The Squat- Overrated?

[hiteck88]

I have heard many times that the squat is the mother of all weight exercies, but is it really that effective

for overall strengh, mass gain, grip strengh, compared to for example the deadlift?

Whats your experience with the squat, and what kind of program did you follow?

Do you guys think it is generally overrated?

Just courious about your opinions

[djukac]

I have heard many times that the squat is the mother of all weight exercies, but is it really that effective

for overall strengh, mass gain, grip strengh, compared to for example the deadlift?

Whats your experience with the squat, and what kind of program did you follow?

Do you guys think it is generally overrated?

Just courious about your opinions

It's probably underrated by the general population, I hardly see anyone do squats where I workout, as a matter of fact I think nobody does squats in my gym except me and my cousin. And for overall strength and mass gain is probably the best exercise, at least for me, but I'm sure plenty will agree with me.

Edited September 15, 2010 by djukac

[AP]

It's underrated, even by serious lifters. I should really add a third squat day in my lifting week.

[climber511]

Squatting can be anywhere from worthless to fabulous depending what you call a squat. A lot of what I see people doing - I'm not sure what it is or what it does for them.

Seriously though - people vary a lot in their ability to squat - a lot of very tall guys have legitimate problems due to lever lengths etc and are sometimes better off doing other things than squatting.

Edited September 15, 2010 by climber511

[The Natural]

Humans excel at coming up with reasons to avoid hard work.

[IROC-Z]

I believe the Squat is hands-down THE most effective movement a person can do. I feel they should be the main component of any workout plan. That's just my opinion, though.

[OTTOEMEZZO]

Squats AND Deadlifts are not only the most under-rated exercises, but also the most misunderstood and controversial by the general public. "If you do squats, you will hurt your knees. If you deadlift, be prepared to live with a messed up back." exclaims the general public. Those are the same people you see doing curls in the squat rack super setted with bench presses that are so limited in the range of motion, that the only thing they work out is their ego. If you want to get strong, don't cheat yourself, don't make excuses, and don't forget to put in the hard work with squats and deadlift.

[Martin Gaisser]

When I was 20 years old I was 6'1" 165lb. I found a book called Super Squats (How to gain 30 pounds of muscle in 6 weeks). I followed the routine, basically a gallon of milk a day 1 set of 20 rep deep breathing squats with the arse to the ground technique, couple sets of benches and deadlifts. 6 weeks later 192lb and had several people ask me if I was taking steriods, which I was not. And about working the whole body, during this time I put right at 2 1/2" on my upper arms with gains in both the bicep and tricep muscles. Kinda funny huh since I was doing no super stetted curls, bicep blasting bonanza or tricep teardown workout like all the magazines were talking about!

[Guest Bullitt]

Squats cure cancer. Deadlifts are a close second.

[blueviper42]

Humans excel at coming up with reasons to avoid hard work.

Rex, this is a great quote. Would you mind if I put it in my signature?

[The Natural]

Humans excel at coming up with reasons to avoid hard work.

Rex, this is a great quote. Would you mind if I put it in my signature?

No worries, sure thing.

[anson]

What are these so called squats? None at my gym does them, so they must be worthless.

Like Jessee Marunde always said.....

[climber511]

"Squats don't hurt your knees - what you are doing there will hurt your knees - but those aren't squats". Can't remember where I heard this but its a good one.

[Lol999]

Personally I prefer trapbar deads, I feel them working everything, but that's just me

[raymo]

"Squats don't hurt your knees - what you are doing there will hurt your knees - but those aren't squats". Can't remember where I heard this but its a good one.

Squatting above parallel is harder on your knees than squatting below parallel but gym owners will tell people the opposite. When squatting below parallel your glutes take over and protect your knees.

[The Natural]

"Squats don't hurt your knees - what you are doing there will hurt your knees - but those aren't squats". Can't remember where I heard this but its a good one.

Squatting above parallel is harder on your knees than squatting below parallel but gym owners will tell people the opposite. When squatting below parallel your glutes take over and protect your knees.

That's true, glutes and hamstrings. A controlled descent well below parallel is the best for long term safety and strength development. Avoid dive-bombing if possible.

