are squats overrated?
hamlet1222
Posts: 459 Member
Don't have any specific criticisms of squats, just didn't find them as 'life-changing' as others seem to, and found fast short-distance running and cycling just as good for building up legs.
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Depends on what your goals are.
They're a solid compound movement, but unless you're a powerlifter they're not essential. I don't subscribe to the "bro" ethic that you have to squat no matter what.5 -
Not at all. Squats work your legs, glutes, and core muscles.1
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Depends on what your goals are.
They're a solid compound movement, but unless you're a powerlifter they're not essential. I don't subscribe to the "bro" ethic that you have to squat no matter what.
Yep, goal dependent.
Since my goals are total lifting numbers nothing improved my other lifts better than adding heavy squats.
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Squats are an all around great exercise and you do not have to be into powerlifting for them to be extremely beneficial. Regardless of your goals I do not see how they would not help.4
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I don't know if i'd call them "life changing" but they're a pretty good lift for everyone to learn how to do properly.0
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No. They're a solid compound movement that are very effective at building strength, and they're one of the bigger tools in the toolbox. To ignore their benefits seems silly, but sure your goals may not involve them either.1
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hamlet1222 wrote: »Don't have any specific criticisms of squats, just didn't find them as 'life-changing' as others seem to, and found fast short-distance running and cycling just as good for building up legs
Squats do not just build up your legs.
If you are using sufficient weight, squats are a compound lift that put stress on and build up the strength in your upper & lower back, spinal erectors, abdominals, hips, quads, hamstrings, calves and glutes.
So, they are not an isolation movement for the legs only and, if that's all you're interested in, you can certainly dispense w/them but, if you're interested in developong overall body strength, I don't think you can do w/o them.
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I know that when I started lifting, I was only using the machines, eg leg press, for about a month. When I first did squats (with only a 10kg bar), I could barely walk for a week afterwards. Nothing else I've done uses those muscles in the same way.3
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Self starting cars and heated seats are life changing.
Finding the space to love yourself is life changing.
Squats are a religion. But they aren't life changing.17 -
They aren't life changing, they're butt changing.19
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For mass and power. Definitely not. They help with my deadlifts for increasing core stability, work for carrying heavy objects, and bench press for my leg drive.0
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Depends on what your goals are.
They're a solid compound movement, but unless you're a powerlifter they're not essential. I don't subscribe to the "bro" ethic that you have to squat no matter what.
Would agree when talking about squats as exercise. However, IMO the mobility/flexibility to squat (even bodyweight) pain free is life changing.5 -
Squats are a love-hate relationship. When they are going good, almost nothing better.
When you're tired from a long week of training and questioning your life choices that require you to squat 8 rep sets at 70+%, they kinda suck. But then they get good again and you love them again.9 -
Packerjohn wrote: »Depends on what your goals are.
They're a solid compound movement, but unless you're a powerlifter they're not essential. I don't subscribe to the "bro" ethic that you have to squat no matter what.
Would agree when talking about squats as exercise. However, IMO the mobility/flexibility to squat (even bodyweight) pain free is life changing.
This is a good point. There are benefits to pushing out of our comfort zones. Squats have been a struggle for me from the beginning, and I'm currently on my 3rd complete reset where I've stripped the bar down to 135 and started all over again. The mobility and strength gains have definitely been worth the efforts.2 -
I did a lot of squatting in High School. Now, I do squats, just not barbell squats. My back and knees are beat up from Military service. Not worth it to me personally. If they help you accomplish your goals, then they are good for you.0
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sunnybeaches105 wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »Depends on what your goals are.
They're a solid compound movement, but unless you're a powerlifter they're not essential. I don't subscribe to the "bro" ethic that you have to squat no matter what.
Would agree when talking about squats as exercise. However, IMO the mobility/flexibility to squat (even bodyweight) pain free is life changing.
This is a good point. There are benefits to pushing out of our comfort zones. Squats have been a struggle for me from the beginning, and I'm currently on my 3rd complete reset where I've stripped the bar down to 135 and started all over again. The mobility and strength gains have definitely been worth the efforts.
