What Are We Squatting Here?

[Flynnn]

Another mega leg workout last night, another pain to endure for the next couple of days with a throbbing thigh and butt cheeks. I've been putting allot of focus on my thighs, kind of neglecting my calfs and its now beginning to show the upper part of the leg considerably larger than the lower.

I feel like my libido and sexual stamina has increased dramatically, the common idea of leg workouts increase testosterone is ringing true, i can feel it every part of my day when i some times get the unexpected semis happening

What does that tell you? It tells you that lifting weights is a more effective at burning energy.

If you enjoy running, run. But if you're running to lose fat, you could be doing it better.

Here's why, when your metabolism is elevated your body burns energy(fat).

When you run your metabolism increases. When you stop running your metabolism returns to normal shortly after and your body stops burning energy.

When you lift weights your metabolism increases. When you stop lifting weights your metabolism stays elevated, up to 8hrs after. Your body continues to burn energy.

Body of a female marathon runner:

Body of a female weight lifter:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ9DvZufTTE

Explained more here: http://ptcfrankston.com/doc/newsletter/PTC_Newsletter_IssueNo37.html

Cheif it tells me i need to more cardio exercises as it helps me breath better, more stamina, more endurance, overall a healthier body. I've been doing BB for 8 years now and my body has reached different levels of peak through those years. I've bulked up at one point nearing the 95kg mark, benching over my own weight, squatting double what i do today with overall a well developed well proportioned body with a bf below 10% but all this needs high maintenance and that's something i don't have the time for anymore.. Since then i've lost 15kgs.

Im aiming for a athletic, a afl player kinda look, a flexible body with noticeable mass and definitions.

[NickR33]

you should do crossfit

that should upset the powerlifters hehehe

[GTR_JOEY]

cross fit is for the guys who gave up on getting big

[GHOSTrun]

Cheif it tells me i need to more cardio exercises as it helps me breath better, more stamina, more endurance, overall a healthier body. I've been doing BB for 8 years now and my body has reached different levels of peak through those years. I've bulked up at one point nearing the 95kg mark, benching over my own weight, squatting double what i do today with overall a well developed well proportioned body with a bf below 10% but all this needs high maintenance and that's something i don't have the time for anymore.. Since then i've lost 15kgs.

Im aiming for a athletic, a afl player kinda look, a flexible body with noticeable mass and definitions.

Quote from Markos recently from another forum that sounds like it may apply to you, "So when I get overweight women come to the gym, telling me they jog, walk, ride, swim, and obviously f**king eat, they are shocked when they see that my strongest fittest girls all weigh under 60kg, and lift more than most men."

Edited August 30, 2011 by GHOSTrun

[IOWNU]

And have caveman man-legs.

You forgot that part.

[Flynnn]

Squatting 130kg here at the moment, might hit my 140kg mark a couple weeks earlier than i anticipated.

During my squatting routine i make sure i go really deep as much as i could because its where all the workout is. I also get withdrawals these days if i don't squat for more than 5-6 days, major pains in the quad area. Both my legs and stomach are feeling great. The more i work on my legs the flatter my stomach gets revealing the muscle down there.

[NickR33]

I worked in with a guy who was squatting yesterday... he started off at 60kg and I thought a bit light but good for a warm up... second set he went and grabbed a couple of 5kg plates (70kg all up)... I didn't have the heart to grab more weight when he was done so I decided to go super low, really explode up and do more reps... he kept only adding 10kg every set so I just went with it... ended up doing a lot more reps than I usually would and I'm actually quite sore today even though I felt like I could've gone much heavier

sometimes you get stuck in a routine, good to shock the muscles with a new strategy every now and then

[dezz]

started squatting again, 110kg x 10 x 3 after the 2nd sesh

[dezz]

115x10x3 still with good speed on the way up for the last reps, so 120 shouldn't be a problem next week

[NickR33]

you'll do that easy... a change in 5kg is barely noticeable IMO

I've been doing more speed work lately and found its made me a lot more explosive, powercleans especially... have noticed my vertical and first step on the basketball court is getting better... I wish I had know this stuff in my late teens... I was too busy doing curls so the chicks would think my arms where hot lol

[Flynnn]

I'm not going any higher than 130-140kg cause I'm facing a dilemma now, my jeans barely fit me. The waist area is fine, in fact its shrinking and i need to punch another hole on my belt to keep it up but the thigh areas are extremely tight.

Will be aiming for a more toned/define/cut up leg shape from here on.

The most interesting thing to note through out my leg workouts in the last few months is that, even though i have maintained the same body weight, i now have less bf. Goes to show that leg workouts are the most effective in cutting body bf in the least possible time.

