OK I'll bite, why does everyone go crazy for squats?

CookieCatCatcher

I don't why anyone wouldn't love them. Easy to do, anyone at any fitness level can do them. No equipment or special training is required. You can bust out like, 100 of them - so it makes you feel accomplished even though you didn't kill yourself at the gym, so that feeling keeps you motivated, they lift up the butt and shape the legs, works outs a major muscle group, helps with stability and toning your core.

Squats are pretty much the perfect at home workout if you can't/don't want to gym-rat it up, when used in conjunction with other major muscle group exercises.

GnomeLove

She has a fantastic *kitten*, but those legs...Wow

OP- I think you get the point by now.

Yes.....this lady has a very, very messy closet.

Lol her *kitten* looks great too

Yes, she has a very nice butt and legs...the booty though, I'm gonna say she got all that from her momma...because no amount of squats is gonna transform a pancake into all that, LOL. With the way you guys are talking, maybe I will give them a second try though.

Agreed. That *kitten* is a special, special *kitten*. A gift from the greater beings.

Lol...yes. But she really does need to work on her organizational skills.

lsaysen

lol, because the butt is what's up! lol

Cassandrat83

Causes more muscle and strength gain than any other exercise imaginable.
Hits more muscles simultaneously than any other exercise imaginable.
Trains multiple muscle groups in unison to function in a natural motion.

does all of this more efficiently than isolation exercises and in a much shorter time frame


ETA:

gives you da badunkadunk*

THIS!!!! I do squats and lunges everyday to keep the butt!

moosegt35

I'm not. They make my thighs humongous! They are already humongous without them.

No, they don't

I assume you have personal knowledge of my thighs? LOL. For a lot of people they seem to work out great, but my leg muscles do end up getting a bit too big for my liking...and I already have a big ole ghetto booty anyways.

Yes I am an expert on your thighs and they aren't getting bigger by doing squats unless you are doing heavy, hypertrophy sets and eating a surplus. They may build a little muscle and appear to be bigger because they are more defined but I would bet if you got out a tape measure they would be the same size if not a tad smaller.

JessicaMcguigan123

left pic is my bum after my baby..no *kitten*. right is yesterday, day 7 of 30 day squat challenge.. excuse the minging pants

nytius

Absolutely love squats. I know there are some ladies here who said because they already had a big backside and muscular legs they thought them unnecessary or that they made the thighs even bigger...that has not been my experience. I've got hips, thighs, and a big ol booty too but squats is tightening everything up nicely. I think some pear shaped women don't want to shave all the fat and build "more" muscle because they are already so conscious of the "heavy" bottom half. That's fine and too each her own but I like muscular legs. I think they are beautiful and I think I'm kind of lucky that as a pear shaped woman I never lusted after really "slim" thighs. I want mine to slim down some sure but I want strong muscular legs that look like the work I've put into them. I also want my backside to sit up at attention for as long as possible so...back to my original statement...I love squats.

carissar7

I love squats!!!! It's probably my favorite exercise to do at the gym. I started with body weight squats, then dumbbells, now i can squat 100 lbs after a few months. My legs are not only more shapely, but they are stronger and less 'jiggly' now too. I've always had more of a behind too but now it sits nicer and yes, I will agree with the other posters on here saying that cellulite has greatly diminished.

GnomeLove

All my squat loving people, please answer my thread about this subject - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1005045-alright-you-have-beat-me-into-submission

RobynLB83

Question for squat fanatics. We do jump squats with hand weights in boxing. We do all out calisthenics fast... like racing fast... so bad form might be the source of the problem. I find that when I've been doing these daily... for a week or two.,, my knees start locking up. Any advice?

lwagnitz

I love them. It works almost everything. It also helps my running and strengthens my bad hip flexors

jolt28

Love squats! I do sumo squats because I have bad knees, my legs have never been more toned and my tush... wow is what my honey says! They're great if you have knee issues because squats build up all of the supporting structures of the knee, I can even jog now!
Forgot to mention how great squats are for your core!!!

I will look those up " sumo squats ".... thanks!!
I'm sure I can't do even one of any kind of squat. Just starting exercise after many, many years of none

spud_chick

I was doing walking squats (taking a sideways step while entering a squat, then standing, repeat x10, then do it in the other direction). Saw it on a beginner video I was using for a couple of months to supplement my walking, and really liked the results in my caboose, but not in my knee. I've been trying to get back into the videos (my arms are back to flabby too) but probably need to find an alternative squat, or an alternative TO squats. Walking keeps my butt acceptably toned but squats definitely took it up a notch.