I did squats years ago, went to a different gym, not squat rack, just used the leg press, was okay for my needs. I have an office job, long driving commute started having lower back issues. Ran across the Weller 3rd World Squat on T-Nation. Tried to do it and failed miserably. Kept at it and now can do a pretty decent job with it. Lower back pain much better. I can't do squats with a barbell due to shoulder issues I have to work around, but do deep, heavy goblet squats.
Original Weller 3rd World Squat article:
https://www.t-nation.com/training/third-world-squat
Newer article from stack.com referencing the above
http://www.stack.com/a/third-world-squat
It was interesting, I had worked with trying to get to the 3rd World Squat for a year or so and was pretty decent at it. Myself and another guy who was also in his 50's (or maybe early 60's) could do it, but most of the kids on the junior high track team we were helping coach couldn't do it. The other guy was actually a recently retired engineer who spend a bunch of time in 3rd World countries as a project manager on gen set installations who sat like that in meetings at the job site.
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Their value depends on your goals. And the value of a specific variation can vary greatly from person to person. I keep back squats in my routine because I have a certain strength goal (poundage) I'd like to meet someday. But for bodybuilding purposes (my main goal w/lifting), I get a lot more out of a combo of other exercises (hack squats, hip thrusts, glute bridges, RDLs, and leg curls.)0
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Willbenchforcupcakes wrote: »Squats are a love-hate relationship. When they are going good, almost nothing better
Agreed. Squats are the most difficult lift for me. I'm 65 and currently weigh 172. Got seriously hurt doing them at 195, 3 years ago at about the same body weight.
Only recently started doing them again but then tweaked my back at 180. Took a few weeks off and fortunately the problem wasn't as serious as b4. Am back up to 190 and still progressing w/o pain.
Dread doing squats because of the prior injuries but I consider it a challenge. Takes all of my focus, concentration and effort to do 3x5 per Starting Strength at my max weight but feel great satisfaction as I progress.
Current goal is to reach 210 which would put me in the Advanced class for men over 60 at 181 lbs per Killustrated's Strength Standards.
Can deadlift 250 which already puts me in the Advanced class for men over 60 at 181 lbs but deadlifts are easier for me. Got to 275 before I got injured 3 years ago and, if I don't get injured again, I should be able to make it to 315 which would put me in the Elite class for men my age/wt.
Not sure if I can get my squats to 270 to achieve the same level of accomplishment, but I would be happy to reach 255 at about 1.5x body weight which wouldn't be so bad for an old man.
PS: I realize these weights are barely qualifying for younger men in the open class. It's all relative.
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squats were lift changing for me, since learning to lift properly with my legs and a tight core cured my lower back problems, sciatica, etc and saved me from continually blowing it out.3
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Doing squats for a week won't change much. Over many months, now we're talking. I love squats.1
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I love squats and they can be adjusted in different forms to work different areas (smaller muscles) and adapted to protect knees etc so many variations to meet anyone needs or ability level from air squats to heavy lifting front or back squats.1
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Squat a lot! Good for the glutes ...amazing results if done regularly!1
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Doing squats has improved my cycling. My speed, endurance, and climbing ability have all increased since I started doing them a few months ago.2
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It doesn't start random by itself, you have a remote to start it. I don't know why you would want one but I love mine in the winter when its 20 degrees out and getting into a cold car at 5 in the morning really sucks2 -
When you can't squat or walk up stairs, doing squats can be life changing because they get you to the point where you can do all the things you couldn't do before.2
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Various kinds of squats are in my leg workouts. Not an absolute but great for building lower body.0
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#squatsforlyf
Also I'm a powerlifter so they are essential. But if you can do them with proper form, then absolutely put them in your routine as there are plenty of benefits listed above
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I'm loving squats, too*. I've also been trying that third world squat exercise several times a day (luckily I seem to be quite suited to that).
* I reserve the right to change my mind as the weight increases to Manly Man levels - at the moment I'm still doing Baby Man (<40Kg) squats as I've just started 1 -
#squatsforlife
Definitely not over-rated.0
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