Squats HELP!

PJPrimrose

Being a professional athlete, or even having the ABILITY to be a pro-athlete, will pretty much ensure you have a nearly perfect body. Ok, back in the land where folks go to the gym. Squats will improve your butt, but not overnight. These things take time.

That said:

"QUOTE:

... Also, stop eating icecream, it does NOTHING good for you.


Girl, you better check yourself with this crazy talk!!!!!"

DO NOT GET BETWEEN ME AND MY ICE CREAM IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIFE!!! LOL. Crazy talk indeed!

Mischievous_Rascal

I don't do squats anymore. Adding weight and lifting just adds size to my *kitten*. It's mostly muscle I'm sure but I don't appreciate the gain in size or firmness. Firm seems good till one sits down on your married partners lap and they suggest your bottom feels like a concrete block on them. It's one of the few features I like about my body despite the fact I'm plus sized. What I did find that worked is high rep, low weight exercises. I'll do Plies for example with just body weight or small dumbbells or wrist weights and they were a TON easier on my knees. There is a reason you rarely see a long time ballerina with a huge *kitten*. I try for 20 to 50 reps in areas I want to stay smaller. To do that many reps I have to select lower than normal weights I can handle. It does wonderful things though for a tight, toned, area without being rock hard from muscle.

What? I love how big and round my assets are getting...

And weighted squats are NOT bad for your knees if you do them with proper form. 20-50 reps, though, that can lead to repetitive motion injuries and really mess with your joints over time.

Tallbeautie

Totally agree. I was on a mission to firm up my rear and squats without any weight on my back didn't do a thing. You have to lift heavy to activate those muscles back there. You will see a change in the firmness and appearance right away.

firstsip

I don't do squats anymore. Adding weight and lifting just adds size to my *kitten*. It's mostly muscle I'm sure but I don't appreciate the gain in size or firmness. Firm seems good till one sits down on your married partners lap and they suggest your bottom feels like a concrete block on them. It's one of the few features I like about my body despite the fact I'm plus sized. What I did find that worked is high rep, low weight exercises. I'll do Plies for example with just body weight or small dumbbells or wrist weights and they were a TON easier on my knees. There is a reason you rarely see a long time ballerina with a huge *kitten*. I try for 20 to 50 reps in areas I want to stay smaller. To do that many reps I have to select lower than normal weights I can handle. It does wonderful things though for a tight, toned, area without being rock hard from muscle.

... Except not. I know several dancers. My mother WAS a ballerina. The legs and butt are for real. As are the deformed toes.

Plus a hard bottom isn't a bad thing; maybe your partner's not a fan, but there's a reason the expression "bounce a quarter off it" is in the vernacular.

< Also, here are my "huge" butt and legs from squatting heavy weights.

Tallbeautie

Adding weight and lifting just adds size to my *kitten*. It's mostly muscle I'm sure but I don't appreciate the gain in size or firmness. Firm seems good till one sits down on your married partners lap and they suggest your bottom feels like a concrete block on them.

What I would say if my husband ever suggested that my firm *kitten* is a problem for him:

This right here ^^^ LOL Love it!!

IPAkiller

Muscles get used to the same type of exercises and so stop responding as effectively to the exercise. Change up the type of squats you do.Also, stop eating icecream, it does NOTHING good for you. Eat more protein which is what your muscles need for strength and development. Finally, reduce the reps and add some weights. You'll see better results and much faster. Good luck and dont give up!!

jackpotclown

Muscles get used to the same type of exercises and so stop responding as effectively to the exercise. Change up the type of squats you do.Also, stop eating icecream, it does NOTHING good for you. Eat more protein which is what your muscles need for strength and development. Finally, reduce the reps and add some weights. You'll see better results and much faster. Good luck and dont give up!!

+1 \m/

IPAkiller

Muscles get used to the same type of exercises and so stop responding as effectively to the exercise. Change up the type of squats you do.Also, stop eating icecream, it does NOTHING good for you. Eat more protein which is what your muscles need for strength and development. Finally, reduce the reps and add some weights. You'll see better results and much faster. Good luck and dont give up!!

kaylongo

Squats are a great lower body exercise, but they shouldn't be the only thing you do to tone your legs and glutes (butt muscles).

Try checking out glute extensions to round your tush. Leg presses are great for the quads, hamstrings and also tone the glutes.

Lunges are a great all around leg workout: they tone your hips, quads, thighs and butt. I do 3 sets of 30 walking lunges interspersed between my weighted leg exercises.

I'd also throw in the mix variations on squats to avoid plateauing. In addition to the standard squats, try the wide leg squat (like a plie) to tone your hips and inner thighs and fast squats to build endurance.

Hope this helps!

deksgrl

And lol at your SO complaining about a tight butt. just. lawlz.

I compare this to the "bulky" complaint....... just don't flex, problem solved.

JoRocka

And lol at your SO complaining about a tight butt. just. lawlz.

I compare this to the "bulky" complaint....... just don't flex, problem solved.

then how will they know that I work out!!!!!?????

firstsip

Squats are a great lower body exercise, but they shouldn't be the only thing you do to tone your legs and glutes (butt muscles).

Try checking out glute extensions to round your tush. Leg presses are great for the quads, hamstrings and also tone the glutes.

Lunges are a great all around leg workout: they tone your hips, quads, thighs and butt. I do 3 sets of 30 walking lunges interspersed between my weighted leg exercises.

I'd also throw in the mix variations on squats to avoid plateauing. In addition to the standard squats, try the wide leg squat (like a plie) to tone your hips and inner thighs and fast squats to build endurance.

Hope this helps!

Actually, squats are totally fine as the sole compound exercise for lower body, but deadlifts are good as well (as is doing upper body work to prevent an imbalance). Everything else you said is fine accessory work, but simple compound movements *can* be enough.

As for plateauing, varying squat forms is fine, as well, but so long as weight is added progressively and adequate nutrition is followed, there won't really be a plateau for awhile (which periodic deloading can help solve).

arl1286

Squats won't make your legs smaller-- they'll just build muscle.

firstsip

Squats won't make your legs smaller-- they'll just build muscle.

Wrong. They'll build muscle if coupled with eating at a surplus of calories.

Eaten at maintenance or a slight deficit, they will help strengthen the muscle underneath while reducing the fat on top, thus making legs smaller or tighter (or both).

LiftAllThePizzas

There is a reason you rarely see a long time ballerina with a huge *kitten*.

Assuming that's true, it would be for the same reason you rarely see an NBA player who is 4 feet tall: because playing basketball causes people to become tall, of course.

sjohnny

I'm just here because I heard someone was thinking about skipping leg day.

I'm pretty sure that's something that's just not done.




Ever.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

I'm just here because I heard someone was thinking about skipping leg day.

I'm pretty sure that's something that's just not done.




Ever.

I'm skipping leg day while I recover from surgery.


coneofshame.gif

astrampe

Squats won't make your legs smaller-- they'll just build muscle.

Tell that to my denim shorts which is now not nearly as tight around my thighs as they were last year......

sjohnny

I'm just here because I heard someone was thinking about skipping leg day.

I'm pretty sure that's something that's just not done.




Ever.

I'm skipping leg day while I recover from surgery.


coneofshame.gif

ninerbuff

Too little time doing them to even assess progress.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition