The debate about back squat vs deadlift has been raging in gyms, weight rooms, and internet forums for decades. Which lift is the ultimate test of strength? Which one builds more muscle? Which deserves the title of the king of strength exercises?
Usually, this question is asked with a wink and answered with a healthy dose of humour and personal bias — powerlifters often vote for the deadlift, weightlifters for the squat. But if we set aside preferences and pride, what does an objective perspective say?
At CrossFit Kreis 9 in Zurich, we often hear this question from curious members, especially when they begin to explore barbell training more seriously. Because our members are busy professionals who want to get the most out of their limited training time, it’s worth answering the question with facts — not fandom.
The back squat — the foundation of lower body strength
The back squat is a knee-dominant, compound movement where a loaded barbell rests across the upper back. From that position, the lifter lowers the hips until at least parallel to the ground and then drives back up to standing.
It trains the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, calves, erector spinae (lower back), abdominals, and obliques. It is unparalleled at developing the entire lower body because it recruits huge amounts of muscle and stimulates hypertrophy (muscle growth). It also mimics many real-life movements that require explosive knee and hip extension, such as jumping, sprinting, and climbing stairs.
The back squat teaches control, balance, coordination, and mobility, especially through the hips, ankles, and thoracic spine. It can be programmed at moderate loads for high repetitions without the same nervous system fatigue that heavy deadlifts cause, making it ideal for building a strong foundation.
📹 Watch a demonstration of proper back squat technique
At CrossFit Kreis 9, the back squat forms a cornerstone of many of our strength cycles because it provides a broad base of leg strength that supports everything from Olympic lifts to running and even gymnastics progressions.
The deadlift — the test of raw total-body power
The deadlift is a hip-dominant compound movement where the barbell starts on the floor. The lifter grips it, creates full-body tension, and lifts it to a locked-out standing position.
It trains the glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors, lats, traps, forearms, and grip strength. The deadlift is the heaviest lift most people will ever perform, challenging the entire posterior chain and revealing true pulling strength. Picking up a heavy object from the ground is one of the most common real-life strength tasks — and the deadlift directly trains it.
It is also relatively simple to learn, with less room for error in bar placement or depth compared to squats. Because heavy deadlifts recruit massive amounts of muscle in a single movement, they provide a strong hormonal and systemic stimulus.
📹 Watch a demonstration of proper deadlift technique
At CrossFit Kreis 9, we often use the deadlift to teach our members how to generate full-body tension and to build resilience for everyday life — from lifting heavy luggage to maintaining a strong back at a desk job.
Back squat vs deadlift — the objective differences
While both lifts build strength, they do it differently. The back squat is knee-dominant and emphasizes vertical loading, while the deadlift is hip-dominant and emphasizes horizontal loading. The back squat primarily works the quads and builds structural leg strength, while the deadlift hits the glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors, and lats more heavily.
Most lifters can pull more weight in the deadlift than they can squat, but the back squat typically allows for more training volume and better transfer to sports and other lifts. The squat demands more mobility and technical skill, while the deadlift is simpler to learn but places higher stress on the nervous system and lower back when performed poorly.
Put simply: the squat builds strength, the deadlift demonstrates it.
Why the debate will never end — and why it doesn’t matter
The reason the back squat vs deadlift debate never dies is simple: both lifts are iconic. They’re milestones of progress, badges of honour, and sometimes, friendly bragging rights.
But when it comes to actual strength development, you don’t have to choose. If your goal is to be strong, powerful, and resilient, you should train both.
Inn our gym, we program both lifts strategically throughout the year. This balanced approach helps our members — many of whom juggle careers, families, and limited training time — get stronger without overloading their bodies or their schedules.
Build your lower-body base with back squats.
Test your full-body power with deadlifts.
Rotate intensity, volume, and variations to fit your training cycle and recovery capacity.
Strength is not about picking one hero exercise. It’s about using the best tools consistently and intelligently — and both of these lifts are among the very best.
The final word
So which is the king? Neither — and both.
The back squat builds the throne.
The deadlift proves you can lift it.
And that, perhaps, is the most objective answer anyone can give.
