So, um, I'm certain you all will know this ...

[resolute]

What's the difference between a squat and a deadlift? Actually, practically, when I am at the Y, what should I be doing differently between them?

Comments

[rydra_wong]

Well, it gets clearer with barbells, because with a squat, the bar will be on top of you (on your shoulders, front or back) and with a deadlift, the bar is underneath you. So it's usually possible to tell which one you're doing. *g*

That's not very helpful with dumbbells, of course ...

As I understand it, with squats the primary focus of the movement is in the front of your thighs (though the entire body gets involved, in both exercises). The action is the bend in your knees and hips, so you go all the way down until your thighs and calves are as close as possible, then push all the way back up again.

With deadlifts, it's all about the "posterior chain" -- back, glutes, hamstrings. You're trying to move the weight from a "dead stop" on the floor. You bend your knees enough to grab the weight (ETA: WITHOUT ROUNDING YOUR BACK)-- you don't have to squat all the way down -- and then the action is pulling with all of the muscles down the back of your body to straighten yourself up with the weight.

There's some overlap, because they work a lot of the same muscles, particularly in the legs and back, but ideally they should be different movements.

Informative linkage:

http://gubernatrix.co.uk/2008/01/deadlift/
http://gubernatrix.co.uk/category/technique/squat/
http://www.stumptuous.com/lurn-to-squat-good-e-zy
http://www.stumptuous.com/dork-diva-squat

Just for extra confusion, there's the "sumo deadlift", where you start the deadlift in a different, more squat-like position, and it feels like almost a hybrid between a deadlift and a squat.

Um. I suggest not even trying to deal with that right now. Unless it seems like fun.