I liked the feeling that the walking squats were making me a little more coordinated,but it might have been better to start with a squat that's easier to control, so I could gradually develop form and not strain my knee.

Philllbis

I love them. It works almost everything. It also helps my running and strengthens my bad hip flexors

I agree. I think it has helped my running and I no longer have hip pain while running since I started squatting.

kaylah47

Love squats! The fitness buddy app shows a bunch of different ways you can do them. I like to have a 10lb weight in each hand. My legs n buns appreciate it lol

moosegt35

I was doing walking squats (taking a sideways step while entering a squat, then standing, repeat x10, then do it in the other direction). Saw it on a beginner video I was using for a couple of months to supplement my walking, and really liked the results in my caboose, but not in my knee. I've been trying to get back into the videos (my arms are back to flabby too) but probably need to find an alternative squat, or an alternative TO squats. Walking keeps my butt acceptably toned but squats definitely took it up a notch.

I liked the feeling that the walking squats were making me a little more coordinated,but it might have been better to start with a squat that's easier to control, so I could gradually develop form and not strain my knee.

Have you tried just doing regular squats? No need to make them "fancy" with whatever walking squats are. Just plain ole squats have been working for decades.

ryry_

Question for squat fanatics. We do jump squats with hand weights in boxing. We do all out calisthenics fast... like racing fast... so bad form might be the source of the problem. I find that when I've been doing these daily... for a week or two.,, my knees start locking up. Any advice?

What type of volume of jump squats are you doing?
Any pain? Or is it just from being so fatiqued?

Jump squats are a plyometric excercise used for sports specific training with the design to improve quickness and exposiveness. The downside is it's a high impact activty that can stressful on the joints, especially if form breaks down.

Most strength and conditioning specialists recommended like a four week run up just training your lower body before adding in plyometrics.

Best advice would be to go at pace where you are able to explode on every rep with good form and work up your speed gradually.

crista_b

Question for squat fanatics. We do jump squats with hand weights in boxing. We do all out calisthenics fast... like racing fast... so bad form might be the source of the problem. I find that when I've been doing these daily... for a week or two.,, my knees start locking up. Any advice?

I'm no expert, but one thing to do is make sure that when you land from the jump, try to get your feet to land lightly and "follow through" with the landing by letting your knees bend a little. Hard to explain. Sorry.

crista_b

To OP, I like the feeling I get when I use the barbell and plates rather than just bodyweight so I do low rep, high weight. However, that's a personal preference... nothing wrong with bodyweight exercises (especially if you don't have access to a barbell and plates).

The reason I love/hate them... They hurt so good! :laugh: Knowing the kinds of results that come from them make the soreness feel good in a strange way. Also, I have a wide butt, not a nice "big a**" so I'm working on transforming it more toward the latter. (My bf also appreciates that. )

DragonSquatter

Question for squat fanatics. We do jump squats with hand weights in boxing. We do all out calisthenics fast... like racing fast... so bad form might be the source of the problem. I find that when I've been doing these daily... for a week or two.,, my knees start locking up. Any advice?

Do it slowly and make sure you're pressing out with your feet like you're splitting the floor apart. This will prevent you from caving your knees inward and causing knee strain. Your knees should track over your feet when you go down not inward.

spud_chick

I was doing walking squats (taking a sideways step while entering a squat, then standing, repeat x10, then do it in the other direction). Saw it on a beginner video I was using for a couple of months to supplement my walking, and really liked the results in my caboose, but not in my knee. I've been trying to get back into the videos (my arms are back to flabby too) but probably need to find an alternative squat, or an alternative TO squats. Walking keeps my butt acceptably toned but squats definitely took it up a notch.

I liked the feeling that the walking squats were making me a little more coordinated,but it might have been better to start with a squat that's easier to control, so I could gradually develop form and not strain my knee.

Have you tried just doing regular squats? No need to make them "fancy" with whatever walking squats are. Just plain ole squats have been working for decades.

I tried plain ones after my knee started bugging me but it still hurt (and also, they were a lot more boring than the walking sideways squats). Now that I haven't done any squats for several weeks, I'll probably look up some "squats for bad knees" videos and start again that way. I was just reporting on my experience since someone else mentioned the knee issues.

