better start doing more sets hopefully it will improve.

A_Sober_Paddy

RidleyRider wrote: »

Nobody has to deadlift but if you think it'll benefit you why not? One of the lads I know doesn't deadlift and much prefers rack pulls and then train his hamstrings separately. It's purely up to you.

Then again, deadlifting looks cool :pac:

This may answer your question

Scuba Ste

12thofthe12th wrote: »

It looks like I haven't been doing enough sets on deadlifts. I'm only doing 5x60kg, and move straight up to 5x115kg, thats it done.

I'd better start doing more sets hopefully it will improve.

That's not enough for a proper warm up. Have you read Starting Strength? I think the warm up routine goes something like bar x2x5/50 x5/70 x3/90 x2/105 x1/115x5. I still use that format for warming up. You just want to be warmed up not doing so much or not enough that it hurts your heavy sets.

Doing 60 x5/80 x5/90 x5/100 x5/125 x5 is more like doing 5x5 ramped sets to me and probably a bit too much if you want to do one heavy set of 5.

12thofthe12th

Just got back from the gym. 100kg, 3x5 was what I could do on the squat with good form, arse to grass. I also attemped 105kg x 3 on my last set, last rep was tough, just about made it.
Thanks for the advice guys, and you were right Scuba Ste, i felt like a bad ass squatting all the way down!