Is it okay if I don't do deadlifts?
No matter how amazing this exercise is, you can skip it from your workout routine, without too much stress. We will tell you why deadlift might not be for everyone and why it is alright to skip it.
Yes, you can get big without deadlifts. However, the deadlift is considered one of the best compounded movements to build strength and mass for the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, low back, traps, and erectors).
They may perform Deadlifts as part of a pure strength training program in the Off-Season, but due to the amount of soreness and nervous system fatigue that heavy deadlifts cause AND the possibility of injury, they won't perform them during their competitive season.
Deadlifts are highly effective at increasing functional strength due to the activation of your largest lower body muscles. They also train you for the functional activity of safely lifting objects off of the floor, which is a key skill for day-to-day activities.
The reason people might not do the deadlift is because of back injuries, might make a physique blocky, or they just don't want to do it.
So, while you'll certainly get a great leg workout from both exercises, the answer to whether deadlifts can replace squats lies in what your goal might be. If you want to improve strength in your quads, the squat is still a better choice. And if you want more gains for the back of your legs, the deadlift wins.
What makes the barbell deadlift overrated, according to Samuel? Even though the exercise is beneficial as a hinge movement, from a body mechanics perspective—lifting the bar straight up in front of you—is an unnatural position which can be a recipe for injury down the road.
The deadlift is great at building up back strength (upper and lower) which hopefully can reduce the incidence of back injuries later on in life. The deadlift is a structural exercise which means it effectively loads the spine & hip enabling it to help build bone density and prevent osteoporosis.
Deadlift works your lower back so you can definitely develop a very muscular back without deadlifting and you can also work on your lower back with other exercises if you can't perform deadlifting.
The deadlift is the king and one of the best exercises in my option. If you want to build muscle, increase strength, burn fat and improve your athleticism it is one of the best movements that every lifter or athlete must do.
What is the king of all exercises?
The squat is frequently referred to as the king of all exercises. And for a good reason. It works some of the biggest muscles in the body, such as the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and core. Strengthening these muscles allows for easy movement and prevents injuries.
While squats work the muscles at the back of the body, your quads do a lot of the work. Doing nothing but squats can lead to muscular imbalances between the muscle groups on the back and front of your body. I also recommend doing a few sets of exercises that target the glutes and hamstrings more directly.

The average lifter will be able to deadlift more than they squat. Many factors including weight and body type impact whether individuals can lift heavier weight squatting or deadlifting. Lighter people tend to do better with deadlifts, for example.
Football players don't deadlift as regularly as powerlifters, but they do hang-cleans quite often. A small fraction of the players on most any pro team have hang-cleaned over 400lbs.
Deadlifts is one of the most beneficial compound exercises you can perform in the gym, assuming you're using proper form and technique. It's one of the best exercises to develop a thick back as well, which is why you see so many people performing it.
More Strength
Compared to other exercises that tax as many muscles as the deadlift, the deadlift lets you lift a lot of weight. You'll get stronger in a hip hinge position but also make neurological strength adaptations that carry over to other compound movements such as the bench press and barbell squats.
According to exercise physiologist Dean Somerset, C.S.C.S., some people just don't have the anatomy to do deadlifts without risking injury. "10 to 20 percent of the population may not do well with the deadlift no matter how you coach it."
The deadlift is great at building up back strength (upper and lower) which hopefully can reduce the incidence of back injuries later on in life. The deadlift is a structural exercise which means it effectively loads the spine & hip enabling it to help build bone density and prevent osteoporosis.