This is a good example of a controlled descent

Edited September 20, 2010 by The Natural

[Sher]

That's true, glutes and hamstrings. A controlled descent well below parallel is the best for long term safety and strength development. Avoid dive-bombing if possible.

This is a good example of a controlled descent

As for the bar, it was in a controlled descent too at the end - albeit by gravity.

[Nice deep squats!]

Edited September 20, 2010 by xengym

[chop163]

When my squat is strong, I'm strong.

[MIGHTYSAXON]

yea the squat is the best exercise for gains in strength and size or even definition. Any hard vertical leg strength work partials yoke walk, etc. By far the best

[acree90]

there's a funny saying I heard once "Bench builds the chest, Squats build the legs, deadlifts build character." I like squats and deadlifts for my lower body workouts, including their variations.

[wolfguard]

I have done no real leg work since getting into kung fu except for dumbell deadlifts. Stances make up 98% of my training for legs (the occasional leg exercise) My legs are bigger and stronger than when I was squating every week. They may not be able to squat more, but they posses more power in everything else and still deadlift the same.

[lifesnotfair]

I have done no real leg work since getting into kung fu except for dumbell deadlifts. Stances make up 98% of my training for legs (the occasional leg exercise) My legs are bigger and stronger than when I was squating every week. They may not be able to squat more, but they posses more power in everything else and still deadlift the same.

What are some of the stances and how exactly do you train them? Just curious.

[wolfguard]

I have done no real leg work since getting into kung fu except for dumbell deadlifts. Stances make up 98% of my training for legs (the occasional leg exercise) My legs are bigger and stronger than when I was squating every week. They may not be able to squat more, but they posses more power in everything else and still deadlift the same.

What are some of the stances and how exactly do you train them? Just curious.

There are all different kinds each master has his own unique twist on them, but there is a fundamental part to each of them. Example the horse stance: different styles of Kung Fu train it different ways. In the style I do the toes are point forward. You can do it any any depth you want for time. The more detail than that I can not get into. One exercise I can give out that really does help for power of legs is the wall sit. I know sounds easy right.. Take a loading pin and throw a 100lbs in your lap and sit that way for 5 minutes. Tell me you wont have some good power and strength outta those legs then.

Edited November 9, 2010 by Mark The Wolf

[lifesnotfair]

Lately I have been reading a lot about static possitions. There is a very controversial strength coach, apparently, by the name of Jay Schroeder (I could be spelling it wrong), who uses some crazy-looking methods like having his athletes achieve 5 full minutes on 7 different possitions before doing anything else. The funny thing is that in all these possitions you're supossed to be pulling onto a greater stretch all the time. Also, these are done at the greatest joint angle, this is because as most of we know, training static holds will only strengthen the muscle in that possition and a a few degrees more of flexion and extension, but just a few degrees; but apparently it's been "prooved" (?) that if you train the static holds at the greatest possition of extension (or joint angle), strength has a carryover to the entire ROM of that muscle. Some of the possitions this guy uses is the traditional push-ups (hands on boxes so you do it at the very bottom) and some weird looking lunge, with both feet on the balls of the feet, the front leg elevated, and the rear leg as back as possible so you lower into a big stretch in both legs (one would have the hip flexors stretched and the other the hip extensors). I tried this and good lord, just one minute was incredibly horrible. I was so interested in this that over the past few days I've read quite a bit on the subject everytime I find the time, including a 78 page thread in some forums. Talk about wasting time.

Anyways, that is why I was curious with your kung fu possitions for legs. It seems the static possitions have been used for a very long time. I enjoy this stuff so I'll keep reading. Thanks for your input.

[Frank Pizzo]

I am a product of the "Super Squats" routine as well. Without 20 rep squats...I wouldn't be squat!! That being said, I also believe heavily in deadlifts as well. When I was at the peak of training back in college, I alternated squats and deadlifts as the cornerstone movement for 12 to 16 week periods, and achieved a very respectable level of strength and size...my bodyweight began at 162 lbs, and eventually reached 287 lbs after a bit more than 4 years of consistent training. I haven't lifted any weights since 2004, and my bodyweight has naturally fallen to the low 240's, but I still maintain good levels of basic strength...which I attribute to all of the squats and deadlifts I did.