[-FIGJAM-]

hit a PB with squats last night. No where near as impressive as you guys but still, I was happy with the effort.... 80kg

[dezz]

I didn't start squatting 150kg... Keep it up

[KezR33]

Main benefit to squatting is that it releases growth hormones which assist in the growth of all your muscles, not just legs. These hormones are released through your spine which why sitting the bar on your back is essential. Even standing there with the weight on your back sucking in huge breaths before your next rep is hugely beneficial towards hormone release.

[TM7GTR]

Main benefit to squatting is that it releases growth hormones which assist in the growth of all your muscles, not just legs. These hormones are released through your spine which why sitting the bar on your back is essential. Even standing there with the weight on your back sucking in huge breaths before your next rep is hugely beneficial towards hormone release.

That said, the heavier you squat, the more pressure compresses down on your spine. The leg press can be just as effective in releasing growth hormones as squatting, with less risk. I've recently been hitting the 45 degree leg press hard over the last couple weeks instead of squatting, and every session i'm seeing improvements. Currently at 130kg for single leg press, gonna do normal (both legs) leg press this week.

[Basti]

my PB was 90, but that was a long time ago. im doing squats again . maxing out at 60 . i am currently doing 3x 6 reps (ass to floor) after which im absolutely wrecked. should i focus on putting more weight on the bar or trying to increase reps? increase reps as in being able to get to 10

[TTT]

That said, the heavier you squat, the more pressure compresses down on your spine. The leg press can be just as effective in releasing growth hormones as squatting, with less risk. I've recently been hitting the 45 degree leg press hard over the last couple weeks instead of squatting, and every session i'm seeing improvements. Currently at 130kg for single leg press, gonna do normal (both legs) leg press this week.

Squats main hit might be quads and arse, but the act of keeping the bar stable, on you rback and squatting down and up also hits your posterior chain of muscles which are very important to any sort of movement you need to do.

replacing squats with leg press machine or any leg machine is absolutely stupid.

if you want to use a leg press machine it should only ever be for 2 reasons.

1.) you can't squat an empty bar

2.) you've done your squats and want to hit your quads for a burn bro type rubbish.

that "compression pressure on your spine" as you call it is required to build up all your back and hamstring muscles which help stabilise your back and prevent future back injuries.

[TM7GTR]

Squats main hit might be quads and arse, but the act of keeping the bar stable, on you rback and squatting down and up also hits your posterior chain of muscles which are very important to any sort of movement you need to do.

replacing squats with leg press machine or any leg machine is absolutely stupid.

if you want to use a leg press machine it should only ever be for 2 reasons.

1.) you can't squat an empty bar

2.) you've done your squats and want to hit your quads for a burn bro type rubbish.

that "compression pressure on your spine" as you call it is required to build up all your back and hamstring muscles which help stabilise your back and prevent future back injuries.

I understand what you're saying here, but I wasn't saying you should replace squats with the leg press. I was saying it is an exercise that is also very effective in building up your legs, and releasing growth hormones which in turn aid in the build up of other muscles (the weight doesn't have to be specifically loading on your spine to release growth hormones, any form of weight bearing exercise will have these effects as you are forcing your body to adapt, and therefore grow). So it has those effects, as well as a good isolation of the legs (quads, hamstrings, glutes) without the stress on your back, as some people may have back problems which prevent them from squatting heavy enough to build their legs. I'm not saying to replace squats with a leg press exercise, but rather to do both as they assist each other. This also makes it a good exercise for beginners. The compression on your spine also isn't the way to go about building your back strength, nor does it build your hamstrings as effectively as say, a deadlift (if we're talking about compound movements here, not isolation). Squats target your core strength much more than hamstrings, your legs aren't your center of balance. So yes, replacing squats with a leg press machine or any leg machine is absolutely stupid, but what is more stupid is to think you don't have to do leg press exercises as well.

[TM7GTR]

my PB was 90, but that was a long time ago. im doing squats again . maxing out at 60 . i am currently doing 3x 6 reps (ass to floor) after which im absolutely wrecked. should i focus on putting more weight on the bar or trying to increase reps? increase reps as in being able to get to 10

The answer to this depends on a few factors. What are your goals? To gain mass, or to gain a strong lean build? If I was you though, I would be aiming for 10 reps as that will increase not only your strength, but your muscular endurance (i.e. you wont be wrecked after 3x6 reps) once you reach 10 comfortably, increase the weight and aim for a rep range of 6-8 again, followed by aiming for 10 reps again.

[Basti]

cheers for that. that was what common sense was leaning me towards too. im going for mass gain. not worried at all about lean gain because i have pretty much no BF naturally. 6'3" 70kg