I talked to someone who said their orthopedist thinks people over 40 should just skip the squats altogether as they can cause knee issues where there weren't any before in older knees. I'm willing to give it another go though. My fanny was lookin fabu.

moosegt35

I was doing walking squats (taking a sideways step while entering a squat, then standing, repeat x10, then do it in the other direction). Saw it on a beginner video I was using for a couple of months to supplement my walking, and really liked the results in my caboose, but not in my knee. I've been trying to get back into the videos (my arms are back to flabby too) but probably need to find an alternative squat, or an alternative TO squats. Walking keeps my butt acceptably toned but squats definitely took it up a notch.

I liked the feeling that the walking squats were making me a little more coordinated,but it might have been better to start with a squat that's easier to control, so I could gradually develop form and not strain my knee.

Have you tried just doing regular squats? No need to make them "fancy" with whatever walking squats are. Just plain ole squats have been working for decades.

I tried plain ones after my knee started bugging me but it still hurt (and also, they were a lot more boring than the walking sideways squats). Now that I haven't done any squats for several weeks, I'll probably look up some "squats for bad knees" videos and start again that way. I was just reporting on my experience since someone else mentioned the knee issues.

I talked to someone who said their orthopedist thinks people over 40 should just skip the squats altogether as they can cause knee issues where there weren't any before in older knees. I'm willing to give it another go though. My fanny was lookin fabu.

Doing them with correct form should help your knees not hurt. Incorrect form is what causes knee pain most of the time.

spud_chick

I was doing walking squats (taking a sideways step while entering a squat, then standing, repeat x10, then do it in the other direction). Saw it on a beginner video I was using for a couple of months to supplement my walking, and really liked the results in my caboose, but not in my knee. I've been trying to get back into the videos (my arms are back to flabby too) but probably need to find an alternative squat, or an alternative TO squats. Walking keeps my butt acceptably toned but squats definitely took it up a notch.

I liked the feeling that the walking squats were making me a little more coordinated,but it might have been better to start with a squat that's easier to control, so I could gradually develop form and not strain my knee.

Have you tried just doing regular squats? No need to make them "fancy" with whatever walking squats are. Just plain ole squats have been working for decades.

I tried plain ones after my knee started bugging me but it still hurt (and also, they were a lot more boring than the walking sideways squats). Now that I haven't done any squats for several weeks, I'll probably look up some "squats for bad knees" videos and start again that way. I was just reporting on my experience since someone else mentioned the knee issues.

I talked to someone who said their orthopedist thinks people over 40 should just skip the squats altogether as they can cause knee issues where there weren't any before in older knees. I'm willing to give it another go though. My fanny was lookin fabu.

Doing them with correct form should help your knees not hurt. Incorrect form is what causes knee pain most of the time.

That's what I'm hoping, but I did have a dodgy knee to begin with. So I'll have to be extra careful.

It sounds like someone biting into an apple when I straighten it out

keepongoingnmw

And... to add to the benefits everyone has already listed - if you've had kids (like I have) they are hands down the easiest way to tone your pelvic floor muscles (sooo much better than doing kegels etc)! And the bonus is you get a nice *kitten*

I can vouch for this, My doctor sais Kegal's are useless, My friend who is a physical therapist sais that is what they are teaching PT's now. If you have kids....you want a strong pelvic floor.

CallMeCupcakeDammit

For me it helps with the serious case of "no-*kitten*-at-alls" I have. Baby is building back 1 squat at a time!

I wish I had taken a side view before I ever started strength training. I have an *kitten* now! :bigsmile:

wrascoe1

How many squats to you do a day?

moosegt35

How many squats to you do a day?

5 sets of 5 three times a week. Squats are lifts, not cardio. 250 squats is cardio

CallMeCupcakeDammit

How many squats to you do a day?

5 sets of 5 three times a week. Squats are lifts, not cardio. 250 squats is cardio

Tell that to my *kitten*! I'm doing the squat challenge on top of New Rules. I have to do 195 squats today, and yeah, that definitely gets your heart racing and makes your *kitten* hurt!

moosegt35

How many squats to you do a day?

5 sets of 5 three times a week. Squats are lifts, not cardio. 250 squats is cardio

Tell that to my *kitten*! I'm doing the squat challenge on top of New Rules. I have to do 195 squats today, and yeah, that definitely gets your heart racing and makes your *kitten* hurt!

so would running 104 miles, but its still cardio

Derpina7

Because... DAT *kitten*