Which is...

[Rucifer]

The king of the lower body? Squat or deadlift (and if you want to compare auxiliary exercises lunge or step up). The reason I am asking is I definitely prefer/consider the deadlift to be king, but I seem to be in the minority. Looking at people who actually do them at the gym I would say 25% of the gymgoers at my gym do squats compared to 10% of deadlifters. And I scoured the internet randomly one day to find a million websites promoting squats but few with deadies. Using an upper body analogy you could compare benching and rowing, and most would say benching. Although I think this is somewhat silly because they use opposing muscles. The lower bodies use all the muscles so I think it could be done (and I also would take lunge over step ups too).

[hari]

In my opnion The King of Lower body Exercise is SQUAT,abosoltely.

And the king of upper body exercises is neither bench press nor barbell row.I do think Military press or clean and press.
Looks like a kind of stupid but when i have concentrated in pressing,
my strength ability and mass on upper body is fantastic.


Deadlift is another problem.i think it is too easy to lift the heavy deadlift
than squat.
Many people can do lift DL in 300lbs~400lbs in criteria,but when you look
around people who lift 300lbs~400lbs in SQUAT is few ones

[Matt Z]

They're both essential lifts (in some form), so why would you want to choose between?

[Rucifer]

No no no, I do both, not looking to choose, I just think more people need to deadlift.

[hari]

I just think more people need to deadlift.

And more people need to do Barbell rows!!!

[caangelxox]

deadlift and squat, but have to balance them both out. I think the deadlift should be more weight than the squat.

[Jungledoc]

Deadlift is another problem.i think it is too easy to lift the heavy deadlift than squat.
Many people can do lift DL in 300lbs~400lbs in criteria,but when you look
around people who lift 300lbs~400lbs in SQUAT is few ones

If the DL is too easy for you, just add some weight, like any other lift!

[Stephen Johnson]

For a given weight, squats (at least for me) are the harder exercise, since the weight is bearing down on you during the entire set. You get a break during deadlfts when you touch the bar down. Squatting probably is the better stimulator for muscular hypertrophy.

However, deadlifts work the posterior chain better than do squats. Posterior chain work has better application to sports performance. With all the talk among personal trainers about functional exercises these days, there isn't a more functional exercise than the deadlift.

Both exercises should be included in your routine.

[nygmen]

The king? Deadlift, because I'm better at it.

[Rucifer]

There is a problem when I do squats. Maybe its because I have long legs or something, but when I stand at shoulder or just beyond shoulder with stance it almost feels as if I am doing a good morning or something. So I have to take a really wide stance to not have it just be awkward. However, I don't seem to have problems with the deadlift.

I think I might try to switch back squats to front squats. Just in practicing them without weight I seem to be able to keep form a lot better regardless of stance. Is this an acceptable alternative? Right now I'm on upper/lower split so my lower day would be- deadlift, front squat (or regular squat if I don't decide to switch), rear lunge, calf raise and hanging leg raise.

[Matt Z]

Front Squats are a perfectly acceptable alternative to Back Squats. However, you should really do your squatting (front or back) before your deadlifts.